The Annual War on Christmas Continues

This year's annual War on Christmas issue is dedicated to one of Baby Jesus' favorite generals, Texas governor Rick Perry, who appeared on YouTube dressed as a gay cowboy to rant about teh gay soldiers who risk their lives to preserve his freedom to curse them.

Following up on his religious, anti-gay rant, Perry had an interview (see here)with the editors of the Des Moines Register, in which complained about government getting involved in controlling religion in public schools. Except Texas government, which is needed to set aside prayer time and to wage war against evolution, climate change, and other sciences. Perry further demonstrated his creativity by referring to the "eight" Supreme Court justices who are making these decisions instead of Texas government bureaucrats.

And, of course, Perry blames it all on President Obama.

Rick "Please-Don't-Google-Me" Santorum is Also an Ignoramous

I know we've known this since before the days of the "Santorum Almost An Amendment," but since Rick Santorum, the former senator from Pennsylvania who was voted out of office, appears to be engaged in an effort to outdo Michele Bachmann's crazy, we may as well remark upon it.

Hunter at Dail Kos describes and explains Santorum's recent claim of a Grand Jihad against God and Christianity by Science, specifically, the teaching of evolution in schools. He still favors a Crusade as a response to his fantasy.

Someone chosen to lead the United States must recognize what it takes to maintain our country's welfare and leadership in the world today--and an important aspect of that is an understanding of what science is, and how it can be used to maintain a high standard of living and a strong national defense. We need to understand the environment in which we live and how natural resources can be used to support us without destrying the environment in the process, so we don't wind up choking in a cesspool of our own making.

Bachmann is an Ignoramous--Part MCCXVIII

An astute political observer recently noted that Repub-
lican disdain for learning has gotten so bad that nowadays one is required to have an IQ in single digits to qualify for the party's nomination.

To prove the point, Michele Bachmann, in a question-and-answer session during an education forum at the University of Northern Iowa November 30, said that Intelligent Design Creationism should be taught in schools. She suggested that it is an equally valid scientific theory as evolution, and referred to several "problems" with evolutionary theory--problems that Creationists frequently raise, such as the Second Law of Thermodynamics, irreducible complexity, and the "dearth of the fossil record" (whatever that means; my house is full of fossils, and I think the American Museum of Natural History has some more)--and which have been refuted over and over again. To teach only science in science class, Bachmann feels, amounts to "government censorship."

Bachmann could scarcely be more wrong. Intelligent Design Creationism has no place in science class, because it is not science. It is not an equally valid alternative theory, because there is no "theory" in it. It is no more than the Abrahamic religious creation myth.

But the most mind-numbing foolish thing that Bachmann said on this issue was "So I think intellectually, the best thing to do is to allow all scientific facts on the table and let students decide." If that were done, putting all scientific facts on the table, why, one would simply have a lesson in evolution, because Creationism is fact-free; it is non-science. However, Bachmann obviously means present religious and supernatural claims as if they were scientific facts. And then, leave it to the students, who are just being introduced to the material and have not yet acquired sufficient knowledge and understanding to adequately judge the matter, to...judge the matter. Ms. Bachmann--if the students have the capability to judge such things, why are they in the class?

Remember the runup to the 2008 election, when Republican contenders were asked to raise their hands if they thought Creationism should be taught? That's right, boys and girls, show us that you don't need no stinkin' education. Rick Perry already claimed (falsely) that Texas schools teach both evolution and Creationism, and he, too, suggested that the students could decide which view they prefer. Yes, I think there may be something to the rumor of that single-digit IQ prerequisite.

Free Will?

It is astounding how some folks cannot recognize irony even when they are neck deep in it. I came across the following example at Crooks and Liars.

A church in Kentucky banned interracial couples from all church activities except funerals, in order to "promote greater unity among the church body and the community we serve." I think this congregation is unclear on the concept.

The name of the church? The Gulnare Free Will Baptist Church. I wonder if part of their worship service is the ignition of the cross.

UPDATE: The Church has reconsidered its decision, and has passed a new resolution welcoming "believers into our fellowship regardless of race, creed or color."