Michael Ruse, a philosopher of science, believes that the Darwinists are their own worst enemy because they have used evolution to bolster theories of progress and materialism, which have caused the conflict with religious views. Well, sort of. I tend to think that the problem comes more from a literal interpretation of the Bible. I'm just glad that the Catholic tradition has separated out the two things, as Pope John Paul II was once quoted, "New knowledge leads to the recognition of the theory of evolution as more than a hypothesis. It is indeed remarkable that this theory has been progressively accepted by researchers following a series of discoveries in various fields of knowledge." They continue on (scroll down to Science and the stewardship of knowledge) to talk about how there needs to be a congruence between human progress and spiritual progress, and how given that basic assumptions about the nature of God as the first mover are not invalidated, they really do not have a problem with evolution.
Republicans continue their newsmaking week, with new legislation in Texas to outlaw 'suggestive' cheerleading. What exactly is 'suggestive' vs. not 'suggestive,' is apparently up to the courts to decide. Slate has an article explaining why formerly 'small government' Republicans are now feeding at the trough -- turns out its because they can. Brazil has rejected $40 million US in aid to combat the AIDS epidemic, since Republicans attached riders to the money that would have ensured that the philosophies of the religious right, anti-contraception, pro-abstinence, i.e., all the stuff that has been proven not to work, be incorporated into the program. This is backed somewhat by recent StatsCanada data that puts the rate of teenage sexual participation and pregnancy rate in Canada at half the rate of the United States, despite a virtual lack of abstinence-only programmes. The restrictions coming with the aid money was particularly a problem in Brazil, where a program to promote condom use in sex workers would have had to be scuttled if they accepted the money.
Speaking of differences between Canada and the US, the Canadian same-sex marriage bill has passed second reading 164-137, requiring one additional reading and vote before it becomes law. In the United States, the news on the gay rights front has recently been negative, but the Christian Science Monitor reports that there are some states that are moving in the opposite direction with new civil union and antidiscrimination laws.
Over in Africa, the President of Nigeria is calling for a clean up of the civil service with the hope of gaining a $35 billion reductions in foreign debt. African governments have historically been closely associated with patronage, and thus generally have an overbloated civil service. International organizations such as the IMF have made the greater efficiency of government a stipulation for granting loans. Corruption in another African country, Burundi, has reportedly led to the murder of an aid worker by the local police. In Sudan, a newspaper editor is receiving public threats of death after he published an article that questioned the Prophet Muhammed's ancestry.
In science, astronomers have discovered an additional 12 moons orbiting Saturn, bringing the combined total to 46. They have also confirmed the visual discovery of an 'exoplanet' orbiting another star. Scientists in Utah have discovered carnivorous dinosaurs that turned to veggies, providing a link between carnivorous and herbivorous dinosaurs.
Also:
- The British go the polls today. I'll be up watching for a third Labour victory!
- The 13-year-old girl, having passed all psychological evaluations, is now being permitted to choose whether she wants to have an abortion.
- Better watch out! Illegal downloading in the United States just became equivalent to domestic terrorism.
- A fourth man has been arrested for the theft of Munch's The Scream.
- The Syrian withdrawal from Lebanon is going well, according to UN monitors.
- A top US general has warned about the strain currently put on the American armed forces from their participation in both Iraq and Afghanistan.
- Ed Broadbent, former federal NDP leader, is stepping down from politics again because of his wife's ill-health.
- A Guardian article about the ties between Sinatra and the mob.
- An institute in Tel Aviv has reported that anti-Semitic violence is at a global 15-year high.
- Stephen Colbert, a correspondent on the Daily Show, is getting promoted to host his own show.
- Cable news networks look silly again, this time over the Jennifer Wilbanks story.
- Now you never have to worry about your cupcake getting damaged on your way to work or school!
- A question we must all ask ourselves at least once in our lives. Are you a Republican?? Turns out that I'm 16% Republican - put yours in the comment section!
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