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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsPhysicist Lawrence Krauss on teaching creationism: It’s a form of child abuse
In brief video published by Big Think on Monday, physics professor Lawrence Krauss said that teaching school children incorrect facts about the age of the planet was a form of abuse.
Krauss noted that Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) recently declined to say how old the Earth was, insisting it was one of the great mysteries. Krauss blasted the idea of teaching the Earth was 6,000 years old as some Christians believe rather than 4.55 billion years old.
If you think about that, somehow saying that, well, anything goes, we shouldnt offend religious beliefs by requiring kids to know to understand reality; thats child abuse, he said. And if you think about it, teaching kids or allowing the notion that the earth is 6,000 years old to be promulgated in schools is like teaching kids that the distance across the United States is 17 feet. Thats how big an error it is.
Krauss added the purpose of education is not to validate ignorance, but to overcome it.
Bill Nye the Science Guy made similar comments last year in another video published by Big Think. Nye implored parents not to teach creationism to their children because the country needed scientifically literate voters and taxpayers for the future.
Raw Story (http://s.tt/1zqrd)
Krauss noted that Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) recently declined to say how old the Earth was, insisting it was one of the great mysteries. Krauss blasted the idea of teaching the Earth was 6,000 years old as some Christians believe rather than 4.55 billion years old.
If you think about that, somehow saying that, well, anything goes, we shouldnt offend religious beliefs by requiring kids to know to understand reality; thats child abuse, he said. And if you think about it, teaching kids or allowing the notion that the earth is 6,000 years old to be promulgated in schools is like teaching kids that the distance across the United States is 17 feet. Thats how big an error it is.
Krauss added the purpose of education is not to validate ignorance, but to overcome it.
Bill Nye the Science Guy made similar comments last year in another video published by Big Think. Nye implored parents not to teach creationism to their children because the country needed scientifically literate voters and taxpayers for the future.
Raw Story (http://s.tt/1zqrd)
He is right, but he fails to go the next step and say that pretty much all religious belief in the supernatural that is forced upon children is abuse, so I will.
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Physicist Lawrence Krauss on teaching creationism: It’s a form of child abuse (Original Post)
cleanhippie
Feb 2013
OP
rug
(82,333 posts)1. Of cource force is abuse. How do you define force?
cleanhippie
(19,705 posts)2. Dictionary.com defnes it as...
force
?
force
[fawrs, fohrs] Show IPA noun, verb, forced, forc·ing.
noun
1.
physical power or strength possessed by a living being: He used all his force in opening the window.
2.
strength or power exerted upon an object; physical coercion; violence: to use force to open the window; to use force on a person.
3.
strength; energy; power; intensity: a personality of great force.
4.
power to influence, affect, or control; efficacious power: the force of circumstances; a force for law and order.
5.
Law. unlawful violence threatened or committed against persons or property.
2 and 4 seem most applicable to adults that force their kids to go to church and accept religious beliefs.