Science Versus Science Fiction In Alabama Education

I find it strangely fascinating that so many are so fearful… particularly in the South, and in Alabama especially.

Two days ago many celebrated Cinco de Mayo – the 5th of May – by eating out at Mexican-themed restaurants, quaffing a few margaritas, or by making Mexican-styled eats at home. It’s a way, in part, to acknowledge solidarity with our Mexican brothers and sisters and commemorating Mexico’s 1862 victory over France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War. A turning point in Mexican struggle for independence, the firefight pitted 2000 ragtag, poorly equipped Mexicans against 6000 well equipped, battle-tested French soldiers. By the time the French retreated from the all-day battle, 500 French, and 100 Mexican lives were lost.

Alabama State House
11 South Union Street, Montgomery, AL

But May 5 also marks another significant event, largely unknown – and certainly unrecognized – by many, if not most.

On May 5, 1925 John T. Scopes was arrested in Tennessee for teaching Darwin’s Theory of Evolution.

It certainly seems Southerners have had it out for Science for quite some time.

Now, like hogs wallowing in mud, Alabama politicians want to meddle even more in the stinking pot of their own making by… well, here’s the news item:

Anti-evolution legislation introduced in Alabama House
“Legislation that would allow Alabama educators to teach alternatives to mainstream scientific theories like evolution, the origins of life, global warming and human cloning was introduced late last month in the House of Representatives.

“The bill is similar to controversial legislation, nicknamed the ‘monkey bill,’ that passed in Tennessee in 2012; Louisiana also has a comparable law. Critics of those laws said it would open the door for science teachers to teach creationism, which is unconstitutional.”

“Josh Rosenau, National Center for Science Education’s programs and policy director, said laws like the one an Alabama lawmaker is proposing is a “nudge away from teaching what the state science standards, what national education and science organizations all say, which is evolution is the foundation of modern biology and has to be the foundation of a biology class.”

“He said there isn’t a need for the law. It would make it harder for school administrators and teachers “to stand up for the standards and what they know the best science to be.””

The entire point of science is to question, to discover, to uncover, to learn, to understand, to quash fiction, falsehood and myth, and to build upon fact, rather than fallacy. Or, as one young man – Destin Sandlin – puts it, to get Smarter Every Day.

Folks – mostly Protestant – don’t seem to understand that there is NO conflict of interest of Christian teaching with evolution and Scripture.

Here’s why.

Is God a magician?

Did he just say “Let there be light,” and -!-POOF-!- light just magically appeared?

Is God a magician?

NO! God is NOT a magician.

Things work by a process.

Life is a process – from the fertilization of an egg, to the eventual birth of a creature – life is a process.
NOTHING happens “suddenly,” per se.

Even a volcano erupting and the often cataclysmic events which unfold are themselves – though they happen with great violence and force – are the result of processes deep within the Earth.

NOTHING BUT NOTHING happens instantly.

Even the Almighty is the author of organization – not chaos – and common sense and reason are but one of the characters we derive from our ability to think. EVERYTHING is a process.

Life and all the contents of this Earth, and the vast expanse of the unknown cosmos did NOT just “magically” appear “finished.” In fact, life and the world as we know it are CONTINUING to change! That is, the process is continuing… it is ongoing. If you don’t believe that, simply examine a mudslide, or consider the earthquake in Nepal as a prime example. The Earth’s tectonic plates shift, and BOOM! An earthquake. The process is continuing. Earth is LIVING! It is TEEMING with life in all areas!

For anyone to assert that God simply said and -!-POOF-!- things just suddenly appeared fully formed as if by magic, is not merely ignorant, it is heretical to Judaic teaching and Christian theology.

Here’s the bottom line:

“Nothing serves the interests of political parties more than interest groups that use religious rhetoric to promote secular ideologies and add, “Thus sayeth the Lord.” And Washington is full of them.”
(As is Montgomery. Monkey see, monkey do.)

-AND-

“Catholic social teaching is a gift not just for the church, but for all of society. By comparison, other sects’ political thinking is thin and underdeveloped. Many non-Catholics admire the church’s “consistent ethic of life.” And even when they do not agree, they concede the impressive philosophical theological rigor of Catholic political thought.”