Yay for Kansas!

[Edwina's Secretary]

Because any way you look at it...intelligent design is religion. Religion and science have been at odds throughout history.

This country was founded on...among other principles....separation of church and state.

Teach what you want at home and church...but not on the public nickel!

I find the idea of teaching intelligent design in public schools just political correction run amok! ANd once you begin down the slippery slope....

[Lady's Human]

ES, the slippery slope of politic al correctness took over the political institutions of this country long ago, unfortunately. Sex ed in schools without parental consent (at younger and younger ages), bans on prayer even if student driven and not lead by teachers, military speech codes (I can't curse at the lower enlisted, it might offend them), I could go on and on with the PC BS in society, but I don't believe this is PC. I think it is just backlash against it.

Again, both evolution and intelligent design belong in western philosophy class, not the science lab.

[caseysmom]

ES, the slippery slope of politic al correctness took over the political institutions of this country long ago, unfortunately. Sex ed in schools without parental consent (at younger and younger ages), bans on prayer even if student driven and not lead by teachers, military speech codes (I can't curse at the lower enlisted, it might offend them), I could go on and on with the PC BS in society, but I don't believe this is PC. I think it is just backlash against it.

Again, both evolution and intelligent design belong in western philosophy class, not the science lab.

I have had to sign a note for sex ed for my kids every single year.

[Maresche]

I have had to sign a note for sex ed for my kids every single year.

So they get it through the school or so the don't get it? Just curious.

[caseysmom]

Yes they do get it through the school but only after I consent and we can go view the movies and all the materials they will see.

[Edwina's Secretary]

The first amendment speaks of freedom OF religion, not freedom FROM religion.

Actually LH, you are correct. What you miss is the next step in the logic. Public schools are an arm of the government. Teaching religion in the public schools is the government teaching (i.e. establishing) a religion.

That is why private religious schools are permitted in this country. The government does not and should not endorse one religion over another.

btw...the school board in Pennsylvania that tried this?....all were voted OUT yesterday.

[JenBKR]

Hmm, I thought we had a good compromise going

[Lady's Human]

ES, we're going to have to agree to disagree, as usual. The teaching of intelligent design does not violate the first amendment for one very simple reason; it doesn't promote one particular religion, which is what the first amendment defends against.

Caseysmom:

There is a case in court right now in which a school in Mass had parents sign blanket permission slips for a class, and went into sex ed, which was NOT on the permission slips. This is not unusual.

[momoffuzzyfaces]

First let me say, I respect and love all of you, no matter what your opinion on this or any other subject.

I can see where some do not want to be "subjected to religious teachings" (though I will disagree that intelligent design is religious teacing)
HOWEVER: we should not be "subjected to the teaching of evolution" either. Some of us think it's just a bunch of hoo haa. Shouldn't we have the same rights as you? not to be subjected to something WE don't agree with or want to be subjected too?

[CathyBogart]

ES, we're going to have to agree to disagree, as usual. The teaching of intelligent design does not violate the first amendment for one very simple reason; it doesn't promote one particular religion, which is what the first amendment defends against.

No, it promotes the view of a very narrow margin of religions. There are thousands of creation stories around the world, and a class teaching a bunch of them would be awesome. I did a research paper on creation theories of different peoples once and it was enthralling.

[momoffuzzyfaces]

[QUOTE=Edwina's Secretary]
This country was founded on...among other principles....separation of church and state.[QUOTE]
Actually, this country was founded on freedom of religon. When the Pilgrams were booted out of England because of their faith, they came here. The big debate over separation of church and state didn't happen until the Democrats and Republicans landed.

Belief in an intelligent design is not a religon unless you worship it.
I believe in air but that doesn't make it a religon.
It's a person's choice whether they worship anything or not. And no one will be telling anyone else to worship what or who ever the intelligent designer is.

[Lady's Human]

The teaching of intelligent design would not be a violation of the First amendment (BTW, ES, the Constitution was the second attempt at a unifying set of laws, the Articles of Confederation came first) as the first amendment states:

Amendment I

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

respecting an establishment of religion, ie no more Church of England. The idea of separation of church and state actually came from a letter written by Jefferson well after the writing of the Constitution.
Intelligent design as stated does not state that a particular deity created everything, just points out that that is one theory of how we got here.

[Edwina's Secretary]

It is so sad. I was just reading about Iraq where the religious police are assaulting young people on the street for walking...a man and a woman together. So now we have our own religious police. People who speak in a patronizing manner to others, is so typical of the Political Correctness crowd.

I am not free from YOUR religion if I must hear about YOUR religious belief in a PUBLIC school. Intelligent design = a supreme being = religion.

Denying this is a religious issue is disingenuous (lacking in candor).

How it is so many people have managed to pass through public education with the teaching of evolution and without intelligent design without turning them all into atheists?

Why the hangup on evolution? There are many areas with potential for different interpretations!

And why do you need to swear at subordinates?

[Lady's Human]

The first amendment speaks of freedom OF religion, not freedom FROM religion. Again, the amendment merely eliminates the possibility of a formal state religion, as in the Church of England. The teaching of intelligent design as a possibility does not teach a religion, it merely acknowledges the possibility. It also does not teach a particular religion.

Why the need to swear at subordinates? It gets their attention IMMEDIATELY, and in some cases that immediate call to attention may save their lives. We train with real ammo, real explosives, and inattention may cost lives, which to me is far, far more important than their feelings.

[JenBKR]

The first amendment speaks of freedom OF religion, not freedom FROM religion.

EXACTLY!! Thank you - that is something that people can't seem to understand. That was something that my mom taught me at an early age.

In high school, when I learned about evolution (and the big bang theory) in science, I pretty much thought it was a bunch of bunk and didn't believe it. I just think that where we came from is a much bigger question, one that should be taught at home (or at least not in a science class, I still like the idea of both ideas being taught in philosophy ).

Actually, political correctness is NOT a Christian idea, at all. In fact, Christians are the ones being burned by political correctness. For example, we have to be so careful celebrating Christmas, and Pittsburgh went as far as to call it the "Sparkle Season" to not offend anyone. HELLO! Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus - that is the meaning. If you don't like it, don't celebrate it.