(no subject)
http://endogenousretrovirus.blogspot.com/2008/03/special-rights-for-religious-radicals.html
[The entire entry, rather blatantly plagiarized/copypasta'd:]
You all know the old joke for dealing with Creationists:
What should a teacher say to a student who, every time he comes to a question on a test he cannot answer, writes “God did it.”? Then, when he hands in the test, he expects - even demands - a perfect score and a pat on the head.
Idiot Creationists see unanswered questions, proclaim 'GOD DID IT!' and expect a pat on the head. They are shocked and offended when people laugh at them.
But members of the reality based community know that 'God did it' is a joke answer in the real world.
Well... the real world minus Oklahoma:
The Oklahoma House of Representatives Education Committee has just approved House Bill 2211. The bill is expected to pass the full House, and then to go to the Senate. Its authors describe it as promoting freedom of religion in the public schools. In fact, it does the opposite.
...
The bill requires public schools to guarantee students the right to express their religious viewpoints in a public forum, in class, in homework and in other ways without being penalized. If a student’s religious beliefs were in conflict with scientific theory, and the student chose to express those beliefs rather than explain the theory in response to an exam question, the student’s incorrect response would be deemed satisfactory, according to this bill.
The school would be required to reward the student with a good grade, or be considered in violation of the law. Even simple, factual information such as the age of the earth (4.65 billion years) would be subject to the student’s belief, and if the student answered 6,000 years based on his or her religious belief, the school would have to credit it as correct. Science education becomes absurd under such a situation.
Wow. This bill is genius. One bill, school becomes meaningless. Science, history, math, ethics, psychology, health, art, all obliterated.
*clap*
*clap*
*clap*
Touché, radical Christians, touché.
[endcopypasta]
The one who initially shared this with me added one of the finer comments it's garnered so far, one which I hold no hope of topping.
"I really, really hope that there are Pastafarians there who will abuse the hell out of such a law."
Personally? I think this is one or two steps from destroying the concept of religion in the public eye. Because I don't imagine faith-based responses from unrecognized religions will qualify. After that, it comes into question where the legally-recognized divide between 'faithful', 'incorrect', and 'mentally handicapped' really is.
And nothing makes me happier than the thought of the pope in a straightjacket. Of course, that's quite a few more steps down the way, but I can wait.
[The entire entry, rather blatantly plagiarized/copypasta'd:]
You all know the old joke for dealing with Creationists:
What should a teacher say to a student who, every time he comes to a question on a test he cannot answer, writes “God did it.”? Then, when he hands in the test, he expects - even demands - a perfect score and a pat on the head.
Idiot Creationists see unanswered questions, proclaim 'GOD DID IT!' and expect a pat on the head. They are shocked and offended when people laugh at them.
But members of the reality based community know that 'God did it' is a joke answer in the real world.
Well... the real world minus Oklahoma:
The Oklahoma House of Representatives Education Committee has just approved House Bill 2211. The bill is expected to pass the full House, and then to go to the Senate. Its authors describe it as promoting freedom of religion in the public schools. In fact, it does the opposite.
...
The bill requires public schools to guarantee students the right to express their religious viewpoints in a public forum, in class, in homework and in other ways without being penalized. If a student’s religious beliefs were in conflict with scientific theory, and the student chose to express those beliefs rather than explain the theory in response to an exam question, the student’s incorrect response would be deemed satisfactory, according to this bill.
The school would be required to reward the student with a good grade, or be considered in violation of the law. Even simple, factual information such as the age of the earth (4.65 billion years) would be subject to the student’s belief, and if the student answered 6,000 years based on his or her religious belief, the school would have to credit it as correct. Science education becomes absurd under such a situation.
Wow. This bill is genius. One bill, school becomes meaningless. Science, history, math, ethics, psychology, health, art, all obliterated.
*clap*
*clap*
*clap*
Touché, radical Christians, touché.
[endcopypasta]
The one who initially shared this with me added one of the finer comments it's garnered so far, one which I hold no hope of topping.
"I really, really hope that there are Pastafarians there who will abuse the hell out of such a law."
Personally? I think this is one or two steps from destroying the concept of religion in the public eye. Because I don't imagine faith-based responses from unrecognized religions will qualify. After that, it comes into question where the legally-recognized divide between 'faithful', 'incorrect', and 'mentally handicapped' really is.
And nothing makes me happier than the thought of the pope in a straightjacket. Of course, that's quite a few more steps down the way, but I can wait.