Tea Leaves

So, speaking as good Papist boy with a firm belief that Creationism is a scientific and religious threat, I have to say that I'm really convinced that both Myers and Dawkins are actually stealth evangelicals because they're so over-the-top. They usually strike me as Jack Chick's concept of an atheist. Actually, I take it as the fundamental lesson of my theology that people are dicks, regardless of creed, so I shouldn't be that surprised.

That said, my preferred solution is to use something Neil Postman suggested. Each week, cover a different creation story and make the students determine through evidence which one worked. I imagine that all the parents in favor of intelligent design will be less in favor when we get to the bit about Enki masturbating to create all the rivers in Sumer, or the divine incest of Prajapati, or, hey, we can do Norse mythology,and go play, as Pratchett Suggested "Hey Kids, What Part Is Your Town Made Of?"

I don't know who annoy me more - Christian fanatics who consider evolution a religious issue relevant to their faith (who are extremely confused and inappropriately biligerent), or atheist fanatics like Dawkins with the philosophical acumen of a glazed ham and a total inability to understand the nature or social purposes of religion (who are equally confused and beligerent).

A war between science and religion is like a war between beards and contact lenses. I suggest bitch slapping anyone in either camp when you see them. ;)

By the way, Nintendo played an extract from that South Park episode at Montreal International Game Summit to promote the launch of the Wii. ;)