Re: Britain: How did we get here?

On Mon, 14 Aug 2006 20:28:41 -0700, "A.Carlson" <amcarls@xxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:

On Mon, 14 Aug 2006 20:47:52 -0400, Jason Spaceman
<notreally@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

From the article:
---------------------------------------------------------
Evolution is on the way out - more than 30% of students in the UK say
they believe in creationism and intelligent design. Harriet Swain
reports on a surprising new survey

Tuesday August 15, 2006
The Guardian

Chris Parker, a final-year English student at Hertford College,
Oxford, believes God made the world. Ask him why, and he talks
cogently about the gaps in evolutionary theory and how explanations
involving intelligent design are unsatisfactory. But, ultimately, it
is because: "As a Christian, I have believed in it for a long time and
I have no reason to doubt it."

Kim Nicholas, who is studying to be a primary school teacher at the
University of Hertfordshire, agrees. "I have grown up in a family that
goes to church and I have become a Christian," she says. "When I look
at things in the world I think it is amazing that God has created it
for us. If you have faith in God you can believe he has done it,
whether there is evidence or not."

Annie Nawaz, a second-year law student at Hertfordshire, distinguishes
between scientific and "natural" evidence written in stone in the holy
books. "As a practising Muslim, the holy Qur'an - that's our proper
evidence," she says. It does bother her when this conflicts with other
kinds of evidence, but "it just comes down to the way you have been
brought up and your beliefs and values and how strong they are".

Such views are less unusual among UK students than you might think. In
a survey last month, more than 12% questioned preferred creationism -
the idea God created us within the past 10,000 years - to any other
explanation of how we got here. Another 19% favoured the theory of
intelligent design - that some features of living things are due to a
supernatural being such as God. This means more than 30% believe our
origins have more to do with God than with Darwin - evolution theory
rang true for only 56%.
--------------------------------------------------------------------

Read it at
http://education.guardian.co.uk/higher/news/story/0,,1844478,00.html

An English major, a primary school teacher who takes faith in the
absence of evidence and a law student who believes a religious tome
counts as evidence 'written in stone' and who prides herself for
sticking to her guns in the face of contrary evidence. So it isn't
just in America where non-science nonsense appears to be given equal
weight regarding a question directly relating to science.

Although tragic in a sense, this says more about the worthlessness of
polls other than to point out yet again how ignorant the masses seem
to be on a given topic. The right to an opinion is a far cry from
being an informed opinion.

In the U.S. I believe 90% of those polled believe in a god, whereas
less than 50% attend a church regularly.

It is not surprising so many believe in some form of creation.

Also, I think the scientific community has narrowly defined what is
acceptable evidence, whereas the more ordinary mortal considers life
effects.

For me life is quite mysterious. I am not convinced life could come
about through infinite random chemical interactions. I wanted to say
random mutations, but that requires a life form and DNA. That big
step from crystals to life is huge. (to my mind).

I am constantly amazed that so many creative people, scientists,
writers, composers talk about sudden insights. Einstein a most
notable example.

I am awed at people that suddenly "fall in love." What is the
difference that these 2 find each other so attractive?

Many people know from childhood what they want to do with their lives.
Whereas I bounced from one thing to another.

The laws of the universe are so specific and so crucial to the
evolution of our life filled planet.

What makes me like one kind of music and you another? Why do you find
one artist's picture beautiful whereas I see it as trash?

My point is most people don't limit what they consider as "evidence"
for creation, they evaluate their whole life.

My life has been filled with many unanticipated turning points, I have
avoided death in what would be considered lethal circumstances. I
have known people with strange experiences. I have read stories or
seen people talk about their lives on TV which leaves me with an
impression that their is more to life.

I accept there may be an Intelligence guiding the universe. I have
yet to determine the nature of such Intelligence. I can easily accept
that there is no God, but have not yet heard any convincing evidence.

So, do not be surprised that scientific explanations do not have the
general population bowing down in awe of scientism. Science is a
valuable tool. It has carefully defined what it will apply itself to,
none of that weird stuff like reincarnation, extrasensory perception
or Intelligent Design.

Funny though, science accepts mathematical theories even though many
have in time been proven wrong. I guess we all need something to
believe in. I seem to just believe in me!

***

.