Rationality is dead in the US
According to a Newsweek poll of Americans:
-- 79 percent believe in the Virgin birth of Jesus
-- 55 percent believe every word of the Bible is literally accurate
-- 62 percent say they favor teaching creation science in addition to evolution in public schools
-- 43 percent favor teaching creation science instead of evolution in public schools
Apparently no data were collected to see how many Americans believe in UFOs, a flat earth, talking Jello, Martians, the Tooth Fairy, Santa Claus, witches and other myths and legends no sane human being can possibly claim to have any evidence of. And they want to fill their children’s heads up with the same lies and bunk. Don’t tell me “it’s faith” or “I believe what I want to believe”. You have no proof, and yet you “believe”. Well, I don’t need to “believe” most Americans are irrational: we’ve got the proof right here.
Panda’s Thumb has recently observed, “Evolution Deniers and Holocaust Deniers in a locked step”: evidence doesn't matter to either group. I wonder if 43 percent of Americans would favor teaching Holocaust denial in public schools. Actually, I’m afraid of the answer.
posted by F M Ral @ 01:10
2 comments
2 Comments:
I find your excitement for this topic intriguing. I applaud your enthusiasm. However, your oomph seems to be slanted. While you begin advocating for rationality, your argument seems to digress into an emotional appeal (enter UFOs and the like). While adults and many young people alike seem to have strong, and often dichotomized opinions about creation/evolution, might it not be more reasonable, to allow unhindered discussion? I agree that personal faith is not significant curriculum for any type school. However, stacking the deck on either side of the argument is not a reasonable solution, either.
Why is talking about those who believe in UFOs any more emotionally slanted than talking about people who believe in some god? Why do you respect the one but not the other? An irrational belief is no more rational just because more people believe it or have believed it longer.
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