Why Must It Always Be Georgia?

I don’t mind my state getting recognized in the news. I really don’t. I do mind the reasons Georgia has been recognized of late.

Evolution.

I’m tired of hearing about it. I was tired when Cathy Cox, Georgia’s State Superintendant of Education, proposed removing the word evolution from state science curriculum documents. Cathy Cox should have known better, and quickly changed her mind when she was confronted with all sorts of press. Even Jimmy Carter, a Christian, weighed in at the time by saying, “The exisiting and long-standing use of the word ‘evolution’ in our state’s textbooks has not adversely affected Georgians’ belief in the omnipotence of God as creator of the universe. There can be no incompatibility between Christian faith and proven facts concerning geology, biology, and astronomy.”

I rarely agree of late with “Jimmy”, but I do in this instance. I was raised in a Christian home and went to Georgia public schools. I took all the sciences in school and learning about evolution did not suddenly turn me into antheist. In fact, it actually did the opposite. Suddenly I had some evidence of how God might have done some of the wonderful things that have occurred through time.

My daughter attends a Christian school….a school that teaches creationism and evolution because they want students to know about up-to-date science knowledge. They want their students to be able to pass college entrance exams. They want students to weigh out all the evidence so that they can defend what they believe. Our students need to be equipped as they go out to face a science community in college that does discuss evolution

I was tired when a group of Cobb County parents decided ALL Cobb County students needed a sticker in their textbooks reminding them that evolution was a theory.

I still can’t believe a judge found in the parent’s favor and stickers were actually placed in science textbooks. They have since been removed, but what a waste of time for Cobb County teachers to place and then remove the stickers. I had no problem growing up hearing about evolution and evaluating it along with my religion. Why? My parents were involved. They talked to me. They were not overly involved in a lawsuit making our state the laughing stock of the nation. Yes, the Georgia Evolution Dispute Embarasses Some.

Now we have a new reason to be embarassed.

I am now sick and tired as a state legislator and former Georgia teacher, a teacher mind you, is arguing “he did it, no he did it” over a memo about a Jewish conspiracy concerning evolution. Said memo has been circulating various state houses across our nation in an attempt to “educate” lawmakers.

State Representative Ben Bridges and former science teacher Marshall Hall are embroiled in a memo crisis that not only discusses evolution but it also states that evolution is some type of Jewish conspiracy. The memo states, “Indisputable evidence---long hidden but now available to everyone---demonstates conclusively that so-called ‘secular evolution science’ is the Big Bang, 15-billion-year, alternate ‘creation scenario’ of the Pharisee religion. This scenario is derived concept-for-concept from Rabbinic writings in the mystic ‘holy book’ Kabbala dating back at least two millennia,” says the memo, which has Bridges name on it.

Most amazingly the memo goes on to states the earth does not revolve around the Sun. I’m sorry….wasn’t this question proven quiet some time ago? Copernicus? Galileo? Do these names ring a bell?

This Townhall.com article explains the situation quite well.

The actual text of the memo can be found at The Panda's Thumb in an article titled Gimme That Old Pharisee Religion

I really don’t want to promote Mr. Hall’s website here and drive his hit count up. There are plenty of places to find the link, but I did locate an article that gives a good overview of what can be found there at the Phillybits titled Evolution Shmevolution.

Plenty of Georgians are blogging about the whole mess. Blog For Democracy links to some, the Georgia Carnival links to some recent posts, and we have a report of a reponse from Rep. Ben Bridges courtesy of Decaturguy at Peach Pundit when he asks, Is Ben 'Fixed Earth' Bridges Also Convinced the Earth Is Flat?