<p>PG, I can think of many things taught at colleges as fact that are far more dangerous to society than some young earth creation theory that is clearly religion based. I can dismiss it as easily as I can many principles of other major religions taught at other schools. To me it is less dangerous than than the idea that there should be outcomes quality as a societal goal.</p>
<p>I know a number of Liberty graduates who have done very well. If that is a school a student likes and is the best choice, I have no problems saying, “go right on ahead”. However, if it is a blind test, such as an online degree, I think that one from a major state university would be a better idea because it has a wider name recognition. That would be the case for nearly every small college vs large uni in such a situation. </p>
<p>There is also that bias against Liberty U by some, but then there are those who are more than welcoming for those who have such affiliation.</p>
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I would have two concerns. First, this “belief” doesn’t necessarily just exist inside the individual’s head with no external manifestation. As pointed out above, Christians are taught that faith should be lived out in works. </p>
<p>Second, someone who is a strict bible literalist doesn’t just believe the first book of the first book literally. The very likely have very strong positions on the role of women in society and the workplace and on homosexuality. That very well could be a problem in the workplace when Sara gets promoted to his boss next fall, or when he has to be trained by an openly gay employee. Unless my workplace reflects the same values, it seems like we’re just setting ourselves up for trouble.</p>
<p>You can get along with somebody and do your job fine and still not accept aspects about them. You just don’t try to implement those opinions at work. Leave it at the door. And if your gay boss finds out you have some personal issues with say gay marriage and acts on them to harm you at work he/she is the one in trouble.</p>
<p>Most of the Biblical literalists I know believe it selectively literally.</p>
<p>I would have no problem hiring a person who believed that Mohammed really did get the Koran from an angel, or that the Hindu gods are real, or that Moses actually parted the Red Sea. I wouldn’t question the intelligence of such people. So why do I feel differently about a person who believes the earth was created 6000 years ago? I guess what bothers me is the idea that “scientific” evidence supports young-earth creation, when it really doesn’t. Maybe I’d feel better if the proponents of that position said, “Look, we know that the scientific evidence is against this belief–we simply think that God performed a miracle, and for his own mysterious reasons, let the evidence suggest he didn’t.” Do these folks look for “scientific” evidence that a person can rise from the dead? I don’t think so–indeed, the Resurrection needs to be a supernatural event to retain its religious meaning.</p>
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Literalists also don’t agree on what the literal meaning is. There was a tragic example of this in the paper this morning, about a pastor who died after handling a rattlesnake that bit him. He interpreted the Bible verse indicating that believers would pick up serpents without being harmed to mean that they should do this to demonstrate their faith. Most literalists don’t read it that way.</p>
<p>Well, if you are all knowing and powerful it should not be hard to construct an historical record to challenge the non-believers by fooling them with bad data. Just sayin.</p>
<p>So the Olduvai Gorge is just God’s joke on the Leakeys? Fascinating…(just sayin)</p>
<p>Who knows. We all could just be a speck in the 4th dimension too.</p>
<p>I wish I knew how to quote, but I don’t, so I’ll put Creekland’s words here:</p>
<p>“Chances are, their believing this doesn’t affect their job performance one iota. For the astronomy teacher, yes, but for the 99% whose jobs aren’t related, no.”</p>
<p>But a school that would hire a astronomy teacher who didn’t understand a pretty fundamental truth about astronomy would raise my eyebrows. If they’re comfortable with this inaccuracy and level of scholarship in one subject, what are they comfortable with elsewhere? If their hiring standards are so lax that an idiot slips through in astronomy, what’s protecting the other departments? And why would I pay for my kid to learn misinformation.</p>
<p>Way way back I student taught in a private school. One day an admissions tour was coming through right as my cooperating teacher launched into an explanation of how polar bears hunt penguins, and how penguins defend themselves. It was riveting, and the kids loved it. It was also completely wrong, of course. Now does it matter? Will the kids grow up OK believing that there are polar bears at the South Pole? Probably. But the fact that the teacher felt comfortable teaching a topic she clearly hadn’t researched, and a lesson she probably didn’t plan, calls into question all of her teaching, IMO. If I had been on that tour I probably would have crossed that school right off my list, because I’d wonder what other nonsense my kid would be learning. </p>
<p>In addition, Young Earth Creationists don’t just disagree on something that happened eons ago that is taught in one class. Not believing in Darwin’s theory leaves you without a way to explain why you get drug resistant bacteria, it impacts the classification of the species, and it calls into question all of ancient history as well as well established archeological methods such as carbon dating. And those are just the things that little old poli sci major me can think of.</p>
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<p>Actually, that’s partially true. Seasons are caused by Earth’s axial tilt - so, for example, the Northern Hemisphere really is closer to the sun during the summer time here than it is during the winter time.</p>
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<p>Thanks Annasdad! Look what I can do!</p>
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<p>It also has a lot to do with the angle at which the sunlight hits the Earth. An area that’s getting straight on sunlight will be warmer, even if it’s somewhat farther away. </p>
<p>Anyway, the study I saw had people drawing pictures or acting it out or something, and it was clear that most people believed that the Earth’s orbit was shaped in a way that meant the whole planet was actually closer during certain times of the year, I wish I had a link, although it’s not really relevant here.</p>
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<p>Well… you haven’t done your research in the same manner you criticized your former cooperative teacher… I have talked with those who believe in YEC and looked at some of their materials provided to me at the time (ages ago, but I doubt much has changed). They do not disagree with how we get drug resistant bacteria… If I had time I’d try to find some sort of link for you, but right now, I don’t have time and I sort of doubt you’re really curious. If so, a quick google search would probably provide an answer. Or, perhaps e-mailing one of the LU profs would provide an answer.</p>
<p>In general, YEC I’ve met don’t disagree with anything we see happening in today’s world (like bacteria mutations, species differentiation, etc). They only disagree with things in the far past - which admittedly - we don’t see happening today. Their ideas would impact how they see pre-whatever year history. Since they agree with how life works today, and whatever happened in really ancient history is as important to me as what anyone believes about Atlantis, I see no reason to discriminate based upon their beliefs. It isn’t quite the same as 2+2=5 like you imply. Their view is a minority view, but who cares -except for those involved with the history aspect? </p>
<p>Granted, I’ve never come across anyone who feels dinosaur bones are false (or made to fool us) or that species don’t change (not genus - I’m pretty sure that’s where YEC say changes don’t happen, but my memory might be fuzzy), so maybe those folks (if they exist) would have issues with bacteria too. If I heard from them I’d disagree more personally, but I’d still feel they were free to believe what they wish.</p>
<p>I am fine with “discriminating” against people who don’t deal in reality, whether that’s believing that science supports the earth being only 6000 years old, invisible green men living in our outlets providing electricity, that Elvis is alive and Paul McCartney is dead, or that Obama was born in Kenya and GWB ordered the bombing of the World Trade Center. I don’t suffer fools gladly.</p>
<p>So, you also don’t buy the magic oil lamp either? Parting or the Red Sea–any of that stuff? Just checking to see how many religions you feel are for fools. Reincarnation?</p>
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<p>It’s primarily the number of hours of daylight. When it’s summer in your local hemisphere, your part of the Earth is tilted towards the Sun. That means the Sun is up above the horizon for longer = longer day = more sunlight hitting the Earth = warmer weather. The other way around for winter (shorter day, less sunlight, colder).</p>
<p>During Southern summer the Earth is about 91 million miles away from the Sun. During Northern summer, the Earth is about 95 million miles from the Sun. So even though during Northern summer we’re tilted towards the Sun, we are still much further away from the Sun than we are in Northern winter. </p>
<p>Slithey,</p>
<p>I’m hijacking this because I’m really curious, not questioning you as this is far outside my area of expertise, but if hours of daylight was the determining factor in temperature, why are the far north and far south where there’s close to 24 hours of sunlight, still so cool in the summer?</p>
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No problem with the contradiction of believing the little outlet men are both green and invisible, which is unfortunately the exact problem with YEC and the like. I’m with you Pizzagirl.</p>
<p>BTW, CuriousJane, if you want to attribute a quote just say quote=postername in the opening brackets.</p>
<p>Also just because they had to be exposed to a theory does not mean they bought it. I’d ask the bio prof fo rhis own views of the matter and not assume becuase he was expsoed to it at LU he believes. You do not have to believe it to graduate. Just hear about it. I have no idea how many buy it or not.</p>