tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33241741.post3613734668231252983..comments2023-09-24T07:53:50.826-05:00Comments on The Atheist Experience™: Christians trying to destroy education altogether in OklahomaUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33241741.post-58905227801878844912008-03-19T07:45:00.000-05:002008-03-19T07:45:00.000-05:00Every time I read about something as outrageously ...Every time I read about something as outrageously moronic as this, I can't help but think "Mmh... that crap would never happen here"(Mexico). Then there's a pause, then I do that thing where I raise my left eyebrow in puzzlement until it gets freakishly close to my hairline, then there's another pause and after that it hits me like a ton of bricks: <BR/><BR/>"Wait, why the hell doesn't it happen here?"<BR/><BR/>We're 90% Catholic(95% Christian, probably 99% theist, so cry me a river, guys =P); staunchly conservative, although 20-somethings tend to be much more liberal; our three major political parties are basically the Right, the Far Right and the Center-Right-but-we-do-some-lefty-things-once-in-a-while.<BR/><BR/>With a political/social enviroment like that, you'd think we'd be up to our asses in "Intelligent Design this" and "teaching the controversy that" but there aren't even trace amounts of creationism in our schools, at least that was my experience. <BR/><BR/>There was one Phys/Chem teacher in secondary who, when asked, gave us the old "first came creation, then evolution" nonsense but you could see how uncomfortable he was saying it, I still think he was just trying to avoid offending anyone so he probably just hedged his bet. Mind you, that was not even during the "official class". It was after, when he was "off-duty" and he still refused to talk about religion either for or against, reminding us that it was not appropriate to discuss it in a school science class.<BR/><BR/>I've always wondered how Darwin could be treated so well whenever he comes over to visit our side of the Río Bravo(you guys call it the Rio Grande ^_^), considering my people's overwhelming religiousity. I can't say for certain, but I do have a little idea: <B>it's because we've been there, done that and all we got was a lousy T-Shirt</B>.<BR/><BR/>Sometimes I forget that the RC Church used to control pretty much all aspects of education. Tithes were compulsory and the clergy wielded considerable influence in government policy-making. Not to mention the vast amount of privileges they were given. <BR/><BR/>They enjoyed a long period of undeserved power, until Vice President Valentín Gómez Farías and a coalition of liberals gradually stripped the clergy and the military of their powers. <BR/><BR/>It's kind of interesting to point out that, while Antonio López de Santa Anna was the actual president, it was VGF who made all of the decisions, ran the country and was the de facto President of the Republic due to President Santa Anna's lack of interest in the Presidency outside of the title. I believe he is said to have spent most of his term in his residence in Veracruz... clearing brush. <BR/><BR/>Of course, conservatives screamed bloody murder and dragged Santa Anna's butt out of his ranch... um, I mean, his residence and he restored every single privilege. Thankfully, it didn't last long, because soon after came President Benito Juárez and started the Reform. in which they lost them again. <BR/><BR/>A little "Did you know that...?": Juárez was not only a strong liberal and is one of the most admired politicians in Mexican history but was also the first indigenous leader of an American country since the Spanish Conquest. Not bad for a poor, orphan, shepperd boy who first went to the city when he was 12, not even speaking Spanish, huh? Sorry, major Mexican pride leak. =P<BR/><BR/>I guess what I'm trying to say is that when it comes to mixing State and Church, you guys are like our little brother happily playing with the neighbour's scary-looking dog, wondering why we won't join you. Well, there's a reason: the bastard bit us once when we where coming from school. =P <BR/><BR/>Hell, we don't even allow clergymen, religious leaders or active members of the Armed Forces to run for office. North Americans are kinda spoiled, if I may be so bold. n_n With your Checks and Balances and your fancy, shiny Constitution made by the children of the Enlightenment. You've never had to deal with state-sanctioned religion and maybe Church-State separation has been taken for granted. <BR/><BR/>I'm just finishing high school, so I may very well just be talking out of my bum but you wouldn't believe how spot on it all sounded at 4 AM. <BR/><BR/>Holy hell, this ended up being obscenely long, I'm soooo sorry. Also, what the hell was up with that dog metaphor? With the way I tortured that analogy, I better stay the hell away from the Hague.<BR/><BR/>My deepest apologies to the kind soul(s) who actually read all of that. You're much too kind. ^_^<BR/><BR/>Warm wishes from México - Juan JoséAdraelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05973486036413829486noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33241741.post-89196277695570644202008-03-17T21:47:00.000-05:002008-03-17T21:47:00.000-05:00You know what? If the phrase weren't so horribly c...You know what? If the phrase weren't so horribly cliche and over-used in every day rhetoric, I would say that allowing children a licence to veto science and substitute it with "God did it" was political correctness.Jacobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02788823062002371899noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33241741.post-80410517226816750082008-03-17T01:46:00.000-05:002008-03-17T01:46:00.000-05:00It's fucking stupid, that's what it is. Those woul...It's fucking stupid, that's what it is. Those would would pass such fuck-witted legislation are crooks who don't give a shit about education. The day such people find it impossible to secure places in government will be a very fine day. <BR/><BR/>The sheer filth of fundamentalist tactics is simply mind-numbing.Luis Cayetanohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05210714337197709016noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33241741.post-13272390644346017942008-03-16T12:18:00.000-05:002008-03-16T12:18:00.000-05:00Wow, god help us all...if he existed. This is rea...Wow, god help us all...if he existed. This is really scary.Kevinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05945673990349202319noreply@blogger.com