Only 22% in Florida poll think that evolution alone should be taught in science classes.

[madfloridian]

This alarms me. The Florida Board of Education is going to be voting next week on requiring the word evolution to be used and to be taught in science class without creationism and intelligent design alongside it.

Only 22% approve of that, according to the St. Pete Times poll. 51% think only creationism/intelligent design should be taught in schools. How accurate, I don't know. But it really sounds odd. I am embarrassed for my state.

Evolutionary awareness in Florida abysmal

Once again, Floridians disappoint. A poll conducted by St. Petersburg Times indicates that an alarming 51% of people in Florida think that creationism/intelligent design should be the only thing taught in the classroom. Another 18% think that both creationism and evolution should be taught in class. Only 22% of people in Florida think that Evolution only should be taught in science classes.

This is a scary result, people. Florida is currently in a transitional state. Next tuesday, its state board will vote on whether or not to adopt some changes to their science curriculum which will place evolution as a central part of biology. Seeing as it is a central concept in biology, this would certainly be a positive change. As the great biologist Theodosius Dobzhansky once said, "Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution."

Here is a graph of the poll from the blog linked above.



There is a video clip at the link above from one of the Board of Education hearings. A man is thinking he is funny, when in truth he is pathetic. He holds up two oranges and compares them to someone's pet dog and cat. The blogger made this statement about the video...I agree thoroughly.

Now I'm sure this guy thought his rhetoric was cute, but it was nothing more than rhetoric. All this really shows is how pathetically out of touch some Floridians are with modern science. I think this video more than anything else is evidence that Florida should make evolution a larger part of their science curriculum. Florida, do you really want to condemn your youth to doltish ramblings that mimic this guy's? I certainly hope not. Please, please, for the love of all that is holy; quickly, quietly, up your education standards.

Central Florida has many fundamentalist churches. Across the Central Florida I-4 Corridor you might see one on most corners. I think the mindset has really caught a lot of people off guard. They have done a good job at those churches and in the homes of their members teaching against abortion, gays, and evolution. Better than any of us really suspected at first.


Cartoon courtesy of Kyle Baker Cartoon Week

Things are even worse as you head north in Florida. Here is more about the domination of the fundamentalist churches like Southern Baptists.

Many school superintendents and school boards oppose the teaching of evolution

Dominated by Baptist churches and dotted with military bases, most of North Florida makes no bones about its political and cultural conservatism. Throw an election year into the mix, Blanton said, and it's no surprise that school officials in places like Bonifay and Macclenny are "going to try to do some things their constituents want."

"We just wanted to get it on the record that we're a Judeo-Christian community, and we believe in academic freedom," Bennett said.

"I'm a Christian. And I believe I was created by God, and that I didn't come from an amoeba or a monkey," said Ken Hall, a school board member in Madison County, east of Tallahassee.

The religious right worked hard to get people elected from city commissions and school boards on up to higher offices. We are seeing the fruits of that in our education systems. Many in those areas have said if evolution is taught in their schools, they will take their children out of public schools. And they will do that. The Southern Baptists have urged such tactics for a very long time.

[villager]

1. are they counting on being raptured, before they find themselves underwater?

n/t

[PghTiny]

82. "I was created outa uh piece of dirt...

... by an invisible cloud being, and he gonna rapture me up into thuh sky!" And the sad part is that this is more than just the Bu$h base.

[More Than A Feeling]

2. They've been disadvantaged by historical social forces.

We should not blame the modern Floridians who gave ignorant, backward answers to this poll, nor indeed, most southerners, for growing up in an area where their ancestors put preserving the stagnant social order of slavery and degradation of poor whites above education and learning. The legacy of that arrogant power-mongering and hate is still with them, and it hurts them just as much as it hurts the rest of us.

[SecularNATION]

21. I disagree

The people who believe and promote this stuff are ADULTS, and should be held accountable, for the crap they spew. There is no excuse for an adult in the year 2008 to believe the earth is six thousand years old, 'Adam and Eve' is a literal account of Man's beginnings, or a man named Noah built an ark. These folks are not infants who should be pitied. They're adults who should be opposed. Opposed very strongly. BTW, I'm a Southerner, and we all don't believe in Creationist nonsense.

[wolfgangmo]

59. Exactly...

And I say screw all the inbred states. By and large they have low incomes, wide income disparity, low quality of education, fanatically fundamentalist and seem to be bound and determined to stay that way.



It is time for those of us with any discernible intelligence to join Canada with a viable economy, universal health care, and leave the rest of the country to the inbreds. Those of verifiable intelligence could be allowed to cross the border under a guest worker program. Of course a wall will need to be built in order to keep out the yank-backs.



This is what I have in mind. http://www.lukecole.com/Electoral%20Maps/Maps6.htm

[margotb822]

3. This is terrifying

Unless you are in a religious school, religion should not be taught in school. This is a fundamental issue of separation of church and state (especially seeing that creationism would endorse the Christian view). I am terrified that people like this are in power and are "devolving" our educational system. I love that there is more evidence of evolution than God, yet people want to teach a belief.

[GreenPartyVoter]

52. Yes it is. A lot of ignorance out there, apparently.

[margotb822]

4. One more thing

This is embarrassing. I can't imagine how the rest of the world views us. Bush has really done a number on American credibility.

[BlueJazz]

10. I have many friends in Europe, Denmark and Sweden. I am constantly defending....

...the lack of Scientific thought here.

I'm getting tired of living in the 19th century... :)

[margotb822]

17. I also have a friend with family in Europe

Her father almost missed her wedding because he was on "the list" for not filling out some paperwork after he left the country on a previous trip. When I was deployed, I spent a lot of time defending (or maybe explaining) the Administration's thought process (or lack thereof). Thanks for Bush, we are a world joke, not world leaders.

[malaise]

32. 19th Century?

These morons are 17th century puritans.

[Ganja Ninja]

38. Yes well I remember when I was in the Navy in Spain back in 73.

The plumbing was atrocious. They didn't put traps and vents in the plumbing so the gas from the sewers went straight out of the drains and into your house. And the time I spent in Scotland in 74 & 75, central heating was a rarity. They're not perfect either.

[diane in sf]

51. Perhaps, but I bet most of them could read, write and think coherently.

[wolfgangmo]

68. Dear Chicken

So you were in the poorer sections of Europe only 25 after world war 2. Let me ask you, did you also compare the plumbing and heating in, oh I don't know, the Appalachians? How about some section 8 housing in Detroit? Did you check them last year? How was the heating and plumbing?



Get my point?

[ladym55]

62. Actually I think that is too far advanced

Try the 13th or 14th century. I think some folks are trying to take us back before the Renaissance and the Englightenment. I think those times were called the Dark Ages.

[Jackpine Radical]

77. Hell, the 19th century

makes this one look sick in terms of widespread knowledge and acceptance of scientific principles. Sure, there were a few Wilberforce types around fighting a rear-guard action, but enlightenment was on the march, advancing throughout that century, not retreating in fear of the snake-handlers like it's doing now.

[QueenOfCalifornia]

78. Why defend something so undefendable? end of comment

[MikeNearMcChord]

5. Perhaps NASA should consider relocating

can't have stupid people around those rockets.

[cbayer]

6. Wow and great job putting this together. I have some questions.

Is the Board likely to pass this? Are the members of the Board elected? Is there any kind of recall provision?

What is going on down there to stop this and how can we help?

[madfloridian]

11. I think the board will pass it, but it will not go down easy.

It is shocking. I am a retired teacher, but I only taught up to grade 6. So I never paid much attention. I was a Southern Baptist until they supported the Iraq war from the pulpit, and we left that church. I guess I never noticed thinks like this before, but now I do.

[cbayer]

15. And now you are an activist. Good for you.

Is there any movement down there to actively address this?

I am afraid that Florida will just be made to look stupid (again) when this whole unseated delegate thing really explodes.

But maybe that is good.

If people like this Board are in charge, maybe the best thing is for the state to look ridiculous.

Then, perhaps, sane people can take over.

[madfloridian]

20. Not ready for change in our area. Not yet.

.

[immoderate]

56. I've been to a couple of public meetings on this.

South Florida schools teach evolution. North of Palm Beach, it's ignored. The standards will apparently be adopted. I think a lot of Florida schools will ignore that.

--IMM

[ladym55]

64. I think the creationists stayed quiet until they got political power

They were always there in the background fuming, but couldn't do much until they started gaining political capital in the 1980s. Now they have lots of power and they are busily abusing it.

[FogerRox]

7. Last year I went to a Board of Ed meeting a couple of towns to the east:

Heres a video clip I took of a girl telling the board that... no, she didnt believe in "that evolution stuff", and she was proud of the fact. Amazingly sad situation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57Mw-RI15Yk

[Jeffro40]

8. 54% of people surveyed make crap up

I don't believe it.

[Marr]

9. Anyone who wants to argue against evolution can use themselves as proof.

I can't believe so many people could still be denying evolution in 2008. It's like thinking the world is flat.

[HuffleClaw]

12. you have GOT to watch the video on this page

http://www.ethicalatheist.net/2008/02/evolutionary-awareness-in-florida-seems.html

WARNING: put all coffee cups down first


funny to watch the stunned reactions of the people behind him.

[angrycarpenter]

13. Evolution is not an attack on faith.

But these fundamentalists take it as such. I don't see how it matters that much in the here and now.

Let's assume that ID was the official version taught in schools and throw in the other fundy issues too. no gay marriage and no abortion. How does that put one speck of food on a poor persons table or put one person in a good job?

They need to take a good look at what they care about.

If there is a Satan he is laughing at how he has turned the faithful away from the righteous path with mere politics.

[wolfgangmo]

69. Amen brother

Amen

[PearliePoo2]

14. The dumbing -down of America

Incredible......hard to believe there are so many that can't or won't read their science books.
Dumb mouth-breathing imbeciles.

[Skittles]

63. brainwashing by religion

it is quite prevalent - I am astounded by the number of DUers who poke fun at Scientology while believing in virgin birth and rising from the dead

[wolfgangmo]

70. Not to mention ...

the ritualistic cannibalism practiced by Christians. They call it communion, I think.

[FogerRox]

16. James Dobson: Chidren are the prize to the winners

James Dobson:

"Chidren are the prize to the winners in the great second civil war. Those that control what young people are taught and what they experience-what they see, hear, think and believe - will determine the future course of the nation."

Children At Risk: The Battle for the Hearts and Minds of Our Kids, Word Publishing, 1990, p. 35.

I have to ask, if there was a guy walking around your town saying

Chidren are the prize to the winners

Wouldn't you be nervous? Well this has been going on for over 20 years. And if you aren't nervous you ought to be, in fact you ought to be scared. You should be scared for you kids, the kids next door, every damn kid on the planet.


Barbara Forrest, a professor of philosophy at Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, La., is co-author of the book Creationism's Trojan Horse: The Wedge of Intelligent Design (Oxford University Press), describes the Wedge Strategy:

The Wedge strategy is the intelligent design movement's tactical plan for promoting intelligent design (ID) creationism as an alternative to evolutionary theory in the American cultural mainstream and public school science classes.


Americans need to know about the darker side of the Wedge strategy, which few people except its supporters have seen. ID is more than just creationism's Trojan horse -- it is a stalking horse for the Religious Right's effort to steamroll its way into American education and public policy. The core of this issue is really about power -- who controls education and thus the minds of children, and who controls the policy that shapes American culture and public life.

Barbara Forrest continues:

The major vehicle for the dissemination of ID is the roughly three dozen books its proponents have published and marketed aggressively. The Wedge strategy called for publication of 30 books by 2003,

Source.
>
]

[HuffleClaw]

29. isn't he the guy who wants daddy's to shower with their sons to show them their penises?

so they'll grow up to be manly men?

these clowns have been doing this crap for generations, the campaign to infiltrate school boards worked pretty well so far as i can tell.

[TreasonousBastard]

18. Well, this is a democracy after all, and if...

around 80% of the people are assholes, we can't really complain if their elected representatives are also assholes.

And, ummm... never discount the effects of military bases to increase conservate attitudes around them. It's often easier to convince churchgoers of their errors than the military.

[madfloridian]

19. I posted the video in the Video forum. Needs to be viewed to be believed.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x94692

[Blecht]

22. Look at the phrasing of those questions

Each question appeals to the mentality that every opinion is valid, whether or not it has any connection to facts at all. People with this mindset are naturally going to pick one of the "middle" choices, even though this middle really does not exist.

Look at the first question. Here we have a choice for rational human beings, and then we have a choice for religious nuts, another choice for the nutty religious dressed up in language that makes it appear a little less nutty, and a fourth choice for the utterly braindead. No wonder the rational choice lost.

[LeftyMom]

23. Exactly, You can manipulate any poll with loaded language.

That said, I'd be interested to see a breakdown by age. Since so much of Florida is elderly, could the fact that most of those older people weren't themselves educated in evolution and other aspects of modern biology be a factor in the high level of opposition?

[ladym55]

65. Not really

Many of the elderly Floridians migrated there from places like New York, where they ALL learned evolution. My mom, who died last year at age 87, was a biology teacher. She started teaching in 1941 and TAUGHT EVOLUTION. She thought creationism was "silly" and was appalled when the movement started gaining ground in the last 20 years.

Most creationists I see where I live are middle-aged or younger, BUT THEY HAVE ALL FOUND JESUS!!! And apparently Jesus tells them they can't like evolution anymore.

[madfloridian]

24. I thought polls should be like that....ask the question objectively

I did not see what you saw.

[Bozita]

25. 50% of Americans are, unfortunately, below average.

And it really shows in the OP.

Has everyone forgotten Lake Wobegon?

from Wikipedia:

The Lake Wobegon effect

The characterization of the fictional location, where "all the women are strong, all the men are good looking, and all the children are above average," has been used to describe a real and pervasive human tendency to overestimate one’s achievements and capabilities in relation to others. The Lake Wobegon effect, where everybody claims to be above average, has been observed among drivers, CEOs, stock market analysts, college students, parents, and state education officials, among others. The effect is closely relationed to the Confirmation bias among others.

[IsItJustMe]

26. Polls are very deceiving and if the questioner of the poll has an agenda, well the poll swings that

way. I wouldn't be discouraged and I wouldn't believe the poll unless I knew exactly how it was conducted.

[geomon666]

27. This state is a lost cause man.

Seriously, stick a fork in this one. It's done.

[TheUniverse]

28. The poll is biased.

The Question says "which of these should be taught in school?" The way it is worded, I would have to answer all of the above.


I believe that evolution should be taught in science class as it is a highly supported scientific theory with many items to back it up such as DNA and recovered fossils.

I believe that "creation" along with many other religious views should be taught in history, mythology, humanities and sociology classes because religion has had a big impact on mankind.

I believe that "intelligent design" might have a role in a modern politics course because it is currently a political issue for better or worse.

This poll should have asked which one do you want in a Science class, not ion public schools in general. But the fact that 1/2 want some form of religious view taught but not evolution is scary for the future of this country.

[madfloridian]

33. It described each view pretty clearly. I am not sure I agree it is biased

It described each view clearly, and the fact that it put the word "only" in each statement shows that people are as much for a religious view of how the world was made as for a scientific view.

Pretty scary.

[tsuki]

30. I don't know where you are, but we have more "big scaries" per

square mile here than I believe any other state would have. The results do not surprise me.

[malaise]

31. Susan Jacoby was speaking directly to these morons

They should be forced to read her new book. Between M$M and their Fundie teachers, kids can no longer separate a fact from a myth.

[madfloridian]

34. Now the editorial push to teach all 3 as a compromise.

The other day the word was out to call all of them "theories", which technically evolution is. But it sounded like they were making them sound all equal...evolution, creationism, and intelligent design.

Easy way out: Florida State Board May Label Evolution Standards As 'Theory'

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- The words "scientific theory of" may be placed in front of the term "evolution" in proposed new science standards the State Board of Education is scheduled to vote on Tuesday.

The option of applying that label to all scientific theories mentioned in the new standards will be offered to the board as a possible compromise, Department of Education spokesman Tom Butler said Friday.
Some opponents have urged the board to label evolution as a theory because they believe it conflicts with the biblical account of creation.

"That sounds like it's a significant step in the right direction," said critic John Stemberger, president and general counsel of the Florida Family Policy Council, an Orlando-based advocacy group.

Now an editorial saying let's compromise and teach all three, just in different classes. Something is wrong with this picture. Religious views of creationism should be taught at home and in church.

Teach evolution as science, teach creationism and evolution in sociology class

While voting to uphold evolution as an appropriate subject for teaching in science class, the Education Board should advocate teaching about creationism and intelligent design in sociology class.

Further, when the category of standards pertaining to sociology come up for revision, the Education Board should ensure that these subjects of study are spelled out as specifically as those for evolution.

Why? Why must there be a compromise with religious groups about our public school education? Is it because they are so powerful here?

I may have once been Southern Baptist, but you don't compromise with extremists.

[Creideiki]

36. Maybe they should spend extra time on what a "Theory" means in science.

And we're wondering why Americans are falling behind in science.

[Winterblues]

35. It is because of such as this that the term "Tyranny of the Majority" was coined.

That is the beausty of how america used to be. Right usually wins out over majority if the majority is wrong as they were in denying women the vote for so long and for slavery and Dred Scott and many other things as well. This reminds me of that old bumper sticker that said "The Moral Majority is Neither"

[kristopher]

37. More information is needed on this "poll".

I'd like to see more information on the particulars of the polling that was done; just to be sure the conclusions presented have validity.

[madfloridian]

42. Contact the source...it is on the poll.

I live among people who think like this....I do not find it unbelievable at all.

[flvegan]

39. I think 702 polled individuals makes for a poor evaluation.

Since the last question was only asked of those with school-aged children, we have no idea how many folks answered it.

I don't disagree that Florida is about two steps from batshit crazy (we ARE about to ban gay marriage, thank you Florida4Marriage assholes). I just dislike polls like this, as too many knuckledraggers tend to just ask what the "majority" is thinking and then think alike.

[kristopher]

40. Here is a study on religiosity and social problems

Mail a copy of it to the science teachers and every member of every school board you are concerned about.

It devastates the religious right's argument that more religion is the answer to social problems.

http://moses.creighton.edu/JRS/2005/2005-11.html

Cross-National Correlations of Quantifiable Societal Health with Popular Religiosity and Secularism in the Prosperous Democracies

A First Look

Gregory S. Paul
Baltimore, Maryland

Introduction

<1> Two centuries ago there was relatively little dispute over the existence of God, or the societally beneficial effect of popular belief in a creator. In the twentieth century extensive secularization occurred in western nations, the United States being the only significant exception (Bishop; Bruce; Gill et al.; Sommerville). If religion has receded in some western nations, what is the impact of this unprecedented transformation upon their populations? Theists often assert that popular belief in a creator is instrumental towards providing the moral, ethical and other foundations necessary for a healthy, cohesive society. Many also contend that widespread acceptance of evolution, and/or denial of a creator, is contrary to these goals. But a cross-national study verifying these claims has yet to be published. That radically differing worldviews can have measurable impact upon societal conditions is plausible according to a number of mainstream researchers (Bainbridge; Barro; Barro and McCleary; Beeghley; Groeneman and Tobin; Huntington; Inglehart and Baker; Putman; Stark and Bainbridge). Agreement with the hypothesis that belief in a creator is beneficial to societies is largely based on assumption, anecdotal accounts, and on studies of limited scope and quality restricted to one population (Benson et al.; Hummer et al.; Idler and Kasl; Stark and Bainbridge). A partial exception is given by Barro and McCleary, who correlated economic growth with rates of belief in the afterlife and church attendance in numerous nations (while Kasman and Reid <2004> commented that Europe does not appear to be suffering unduly from its secularization). It is surprising that a more systematic examination of the question has not been previously executed since the factors required to do so are in place. The twentieth century acted, for the first time in human history, as a vast Darwinian global societal experiment in which a wide variety of dramatically differing social-religious-political-economic systems competed with one another, with varying degrees of success. A quantitative cross-national analysis is feasible because a large body of survey and census data on rates of religiosity, secularization, and societal indicators has become available in the prosperous developed democracies including the United States.

<2> This study is a first, brief look at an important subject that has been almost entirely neglected by social scientists. The primary intent is to present basic correlations of the elemental data. Some conclusions that can be gleaned from the plots are outlined. This is not an attempt to present a definitive study that establishes cause versus effect between religiosity, secularism and societal health. It is hoped that these original correlations and results will spark future research and debate on the issue....

Be sure to view all the attached graphs at the link.

[pingzing58]

55. This analysis reminds me of the effect the Black Plague had on the Socio-Political Religious systems

of Europe in the 14th c. Economically it spelled the end of the Feudal system of Lords, Vassals and Peasants and the beginning of the liberation of the people. The religious superstition that controlled the Roman Catholic Hierarchy of the time led to the massacre of Jews, Gypsies, Monks, Pilgrims, and Lepers. No amount of prayer prevented the deaths of thirty percent of the population of Europe. Unable to prove their power to control God, the Emperor, Kings and Queens abandoned the Church's authority ushering in the political side of the reformation. With the Renaissance the physical sciences progressed.

-snip-

I imagine that since the Roman Church lost its control over the Papal States in 1870 it had to declare in the same year at the first Vatican Council Papal Infallibility. Having seen WW1, WW2, Korea, Vietnam, Kosovo, Gulf War1, Gulf War2, The AIDS epidemic, the emergence of a Global Economy, the threat of the effects of Global Warming, the fight for the control of oil and the emergence of Militant Islamists; Christian fundamentalists are reacting to all of this by responding with medieval religious superstition. "Faith saves and Science is useless."

[RedCappedBandit]

41. Ignorant fools.

I pity them

[sellitman]

48. I pity us.

The loonies are taking over and you and I are now in the minority.

[wolfgangmo]

71. a minority in America ...

... but not everywhere. If you value your children then give them a choice. The wise man knows when to drop his suitcase and run.

[sellitman]

74. When do you stop running though?

I will stay and fight the loonies until I cannot.

[LeftinOH]

43. A national embarassment...one of several, sadly.

[bluerum]

44. Very frightening indeed. When science is outlawed, only outlaws will practice science.

These morans really don't have a clue. It is truly a wonder that they continue to reproduce.

"I'm a Christian. And I believe I was created by God, and that I didn't come from an amoeba or a monkey," said Ken Hall, a school board member in Madison County, east of Tallahassee.

I am NOT a christian - and I don't believe that I came from an amoeba, monkey OR super intelligent supreme being thingy.

I do however, believe in the evolutionary process.

[pinniped]

45. The repukes need stupid people to vote for them.

.

[Dudley_DUright]

46. PZ Myers of Pharyngula (a Bio Blog) had a great comment about the "orange" guy

Unfortunately for Mr Dallas Ellis, we really don't have any problem seeing the similarities between oranges and kitty cats — scientists look a little deeper than he does. Slice an orange and put it under a microscope, and what do you see? Cells. Slice a cat and look at it under a microscope, and what do you see? Cells. We find similar organelles: cytoplasm, nuclei, mitochondria, etc. The contents use similar metabolic processes, and we find the same chemicals. The nuclei contain DNA, and we can compare the sequences — and we find similarities there (they are related) but many differences as well (they are distantly related — one estimate for the last common ancestor of plants and animals says they diverged roughly 1.6 billion years ago). Mr Ellis is relying on his profound ignorance of the basic building blocks of biology to make a superficial case.

Let's not even get into his closing remarks, trying to compare evolution to trucks full of poultry and garbage colliding, and spontaneously fusing maggots and turkeys to produce the school board. It's simply more evidence that he's a clueless old git.

http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2008/02/the_argument_from_oranges.php

[Canuckistanian]

61. Brilliant.

The depressing part is that SO many people will nod in agreement to Mr. Ellis and NOT bother to find out what the HELL he's tallking about, let alone question his argument.

Their old science classes will have been long forgotten and they'll have fallen for another snake-oil salesman.

And be made to think they're geniuses.

[bagimin]

47. I'm sooo proud

of my state.

[El Fuego]

81. South Florida needs to secede!!

I can't stand the embarrassment any longer.

[DetlefK]

49. What's the problem????????

I just can't understand what's the problem of these people:
"I'm a Christian. And I believe I was created by God, and that I didn't come from an amoeba or a monkey," said Ken Hall, a school board member in Madison County, east of Tallahassee.

OK. FINE. You are free to believe whatever you want.

There's just one small problem: You can introduce creationism and/or ID in any classes you want, as long as they are not referred to as "science".
Both creationism and ID lack some basic attributes of a "scientific" theory. Accordingly they don't belong into a science class. (They could be included in an extra curriculum, if they absolutely have to.)

[diane in sf]

50. North Florida is a 3rd world country, or maybe 4th.

[orleans]

53. so fucking spooky. got kids? time to get the fuck out of dodge.

at least, that's what i'd have to do if i was there. if i could get out/away from that crazy mindset i'd run with my kid as fast as i could.

[drm604]

54. I get angry every time I read about this kind of crap.

That guy with the oranges is so frigging self-righteously sure of himself, but his arguments are so frigging wrong in so many ways.

He reminds me of the guys in the banana video. http://youtube.com/watch?v=nfv-Qn1M58I

The most financially and militarily powerful nation on the planet has some of the most backward thinking people. It's scary.

[madfloridian]

57. You are right. It is dangerous to have so much power in the hands of fools.

I saw that banana video...at first I thought it was satire with sexual connotations. Then I realized they were really serious. Then I got scared.

[JoePhilly]

58. We should dig a canal and make Florida an island.

If this is true, I don't want it touching us.

[pingzing58]

60. Don't worry Global Warming and Rising Sea Levels will take care of that.

[jaybeat]

66. Any other scientific theory is also welcome in science class

Name one that refers to "God" or some "Intelligent Designer."

Eeennnnnn. Sorry, but those aren't scientific theories.

YOU LOSE. NOW SHUT THE FUCK UP YOU MORONS!

[hulklogan]

67. I don't mind if they teach ID or creationism in school if they teach how stupid both ideas are n/t

[hay rick]

72. we are doomed

Most depressing thing I've read in awhile.

[hay rick]

73. make that extinct

My bad. Have to keep my unintelligent design cred.

[zanne]

75. Florida is officially a GOOFY state...

Too bad. Nice winter weather, but crazy people.

[Jackpine Radical]

76. Only 9% in Jackpine poll think

the average Floridian shows any evidence of having evolved.

[El Fuego]

79. They don't even base it on the Bible, it's just what they "believe in"

Genesis has two different conflicting creation accounts, the seven-day scenario and then later on the Adam/Eve/rib scenario. The sequential formation of life of earth in the 7-day version could actually be said to decribe evolution.

They are ignorant of science AND their own Bible. It all comes down to: "I sure as hell didn't come from no goddamn monkey!"

[BreweryYardRat]

80. I hate this state.

:puke:

Gotta agree on the poll being skewed, though. It should be a straight yes/no question, and have a larger sample size.

[GOPBasher]

83. Absolutely horrible. Such ignorance in this country, totally unlike other developed

countries. In Europe, no one is telling them to teach religion in science class.

[defendandprotect]

84. The high price of ignorance . . .. !!!

[Fedja]

85. Well the world looks on..

...and can't believe how the US manages to function as a country and economy. That, and we crack jokes at it, making ourselves feel morally superior for that brief moment. :)

In Central Europe, on average about 60% - 70% of the people claim religious doctrines as being their beliefs. They come out EN MASSE for whenever the Pope drops by to wave at them, they go to church every Sunday. They know their prayers and many have some old bible that used to belong to great-grandma in the house, as a monument to tradition and faith. "Thank god" is a common exclamation in daily discourse, as are other deep-rooted and lovingly accepted household religious phrases.

However...

If someone stood up on a podium with the orange act or waved the Bible while referring to science classes in school... Without a moment of hesitation, we would rise from our chairs, take said orange and/or Bible from his hands, and ram them firmly up his tailpipe. We would then lock them up in an institution for a few years of electroshock treatment.

Religion should stay in church. All religions. School is the driving force of our evolution, and I'll be damned if we ever let Bible thumpers stand between us and scientific knowledge.



Good luck to you all, we all hope to see you win the fight against ignorance. We all hope that your schools shed religious bonds, and that through wisdom, you find the path to a peaceful and non-interventionist evolution and prosperity. We all hope that you will tell your grandchildren tales of victories past, as our grandfathers told them to us... instead of apologies for your inactivity when the society was being dismantled.