What is it with these people?

As I mentioned in a post some time back, I read this blog.

His latest post is on this story.

In short the NNS is rejoicing over the DfES “banning” free schools that wanted to teach creationism as science or Islamism as citizenship.

Here is his post

And my comments…

Another good one, Your Grace...
As both a Biologist and a Christian (and therefore someone who cannot exist, according to Sam Harris!) I am more than comfortable with Creationism not being taught as scientific theory and as a human being I'm comfortable with Islamism not being taught as anything at all!
The NSS (bless 'em) see things along the lines of "Religion=Bad" and therefore the reason they supplied you with just silence is that in their minds the two are in fact equated; Creationism and Islamism are both "religious" and therefore by definition bad!
The merits of a particular position or philosophy are not what concerns them; just whether that philosophy emanates (or claims to) from God.
As for the effectiveness of the "ban", I think you're correct to ask but I don't think the NSS know or care.

But what got me thinking was this section of the TES article.

The publication comes just a week after ministers were lobbied by a new campaign group, CriSIS (Creationism In Schools Isn’t Science). The organisation sent a letter - whose signatories included professors of science and theology and practising members of the clergy - to education secretary Michael Gove calling for a ban on creationism being taught as science in lessons and extra-curricular activities.

CriSIS? Whoever are they? Why haven’t I heard of them?

Well this is where it gets interesting…CriSIS are in fact just a Facebook page with (as at this moment) 98 “likes”

This is their description of themselves

Campaigning to stop creationism being presented as science in UK schools.
Creationism is known, and officially acknowledged, to be contrary to scientific fact. We therefore demand that creationism should not be presented as a valid scientific position, nor creationist websites and resources be promoted, in state maintained schools or in any youth activities run on state maintained school premises

Without getting even more long winded than I normally am, this is a “group” set up by a disgruntled mother whose children

had been exposed to this dangerous nonsense

The dangerous nonsense being, of course, creationism.

There’s more (read it here if you wish) but I’m sure you get the idea.

Now, when I read that, the impression I had was that some science or biology lesson had included something on creationism…but it turns out this was part of an RE “philosophy of religion” course.

More than that, what CriSIS fail to mention is that the school had another scientist to argue the other (ie “evolutionary”) position.

Why, oh why would anyone worry about such a debate in an RE lesson? Isn’t this exactly the way the issue should be discussed? Both sides putting their case and an opportunity to ask questions/debate?Would they ban the reading and discussion of Genesis 1 and 2? (I’m guessing Richard Dawkins and the like would prefer exactly that – if they can’t get RE removed completely).

I'm reminded of the story a few years back, of Michael Reiss being forced to stand down from his post at The Royal Society.

His crime…he suggested that when teachers had pupils who belived in creationism

"They should take the time to explain how science works and why creationism has no scientific basis,"

I.E. do exactly what a good teacher should do.

Incidentally, that’s exactly what I did when teaching…so sack me…oh, too late!!

Now I doubt whether CriSIS’ letter to Gove had anything to do with the DeFE’s criteria for Free Schools but I’m wondering how many of the signatories realised that the letter wasn’t quite accurate or honest in its portrayal of what happened at the school (again to pick on Dawkins, I’m guessing he’d sign a cow pat if it was in the shape of “atheism rules OK” – hmm wouldn’t that qualify as a miracle???).

My last post (also triggered by the Cranmer blog) actually received 4 replies – I should be proud! But you won’t be able to read any of them. Each was from an atheist and each contained multiple uses of the f-word and other expletives. Now I don’t mind argument or discussion, or even being called an idiot, but this is a family blog, so they’re gone!!

I’m moved to ask, what is wrong with these people???

What don’t they like debate and discussion? Why do they want to ban, ban, ban all the time?

You know, they sound more and more like a religion to me…