Religion Needs Education Concerning Evolution

Count me on the side of those shaking heads over the latest finding from Texas.  Last weekend I posted on the article in The New York Times magazine about Texas, textbooks, religion, and the Founding Fathers.

Now this nugget was in my email tonight.

Nearly a third of Texans believe humans and dinosaurs roamed the earth at the same time, and more than half disagree with the theory that humans developed from earlier species of animals, according to the University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll.

You have to be kidding me!  What knuckle-headed band of nit-wits did the pollsters find for this study?  How many uneducated folks roam the Texas landscape?  What in heaven’s name happens in the churches to make so many not appreciate the fact that God gave us a brain to use? God is embarrassed by this stupidity.  I am sure of that.

I have long been in agreement with the finding of 38% in the poll that find human beings developed over millions of years with God guiding the process.  I am one of those who see the mystery of God being enhanced in this process, not reduced.  I see God providing not only our curiosity about these matters, but also the ability to grasp for answers.  As such when we know some very solid ideas are essentially scientifically sound how can we then find another 38% stating  “God created human beings pretty much in their present form about 10,000 years ago”.

Now if we want to use the term retard…..   I normally do not use that term but there is just no other word that sums up this bunch that was polled.

I am not upset that people have different opinions than me.  I am upset, however, that something has happened in our educational system to allow for such a large and glaring impossibility to be considered as fact by so many.   

If we are  wondering why the rest of the world is producing smarter kids which in turn make for more competitive nations we might just look at what many of the adults in Texas are thinking.

The article ended with this from comedian Lewis Black.

“He did a standup routine a few years back in which he said that a significant proportion of the American people think that the ‘The Flintstones’ is a documentary,” Prindle says. “Turns out he was right. Thirty percent of Texans agree that humans and dinosaurs lived on the earth at the same time.”