Threatiness and civil rights
by KrauzeSeveral readers have written and alerted me to a statement released by something called the Council of Europe, titled "The dangers of creationism in education". The statement is shock-full of absurd threatiness, which would be amusing, were it not for its condescending attitude towards the same civil rights that the Council think are under attack by creationism. But we'll get to that later. Let's first have a look at how these bureaucrats have managed to get their panties in a bunch.
Creationism, we are told, "could become a threat to human rights, which are a key concern of the Council of Europe." Creationism and other forms of "fundamentalism and extremism" lead to a "total rejection of science", which is "one of the most serious threats to human rights and civic rights." It makes "attacks of utmost virulence on human rights" and on "the very core of the knowledge that we have built up little by little". Through such tactics as the "distorted use of scientific quotations, sometimes illustrated with magnificent photographs", creationists "sow doubt and bewilderment in the minds of many young and inexperienced individuals". And lest you be in doubt, "the doctrine of intelligent design is no less dangerous" than creationism. The statement even contains this, presumably written with a straight face:
The fact of the matter, and this has been exposed on several occasions, is that the advocates of strict creationism are out to replace democracy by theocracy.
So, where are these threats to democracy and human rights that we are supposed to worry about? Even though the Council tells us several times that creationist attacks on democracy on human rights are not an exclusively American phenomenon, the examples from European countries all seem a bit… disappointing.
For example, much is made of Muslim nut Harun Yahya publishing the richly illustrated "The Atlas of Creation" (yup, there's where they got the "illustrated with magnificent photographs" from) and sending it to schools, professors, journalists, and God knows who else. I'm sure it's pure dreck, but there's no evidence that anyone has been forced to read it, let alone renounce the principles of democracy. Fortunately, the French Ministry of Education "immediately reacted by expressly calling for this work to be removed from the resource centres of the schools concerned", undoubtedly saving the minds of numerous "inexperienced minds" from "doubt and bewilderment".
And what to make of the case from Russia, where a teenage girl and her father sued the public school, demanding that the biology textbook be altered so as not to offend her religious sensibilities? It was a stupid demand, and the courts rightly rejected it, but isn't the right to have your case tried at a court of law one of those civil rights that Council seems so concerned about?
It would seem that the teaching of the theory of evolution in Russia today is being increasingly called into question by pupils and their parents, who want access to teaching that is closer to their religious and personal convictions.
But they can't have that, or the principles of democracy would come crashing down. Who ever heard of something as silly as letting parents decide how their children should be educated?
Creationist aggression is even rearing its head in lovely Sweden:
In Sweden, the first creationist museum was opened in Umeå in 1996.
Yes, over ten years ago, a creationist museum opened, and now… Sweden is still a democracy and the Swedes still enjoy their human rights.
Well, maybe not for long, if the Council of Europe will have any say in the matter:
In the name of freedom of expression and individual belief, creationist theories, as any other theological position, could possibly be presented as an addition to cultural and religious education, but they cannot claim scientific respectability.
"In the name of freedom of expression, let us limit which claims other people can make!" George Orwell couldn't have nailed it better.
The whole statement is an embarrassment to any organisation that aspires to play some sort of meaningful role in global politics. Whoever penned it, their skills would be better employed cleaning the streets of Strasbourg. That would reduce paper waste, inside as well as outside of the Council buildings.
June 17th, 2007 at 9:12 pm
This sort of shrill paranoia is pretty telling really. What are they actually afraid of ?
Comment by thesciphishow — June 17, 2007 @ 9:12 pm
June 17th, 2007 at 9:31 pm
Darwinian-Malthusian-Eugenists are always shreiking about looming catastrophes.
Compare this statement:
To this one published in Eugenics Review, 1931 attacking Pope Pius IX after he condemned eugenics…
Comment by Vladimir Krondan — June 17, 2007 @ 9:31 pm
June 18th, 2007 at 1:52 am
It must just be a coincidence Valdimir
The real irony is that in practice civil rights have been strongly protected in places where this sort of "christian fundamentalism" is taken seriously and trampled where the sort of secular triumphilism holds sway.
Comment by thesciphishow — June 18, 2007 @ 1:52 am
June 18th, 2007 at 11:48 am
Let me channel Galapagos Finch for a moment.
"We evolutionists have built this imposing sandcastle of Darwinism grain by grain, bucket by bucket, upon the shores of History. But now the hoodlum Creationism, with its ATV of Intelligent Design, threatens to plow down our towering edifice.
We must protect our sturdy structure by stringing up the piano wire of Political Intervention at neck-height…"
Comment by angryoldfatman — June 18, 2007 @ 11:48 am
June 18th, 2007 at 3:04 pm
I can't agree that Harun Yahya is a nut. He's a very religious muslim who does his level best to present the best face of Islam and who has put together huge websites dedicated to refuting Darwinism, such as darwinismrefuted.com.
What I see happening is that "science" is going to become the new propaganda tool of those elements within society that are essentially becoming fascistic and trying to increase control. It will include things like forced immunizations and forced taking of pharmaceuticals. Those who don't go along will be branded psychologically abnormal or malevolent, and will lose their civil rights and probably their children.
Comment by onething — June 18, 2007 @ 3:04 pm
June 19th, 2007 at 12:08 am
Harun Yahya is a Holocaust denier. In my eyes, that makes him a nut.
Comment by Krauze — June 19, 2007 @ 12:08 am
June 19th, 2007 at 12:38 am
"Harun Yahya is a Holocaust denier. In my eyes, that makes him a nut."
Actually that pretty much just makes him a mainstream Muslim if what we see in the news and the things they say is anything to go by.
Comment by thesciphishow — June 19, 2007 @ 12:38 am
June 19th, 2007 at 4:53 am
Off-topic:
Has anyone heard from Mike Gene lately?
I don't recall seeing any posts or comments from him in the last week or so, which seems unlike him.
I hope everything's okay.
Comment by keiths — June 19, 2007 @ 4:53 am
June 19th, 2007 at 6:04 am
keiths:
Could it be your arguments have convinced Mike there's nothing to ID?
Comment by Raevmo — June 19, 2007 @ 6:04 am
June 20th, 2007 at 8:29 am
America's Founding Fathers signed a Declaration of Independence from Britain that contained several references to their "Creator","Divine Intervention", etc. These signers included Benjamin Franklin, who was a famous science guy. Were the signers of the Declaration of Independence a threat to science and democracy itself?
Comment by russ — June 20, 2007 @ 8:29 am