Brainstormy
Brainstormy's JournalHow Does BJU Teach Science?
In trying to research the curriculum for my granddaughter's school, I learned that the science textbooks are published by Bob Jones University. I found this "policy statement."
How does BJU teach science?
The Christian teaching of science requires not only a good command of basic subject matter, but also the spiritual perception to discern truth from error in a great variety of contexts. As a prerequisite for this, the Christian teacher of science must be thoroughly grounded in the Word of God. Moreover, he must have firmly implanted in his mind a biblical framework of truth which serves as the touchstone for his decision making. True science will fit that framework; anything that fails to fit the biblical framework must be rejected as erroneous.
That last sentence is making me heartsick. I don't know what to do about speaking to my son and daughter-in-law, who are reasonable people, but very committed to this school otherwise.
Just read about new wooly mammoth discovery
in Siberia, and because I'm just a glutton for punishment, I guess, I started pondering, and then went looking, for the creationist take. I was unsure about whether, in the literalist paradigm, mammoths came BEFORE or AFTER the ark, etc., Seems some of them are a little fuzzy, too, but the concensus seems to be that the ice age was "after." I even read that the great flood was the perfect explanation for an Ice Age, tho I found no one sympathizing with the long, dreary walk the critters made from the Middle East. And with all that hair!
Here's one opinion:
"I would say the Ice age was in the years following the flood. I don't know if that was 1 year later or 10. This awaits more research. But animals multiply quickly. Also Noah took 7 of some animals on the ark. If this were the case with the mammoth, they would reach larger numbers even quicker. A recent program by Michael Oard seems to suggest the mammoth population would have been hundreds of thousands before the they perished in the "ice age".
The writer adds, "Unlike the children’s movie "Ice Age" the humans that lived at the time of the Ice age could speak and were not primitive in any sense. Man could talk since the day he was created (Day 6)."
So that's good to know. But in my humble opinion, the whole subject "awaits more research." 
http://www.angelfire.com/mi/dinosaurs/mammoth.html
March Against Monsanto
You probably have seen little in the media, but Today's the day. 50 countries, 400 global marches. At least one in most US states. Alll at 2:00 pm if you can make it.
http://www.march-against-monsanto.com/
Juan Mendez Invokes Carl Sagan While Leading Arizona House Of Representatives Pre-Session Prayer
Arizona State Rep. Juan Mendez (D) turned a Tuesday afternoon prayer into something much more.
The Phoenix New Times reports that Mendez, who is an atheist, changed the course of the event held prior to the House of Representatives' afternoon session. He asked lawmakers to refrain from bowing their heads and instead to view their surroundings.
"Most prayers in this room begin with a request to bow your heads," Mendez said, according to the Phoenix New Times. "I would like to ask that you not bow your heads. I would like to ask that you take a moment to look around the room at all of the men and women here, in this moment, sharing together this extraordinary experience of being alive and of dedicating ourselves to working toward improving the lives of the people in our state."
Mendez also invoked the words of Dr. Carl Sagan, the late astronomer whose words on atheism have lasted for decades.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/22/juan-mendez-carl-sagan_n_3316864.html?ref=topbar
9 Questions That Atheists Might Find Insulting (And the Answers)
Great article! Worth the read.
http://www.alternet.org/belief/9-questions-atheists-might-find-insulting-and-answers?page=0%2C1&paging=off
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