Religion

daaron

(763 posts) Wed May 23, 2012, 01:04 AM May 2012

Texas on the front lines in a religious war on history? [View all]

www.alternet.org/story/155515/is_texas_waging_war_on_history/ac

Don McLeroy, chairman of the Texas State Board of Education from 2007 to 2009, is a “young earth” creationist. He believes the earth is 6,000 years old, that human beings walked with dinosaurs, and that Noah’s Ark had a unique, multi-level construction that allowed it to house every species of animal, including the dinosaurs.

He has a right to his beliefs, but it’s his views on history that are problematic. McLeroy is part of a large and powerful movement determined to impose a thoroughly distorted, ultra-partisan, Christian nationalist version of US history on America’s public school students. And he has scored stunning successes.

If you want to see a scary movie about this movement, consider taking in Scott Thurman’s finely-crafted documentary Revisionaries, currently making the festival circuit, which records the antics of McLeroy and a hard right majority on the Texas State Board of Education (SBOE) as they revise the textbook standards that will be used in Texas (and many other states).

33 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Texas on the front lines in a religious war on history? [View all] daaron May 2012 OP

would like to see it lunasun May 2012 #1

It's playing at SIFF this week. HeiressofBickworth May 2012 #2

And that's why I often vote in GOP primaries. tanyev May 2012 #3

My mom did that until last year. daaron May 2012 #24

Another example of the enabling religious posters pretend does not exist dmallind May 2012 #4

It is probably not a majority... rexcat May 2012 #5

Some of us, myself included, have a slightly different take on the situation than you. humblebum May 2012 #6

Oh do tell me how politically influential atheists are working to make dmallind May 2012 #7

So then it's OK to openly ridicule certain views held by some atheists humblebum May 2012 #8

Ridicule all you want..or try to skepticscott May 2012 #10

Here comes the red herring again. humblebum May 2012 #11

You keep using that phrase. Goblinmonger May 2012 #12

Then I would suggest that you explain, because it certainly fits what I see going on, humblebum May 2012 #13

Why debate with morons? Ridicule is far more "sound" dmallind May 2012 #15

Fail on all counts...typical skepticscott May 2012 #17

At least I'm glad to see that you realize your habit of red herrings. humblebum May 2012 #21

More fail skepticscott May 2012 #27

Always spinning and avoiding aren't you? humblebum May 2012 #29

Feel free pally - and if you think ridicule is the ONLY defense against a 6000 yr old earth dmallind May 2012 #14

Where was I defending the 6000 year idea? I wasn't nor humblebum May 2012 #16

Only the opinion of someone skepticscott May 2012 #18

The intellectual bankruptcy of that position skepticscott May 2012 #19

It's one thing to defend Christianity from over-generalization. daaron May 2012 #22

It sure didn't take you long to figure out humblebum's schtick! laconicsax May 2012 #23

Thanks, I'm a quick study, daaron May 2012 #25

"Where in the post did it say atheists were rewriting history?" I give up. Where?nt humblebum May 2012 #26

Yes, this is a huge problem. trotsky May 2012 #9

Wow, that's a scary article. cbayer May 2012 #20

Here's an article from 2010 post-election. tanyev May 2012 #28

Sounds like progress. Keep up the good work. cbayer May 2012 #30

Well done, sane Texans! nt daaron May 2012 #33

I'm going to take this opportunity to recommend Katherine Stewart's book again: Rob H. May 2012 #31

It's only a war if both sides are fighting it. This is more like a slaughter or a pogrom. Sirveri May 2012 #32