Calamities of Nature comic - July 20, 2011. Click to enlarge.
[source]
Nothing like a comic to drill-down something complex into four (funny) panels.
A believing science teacher? I’d like to see one of these in its native habitat. Granted, this blog isn’t active anymore, and these posts are a bit old, but I find these tiny snippets tantalizing, and I’d love to see more. I am so fascinated by people who study and work in professions that lend themselves to the rational and critical mind and find those studies uplifting to their faith.
I teach evolution as a theory-because it is. I believe in creationism, yet I do think that organisms have changed over time, but not to the extent that every living thing on this planet evolved from one single-celled organism.
…But so many times I feel like teaching is a great way to be Gods hands and Feet–and to love and make a difference in so many peoples lives…So as I thought more about it, I realized that perhaps it is better for my students to hear about Evolution from a Christian–(even though I do not tell them about my beliefs) than someone who is a strong advocate for Evolution. I always say prayers. All the time for my students, my school, and the things that I teach…So hopefully I’m doing the right thing–even if it is a little contradictory.
There are those moments in life, when you experience or see something that just touches your heart, to the point where you think, “This is one of those things-where it seems impossible to me that anyone in this world couldn’t believe in God.”
What brought this thought to my mind today is my current Biology unit. Protein syntheis. … I know this sounds like gibberish, but the real fascination is that these [DNA and mRNA] molecules are living–something is pushing them to keep going every day. They’re so tiny. We don’t even think of them, but they keep growing, replicating, and changing. The only explanation I can find for this phenomenon is God. He is what keeps us living, and going, and at a molecular level, our proteins synthesizing.
Isn’t it interesting how our perspectives and conclusions can differ so drastically?
photo by Trois Têtes
Frans DeWaal of the New York Times has written a thoughtful piece on the origins of morality, altruism, and whether God has anything to do with it. It’s definitely worth the read, so check it out.
What does science say about morality?
While I do consider religious institutions and their representatives — popes, bishops, mega-preachers, ayatollahs, and rabbis — fair game for criticism, what good could come from insulting individuals who find value in religion? And more pertinently, what alternative does science have to offer? Science is not in the business of spelling out the meaning of life and even less in telling us how to live our lives. We, scientists, are good at finding out why things are the way they are, or how things work, and I do believe that biology can help us understand what kind of animals we are and why our morality looks the way it does. But to go from there to offering moral guidance seems a stretch.
Many people in the comments suggest Sam Harris’ new book The Moral Landscape to help explain what science can offer in terms of moral answers for humanity. I haven’t read it yet, but it’s high on my list! Have any of you read The Moral Landscape? What do you think?
Imagine no religion
DeWaal seems to think any ordered guidelines for moral living—even if formed completely without God—would be indistinguishable from the religion-based guidelines we have today.
… [T]he building blocks of morality are older than humanity, and that we do not need God to explain how we got where we are today. On the other hand, what would happen if we were able to excise religion from society? I doubt that science and the naturalistic worldview could fill the void and become an inspiration for the good. Any framework we develop to advocate a certain moral outlook is bound to produce its own list of principles, its own prophets, and attract its own devoted followers, so that it will soon look like any old religion.
Atheists tend to daydream about a world without religion (a la John Lennon). It seems as if DeWaal is afraid of what might happen if such a radical change came to pass. Personally, I don’t see this happening. Do you think we will evolve ourselves out of religion? Will we become a secular world society one day or simply destroy ourselves first?
I recommend reading the conversation that continues in the comments of this piece. Many mature insights are shared. Here’s one response to the quote above:
But is religion really “an inspiration for the good” ? If the “building blocks” predate religion, why would we need religion to inspire us to do good ? Just like a child will make something out of the Lego blocks you put in front of him without you telling him to, we could very well just be tempted to use those blocks we have. At best, religion just has a placebo effect: some people think they are good because religion tells them to, while in reality, they would be good anyway.
What do you think?
(HT goodreasonnews)
What is it about the South and teaching creationism in school? Here comes another one:
The Livingston Parish School Board will begin exploring the possibility of incorporating the teaching of “creationism” in the public school system’s science classes.
During the board’s meeting Thursday, several board members expressed an interest in the teaching of creationism, an alternative to the study of the theory of evolution, in Livingston Parish public school classrooms.
Benton said that under provisions of the Science Education Act enacted last year by the Louisiana Legislature, schools can present what she termed “critical thinking and creationism” in science classes.
Board Member David Tate quickly responded: “We let them teach evolution to our children, but I think all of us sitting up here on this School Board believe in creationism. Why can’t we get someone with religious beliefs to teach creationism?”
Fellow board member Clint Mitchell responded, “I agree … you don’t have to be afraid to point out some of the fallacies with the theory of evolution. Teachers should have the freedom to look at creationism and find a way to get it into the classroom.”
(source)
This “Science Education Act” is basically a way to legalize a rape of the scientific process to get creationism into schools under the guise of “critical thinking”… My ass. Basically, it’s a shortcut to give religious mythology a way into the classroom without requiring any evidence, testable theories, peer-reviewed research, or any science at all, actually.
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