A comparison of peoples' views in 34 countries finds that the United States ranks near the bottom when it comes to public acceptance of evolution. Only Turkey ranked lower.
Among the factors contributing to America's low score are poor understanding of biology, especially genetics, the politicization of science and the literal interpretation of the Bible by a small but vocal group of American Christians, the researchers say.
"American Protestantism is more fundamentalist than anybody except perhaps the Islamic fundamentalist, which is why Turkey and we are so close," said study co-author Jon Miller of Michigan State University.
Evangelicals urge museum to hide man's ancestors
Powerful evangelical churches are pressing Kenya's national museum to sideline its world-famous collection of hominid bones pointing to man's evolution from ape to human.
Leaders of the country's six-million-strong Pentecostal congregation want Dr Richard Leakey's ground-breaking finds relegated to a back room instead of being given their usual prime billing.
Mathematician who doesn't understand history says human civilization only 1000 years old. He also doesn't understand either art or psychology.
I would write a post tying all these together, but it's just too depressing.
2 comments:
Gotcha. Off to buy high-quality biology texts for the kiddos.
Seriously, I never took biology in school. And since I'm not into it, I've been ignoring it in favor of astronomy, chemistry, physics. But if it's this bad ... maybe it's time to bite the bullet and make sure SOMEONE in the next generation understands biology, genetics, and how archaeological evidence works. Oh, and the difference between science and wishful thinking. That would be good too, eh?
I've seen ads by the guy who claims to have proof civilization is only 1,000 years old. How did he ever comeup with that?
For the rest - I think most people think of "science" as a set of dogma and incantations preached by nerdy guys in white coats who have somehow filled the priest or wizard niche. I wonder if this is true in Europe? I think it might be in the uk. So that people who seem to be enlightened and pro-science may actually be just another set of True Believers but on our side?
Hey - ignorami are everywhere.
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