From Red State Rabble comes this interesting article concerning putting warning stickers on the bible.
Since religious conservatives in the United States have been unsuccessful in preventing evolution from being taught in public- school science classes, they have had to resort to other tactics to inject their religious ideology into secular education. One such tactic has been the attempt to place stickers, which provide a cautionary disclaimer about the theory of evolution, on biology textbooks. This practice first began in Alabama in 1996, where stickers on biology textbooks proclaimed that evolution is a “controversial theory which some scientists present as a scientific explanation for the origin of living things.”
Other states have since followed suit. In Cobb County, Georgia, the site of the most recent legal dispute over the matter, the stickers reads, “This textbook contains material on evolution. Evolution is a theory, not a fact, regarding the origin of living things. This material should be approached with an open mind, studied carefully, and critically considered.” Proponents of the stickers argue that science textbooks present the theory of evolution as fact and that such warnings are necessary to counterbalance the effect of such a presentation. The goal, they argue, is not to restrict the teaching of evolution but rather to foster critical thinking among students, to promote tolerance and diversity, and to ensure a posture of neutrality toward religion.
I love this part of the article:
In reality, however, we all know what reaction this compromise would prompt among religious conservatives. They would be livid, most likely claiming that the sticker violates their constitutional right to religious freedom. And therein lies the hypocrisy that ultimately bankrupts their position. In reality, religious conservatives are only interested in encouraging skepticism and critical thinking when it comes to questioning evolution. They have little real desire to encourage critical thinking generally and even less if that critical thinking is directed toward their religion.
Check it out!
Filed under: Silliness |
Afarensis: Anthropology, Evolution, and Science 
Yup, you do what we say, otherwise you’re attempting to subvert my right to my religion. So what if we don’t want you to teach religion. That’s your problem. You should read the Bible. God wants you to read the Bible!
So what if we don’t want you to teach religion.
I meant evolution in place of religion. My brain is thinking one way and fingers the other.
I have thought that the religious fanatics in this country don’t know what they’re getting themselves into when they try to create a state-sanctioned religion. They forget that they enjoy their religious freedoms precisely because we have a separation of church and state. Their small-mindedness wouldn’t be so dangerous if they would have just stayed inside their churches, when they sit in the White House and start dreaming of taking over the judiciary, they declare war on the rest of us. The sticker on the bible is a good symbolic response.
I think the scary thing is that religion has been hijacked by extremists and most average, good hearted, christians don’t realize what’s happening. Unfortunately, the way the Republican party works these days pushes politics further and further right – it’s a vicious, escalating circle. To quote Buffalo Springfield “There is something happening hear, what it is ain’t exactly clear, but there’s a man with a gun over there, telling me I’ve got to beware. It’s time we stopped children, what’s sound, everybody look what’s going down…”
Anyway, I was feeling a little puckish so I created a link to an online bible site and included the Bible warning (with a link to the article). See what kind of flaming I get!