Real-world sensitivities and game names

[thejeff]

MaxWilson said:

I dunno, I think the most vocal Christians do accept the concept, which is why they're being vocal. Look at the Intelligent Design debates. Most ID apologists are fools (Niven's Law guarantees that--and of course most Darwinian apologists are fools too) but the key issue is that they're afraid the state is trying to shove atheistic ideas into their kids' heads. Most of them wouldn't care if YOUR school doesn't point out flaws in Darwinian theories as long as THEIR school can. It's about freedom from government interference, which is very much an issue of separating church and state.

The issue is muddied by the fact that public schools are now funded by the state, so arguably the ID folks are wrong, but that's where they're coming from. I personally don't care if ID is allowed in schools (it's not going to get taught anyway) but I would rather see the scientific method being taught rather than science as fait accompli. That's not a religious concern though and so a bit OT.

-Max

We may have to agree to disagree on this. My view is that they are trying to force the government to shove their nonsense into everyone's heads. If you want to keep your child from being taught science, home school or start a religious school of your own. If you're trying to change the larger school system to teach your religious beliefs (and if you look at the writings of the people and institutions pushing ID, it is an open secret it's nothing but a cover for religious creationism) then you're not fighting for the separation of church and state, but trying to use the state to push religious beliefs.

And the only reason ID isn't being taught in schools is that every time creationists have stacked school boards and forced it in, judges have struck it down, so I don't quite follow your comment "I personally don't care if ID is allowed in schools (it's not going to get taught anyway)". It's not taught because it's not allowed.

On a larger scale, the religious right has been openly allied with the Republican party since at least the Reagan years. Blatantly pushing candidates as well as the "values" issues that have come to define the modern "conservative" viewpoint.