From: rescorla@rtnmr.chem.yale.edu (Eric Rescorla)
Subject: Re: ProLife, ProMurder, ProCrime And Iraq
Followup-To: talk.abortion,talk.origins
Organization: Rescorla for himself.
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1993 18:41:29 GMT

Note, I've set followups to talk.abortion and talk.origins.
If you're reading this somewhere else either subscribe to one of
these groups or reset the followup line.
In article <casivils.727637526@node_508ba> casivils@lescsse.jsc.nasa.gov (craig sivils) writes:
>In <1993Jan21.023127.26352@Princeton.EDU> datepper@phoenix.Princeton.EDU (David Aaron Tepper) writes:
>>Loaded question. Let me rephrase that:
>
>>Why are so many people who claim to be "pro-life" against the right of
>>an individual to study evolution in school?
>
>>I'll answer yours if you'll answer mine...
[Stuff of little relevance deleted]

>There are two possible answers to your loaded question, I will give both.
>1.  Because some people choose to view this theory as being in conflict with
>    the biblical account of creation in Genesis.  The conflict is based mainly
>    on the interpretation of the word day.  If you ignore that, there are 
>    some striking similarities.
I.e. if you ignore all the details of Genesis, it doesn't conflict with
evolution.

>2.  Because the THEORY is not always taught as such and the scientific evidence
>    (there are several different flavors of the theory of evolution, and some
>    scientists who don't buy it at all) which goes counter to the THEORY often
>    is ignored (ie: not taught).
As usual, you are confusing the THEORY of evolution with the FACT of
evolution. The THEORY of evolution is intended to explain the FACT of
evolution. There are different flavors of evolutionary theory, but
the differences are hardly relevant to an introductory course.
(I hardly think I need to discuss string theory versus supersymmetry
in the two days in high school physics where QM is introduced.)
As for the supposed evidence against evolution, the reason it isn't
taught is because there is none. I challenge you to come up with a
single article from a peer reviewed journal which is incompatible
with evolution.

>Ok, I bit the bullet.  Your turn, and please when answering, remember the 
>slogan that I often see on my TV, Abortion: safe, leagal and funded.
>Someone stated that the position was logically consistant, it is not, even if
>you don't favor the funded half of the above statement.
Huh? Where is the inconsistency?

> There is a case in 
>court now where a football coach was fired for placing his son in a private
>school rather than a public school.  When asked for the reason, the Coach
>replied that he wanted his son to be taught from a christian perspective on
>values.  His supervisor told him that was what his evenings were for.
This sounds like a blatant violation of his civil liberties. Can you
give a citation to the event+case.

> How many people would be in favor of a christanity clinic at every school where a
>counselor would discuss with each student if christanity was right for that 
>student and would provide detailed information on where to go if the student
>wanted to become a christian.
Actually, MY school had a world cultures program where they invited
representatives of various religions in to speak. I would not really
object to this(though I did then, because they had so obviously
tailored it to Xianity) if it were genuinely open to ALL religions.
(e.g.. Church of Satan can come speak.)

>  (Answer: its illegal in some states for a
>teacher to have a closed bible on their desk). I understand why we don't have
>such clinics and agree that they are not needed.  But there is a difference in
>the way we treat the seperation of the State and one Value, and the way that
>we tread the seperation of the State and the other value.
So? The First Amendment doesn't say anything about "values". It talks
about "religion." How is that inconsistent.

-Ekr



-- 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Eric Rescorla, DoD#431 (Nighthawk S)              rescorla@rtnmr.chem.yale.edu
Former chemist now CM400 mechanic                 ekr@eitech.com(preferred)
                        Don't believe anything you hear.
Newsgroups: talk.abortion,talk.politics.misc,talk.religion.misc,misc.legal