HappyTrvlr

The OP might in interested in learning about the Scopes Trial that took place in Tennessee in 1925 and the play, Inherit the Wind that dealt with this subject.

nytraveler

The only problem is that nothing much seems to have changed in the last 100 years - in the minds of a lot of people.

HappyTrvlr

I agree. My mother told me about the Scopes Trial when I was a child and basically said "can you believe some people thought that back then?"

thursdaysd

So little has changed there was a second trial in 2005. See:

https://www.scientificamerican.com/p...715F03F75EAADE
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/21/ed...anted=all&_r=0

Kate

>>To change the subject just slightly, I read very little humor in any of the posts above. It was always my understanding that the Scottish had a great sense of humor and the British also a good, albeit different one.<<

Sorry, can't let this one pass. Scottish people ARE British. I think you meant to say 'English'. And the English and the Scots share the same 'British' humour.

British = English, Scottish, Welsh and Northern irish. (Can't believe people still don't know this).

otherchelebi

Kate, I see that you do not appreciate humor much and/or are not politicized. Are you by any chance American? The word "British" was used to mock those who thought that there was such a singular thing as "British Humour", the same as those who stereotyped Americans, Liberal, Middle Easterners etc.

I doubt that the literate Scottish will agree with you that their humour is the same as that of the English or vice versa.

The same applies to Irish and Welsh humour. Even Cockney humour and Yorkshire humour are very different from each other.

Neither Ahmedinejad nor Dawkins have a sense of humour, by the way.

Here's one of my recent tweets for those who like a different sense of humour :

"Lion cub poop is smaller and has berries in it. Lion poop is larger and smells of pepper." Book of Useless Facts (unless in Mozambique)


Added for those with a simpler sense of humour :

(where they urge you to carry pepper spray against chance lion encounters)

emily71

Like others on here, older Americans learned about evolution in school and was made to be fact. I think many Americans wouldn't give a second thought about evolution being exhibited in the building. But there are always others of a different opinion in every country.

FrankS

The "L"s only demean Christian fundamentalism. They are too cowardly to stand up to the people who actually decapitate journalists, disfigure young girls and commit suicide bombings. Christians do really dangerous things like speak up to tour guides in Scotland.<<


(imo)The OP must be terribly insecure to be offended by the innocent question. And why shouldnt he be? The British Empire has been taken away along with their faith & world respect. The irony is that London is now the center of creation thought in the UK. The jewel of London has been given over to peoples they once dominated, and those people refuse to be dominated any longer & swallow their lie of Evolution

chartley

Lest anyone pretend that Britain is a haven of enlightenment, I suggest you visit the website for Noah's Ark Zoo Farm, outside Bristol. www.noahsarkzoofarm.co.uk/.

Bristol has two universities, and is a leading city for scientific and technical research, and was the birthplace of Paul Dirac, one of the leading theoretical physicists. It also has a proper zoo which reflects current scientific theory. www.bristolzoo.org.uk/

I understand that the Noah's Ark Farm Zoo is quite popular, and am sure they look after the animals well, but my family refuse to visit and so support it.

chartley

"London is now the center of creation thought in the UK".

London is also the U.K. centre for many things of which FrankS would surely disapprove.

It may also be that some of those creationists are muslims, or members of christian sects with their roots in the U.S., many of which appeal mostly to black and other immigrant groups. Creationism is very much a minority belief in the older British Christian denominations, and is seldom a matter of debate.

Kate

>>Kate, I see that you do not appreciate humor much and/or are not politicized. Are you by any chance American? The word "British" was used to mock those who thought that there was such a singular thing as "British Humour", the same as those who stereotyped Americans, Liberal, Middle Easterners etc.<<

Nice try. I'm English, with a Scottish ex and a Welsh current partner. You don't get to educate me on British culture. Whilst each region might have it's own style of humour in some circumstances, there is more that unites than divides us on that front.

I think it's safe to say, from your weird joke, that you are none of the above!

Kate

"London is now the center of creation thought in the UK".

Considering London is ten times the size of the next largest city in the UK, this is hardly an earth shattering revelation. London is the centre of pretty much everything.

baladeuse

Did I miss something? When did the Europe forum turn into the lounge?

FrankS

{Yawn}

You dont have to be religious to dismiss the pathetic placebo of a theory called evolution

From the Guardian Evolution Poll of 2009..Evolution
25% 'definately' true
25% 'probably' true
50% Opposed or confused(with only 22% of those choosing intelligent design)

I dont mind the people that say its 'probably' true, but those people who say definately I can assure you dont understand the theory. They are IGNORANT because the more you study evolution, the more doubt and questions arise

otherchelebi

Oh, I have educated many British students on British culture, literature and humour. All it needs is a desire to be educated. Nationality or genes are not qualifying criteria, although class differences may be in Britain. But, what can I say other than, "noblesse oblige."

By the way, "Are you an American...." was not a try because your background is apparent from your past posts. It was an attempt at a quote from the humorous British mini series "Catterick".

I am happy to say that I am not ethnocentric in my taste for humour and will enjoy it from any and every source.

Two books I am reading currently, are :

"Bitter Experience Has Taught Me", Nicholas Lezard, and

"Low Life", Jeremy Clarke.

Tulips

'They are IGNORANT because the more you study evolution, the more doubt and questions arise'

As opposed to creation, for which there is an abundance of proof??

I live in a Catholic country, my kids went to Catholic schools. I know of nobody who takes the story of creation as told by the bible literally. Schools teach the evolution theory.


Currently reading 'Religion for Atheists' by Alain de Botton.

chartley

But Frank, the problem is that creationists don't treat creationism as a theory, they believe it as a certainty. Creationism is based on a story in an old book, and it is people's faith in the words in the book that justifies their dismissal of the theory of evolution. The "scientific" evidence they find is what they believe to be flaws in what they believe to be the theory. They have no separate credible scientific evidence to justify their own theory.

A theory is not something which can be proved, as was explained earlier. It is the best available explanation of the evidence.

annw

In twelve years of Roman Catholic schooling, evolution was consistently accepted as the default view. But then we were in that heathen place, California.

At the risk of overgeneralizing and stating the obvious at the same time, regional differences play into this question. For example, Central Valley of CA likely has more creationists than coastal CA.

As someone mentioned, different communities dictate school materials via local boards. I've seen primary school materials that were anti-evolution and pro-creation view.

Some might enjoy Irish comic Dara O'Briain's commentary on evolution/creation:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wdi_u1ZenRw

thursdaysd

Creationism isn't even a hypothesis, never mind a theory, since it can't be tested.

Tulips

If you are going to take the bible literally, why not all of it. Sell your daughter when you're in debt. And if you son is unruly or disobedient, you can take him to be stoned to death by the village elders. That's a particular favorite in our household; sure keeps the teenagers in check!