Just got time to carve a word, or not even that – simply to mark two stories I found today on teh interwebs. This one, on the teaching of evolution in US schools following the 2005 Dover trials; and this one, on the religiously motivated attack on a teacher who taught religious education in classes in London at which Muslim girls were present (thanks to Mr A. S. of London for the link).
Yes, there is religious extremism in both cases, but to damn religion as a general cause is facile – you might as well damn the telephone because some people use it to make dirty phone calls.
What interests me is how it is that troops from the U. S. and A., a country where religious fanaticism is such that teachers and legislators fight battles every day to prevent the forces of unreason extinguishing the pale light of rationality, are fighting the Taliban, an organization which, at least allegedly, bumps off people who have the temerity of wishing to educate girls in anything whatsoever. What, precisely, are they fighting for? Answers on the proverbial postcard. On second thoughts, perhaps not.
Henry your second link has an overdose of http.
Thanks Brian- all sorted.
I don’t recall any postcards being mentioned in Proverbs. But there was at least one ice-cream company mentioned in the bible.
Your readers may also be interested in the Kansas vs Darwin documentary about the Kansanian evolution hearings. This is currently being streamed free online to celebrate Darwin’s birthday, until the 12th of March.
In particular, it gives me the impression that there is a strong “rivalry” (maybe an “specie” of “hate” for the power, perhaps) between “Atheist Vs Religious”. Finally the brain and the ideas should follow in permanent evolution, we will leave ahead (if the human has been able to leave world wars).