The Sarah Palin Thread

When asked, In 2006, About her views on teaching biblical creation in schools along side evolution sarah palin said "teach both", As if lying to children isn't that important.

I wonder if this "teach both" attitude that is perpetually parroted applies to all bullshit or is it specifically christian bullshit? I mean, There are alternate "theories" on everything from the holocaust to the shape of the earth. Should children be taught both sides of the "holocaust debate", That the jews made it up to aid their quest for world domination, or that the earth is flat and then "let them decide", Would she be in favour, as a pro-lifer, Of teaching children that abortions are perfectly acceptable and nothing to be ashamed of and then "let them decide"? Or is it, As i suspect, Not "both sides" that she wants taught at all, It's actually just "the christian side" that she wants taught.

And why is it only the christian creation myth that is demanding special treatment. If mythology is to be taught along side science shouldn't we also include every other religions creation myth? In astronomy class should we teach children that the earth is sitting on the back of a turtle and that the sun orbits it being pulled by a giant man in a chariot and then "let them decide"?

Or perhaps maybe we should tell people with primitive views to keep them in church and just teach children evidence based science.

The children are our future, try not to turn them in to dangerous idiots.

 

That sounds great. She has very strong integrity, I love her values, God and family first.
God and family should be #1 on everyone's agenda.

Pro-life and Pro-gun is also a bonus

 

You may not believe in god but the large majority of the nation does as well. I am not a creationist believer or a christian but I support both being taught because a good percent of the nation knows and believes in it.
Palin never said to present it as fact. She said to show both sides. That is the right thing to do.

 

She can believe what she wants in her own time, What i object to is teaching children biblical mythology as though it were fact. See, This isn't about teaching "both side", It's about nothing more than furthering the christian agenda through mandatory education. Not particularly "christian", is it.

 

This might be the only time the children get a proper education of the bible taught by teachers.

 

Can you give an exact quote where she said to teach it as fact please?

 

That's what churches are for. Those lovely, enormous, multi-million dollar, tax exempt churches.

Where does it end? If we teach every crackpot bullshit story made up by manipulative cults we wouldn't actually get any education done. How about we teach only that which can be supported by evidence? Does that not make much more sense? Is there any "alternative theory" that we shouldn't teach? It seems the only "other side" that people want to be taught is the christian side.

Does the truth not mean anything these days? is it more important to protect the fragile feelings of a bunch of religious adults than to teach children the truth?

 

Palin never said teach Creationism as a fact. She said teach it as a lie

You can't each creationist theory in schools. Its ridiculously full of holes. Teachers and scientists will go up in arms against such a decision.

 

How would it be taught as an alternative explanation to evolution if it's not presented as fact?

 

Christian Creation is what should be taught according to the Christians right not crackpot BS.

She has the values that America need.

 

If lying to children is a christian value then those are values you should keep to yourself. Take your children to church if you feel compelled to poison their minds, make them content with not understanding and make them afraid of knowledge. School is a place for learning and furthering ones intellect, Not for furthering the christian agenda through systematic lies and the manipulation of education.

 

It depends when it's taught and in what context I guess. I presume US schools have distinct science and religious studies classes. I don't see any problem with creationism being discussed from a theological point of view while evolutional theory is taught in science classes.

Whether you can police that is another matter though.

 

On so many levels, I find this to be an absolutely baseless reason to justify placing something entirely non-empirical into the study of science - a study, necessarily, based in empiricism.

 

Many Public schools do teach bible base Christianity and have never been sued by the ACLU.

 

Science is science and theology is theology. There is no "theological aspect" of a scientific matter. Does Electromagnetism have a theological point to be discussed?. In any case, the biblical story of creation could be taught in a "comparative mythology" class where it belongs along with every other myth of creation.

 

Would that include evolution?

 

Although I find the notion ridiculous, let's forget conclusions, and allow methodology.

How is the theory of evolution approached?

How is creationism approached?

The answer is why one belongs in a science class, and the other, reasonably, in a comparative religions class.

 

Ah, my post was very poorly written. I actually agree with you. What I meant when I said taught alongside was that I don't see a problem with teaching both at school. As I hope the rest of my post indicates though I certainly think that creationism should only be taught from a theological point of view.

 

Honestly here is what I think should be done.

Evolution should be taught. Both the supportive and unsupportive (there is loads out there). Creationism should have the same.

Show both sides to every story

 

Bacon, you are completely missing the point. Science is based on empirical inquiry, approached heuristically - moving from the unknown to the known by empirical means and reason.

Creationism does not move by the same means, so it is impossible to place it within the realm of science.

It isn't therefore, "both sides" to the story, any more than a class on ion-exchange through marine cytoplasm can be approached by a discussion of the Hawaiian creation myth, when the goddess Papa rode the back of the sea-god Kanaloa to create Islands.

One is based in faith, the other, science, and as such, creationism has no business being taught in a science curriculum.