The Virtual Pub
Come Inside... => Saloon Bar => Topic started by: Grumpmeister on September 15, 2008, 01:00:49 PM
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We've already got a member of the Royal Society saying that creationism should be taught in science lessons and now with its resurgence over here we are getting the Genesis Expo Museum. Creationism is not science, no offence to any members on here but it has about as much scientific basis as the Scientologist's warlord dumping billions of aliens into volcanos and nuking them causing life to form on earth.
Widely believed in America, creationism - the belief that God created the earth and man in six days - is enjoying a resurgence of support in the UK, say its believers and its critics.
At first glance the Genesis Expo museum, in the naval town of Portsmouth, looks like any other repository of natural history exhibits: fossils of dinosaurs and unusual rock formations.
But focus on the narrative of the information panels alongside them, and you start to realise this is a museum with a difference - one dedicated to the theory of creationism.
The revelation that US vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin is a "creationist" has raised few eyebrows in the US. Like Ms Palin, an estimated 47% of Americans reject outright Charles Darwin's theory of evolution, accepting instead the Bible's account of the creation of the universe - as laid out in the first chapter of Genesis. If we came from nothing and go into nothing... that encourages people to lead reckless and materialistic lifestyles
But in Britain, where a portrait of Darwin appears on the back of the £10 note, his theory of life evolving from primitive to complex structures by means of natural selection appears to be unchallenged orthodoxy.
Not so, say those on both sides of the creationist divide - a point amply proved by the existence of the Genesis Expo museum, to date Britain's only creationist museum. The museum is the work of Britain's oldest creationist group, the Creation Science Movement, which has built Genesis Expo to visibly challenge the theory of evolution .
In its walk-though display, fossils in glass cases purport to show that ancient animals - including man - did not evolve from lower creatures but were instead divinely created "after their kind" (Genesis Chapter 1, verse 21).
A picture of a landslide-causing volcano is used to counter the scientific understanding that rock strata took millions of years to build up.
And throughout the display are scattered examples of "intelligent design" - complex creatures that "could not have evolved" as the result of natural selection.
Gravestone exhibit
Leading British scientist and author Dr Richard Dawkins has warned of creationist "brainwashing" in the UK - spurred on by an unwillingness of the authorities to offend religious sensibilities. His creationist adversaries say their ideas are beginning to gain wider acceptance within these shores as dissatisfaction grows with "materialist" evolutionary explanations of how life began.
The pocket evolutionist - Charles Darwin, on the back of a £10 note
Museum curator Ross Rosevear describes himself as a "Young Earth" creationist, who believes that the earth was created in six days "less than 10,000 years ago."
Standing before the museum's prize exhibit - a mock gravestone inscribed: "Here lies the Theory of Evolution" - he rejects as "unreliable" the scientific tests that fix the age of the earth at more than four billion years. While he concedes his convictions are intimately connected with his Christian faith, he insists the evidence presented in the displays could convince even non-believers of the "fatal flaws" in Darwin's theory of evolution.
"All we are saying is that it is not unreasonable to present an alternative explanation of how life began," he says.
For some, it's an explanation that has gained a surprisingly wide acceptance in the UK.
A 2006 survey for the BBC found that more than a fifth of those polled were convinced by the creationist argument. Less than half - 48% - chose evolution.
And while the Church of England this week issues a formal apology to Charles Darwin, after long publicly disassociated itself from the creation story as a scientific fact, other churches - mostly on the evangelical Christian wing - adhere to old beliefs.
Growing support
Justin Thacker, head of theology for the Evangelical Alliance, says research in 1998 found one third of the Alliance church members were "literal six-day creationists." The other two thirds embraced evolutionary theory to a "greater or lesser degree" he says.
British creationist and curator of Genesis Expo, Ross Rosevear
"Since that survey was done, I'd say fewer of our members are out-and-out creationists - it has become more acceptable to embrace some form of Darwinism," he says.
But Keith Porteous Wood of the Secular Society is unconvinced.
"There is no question that creationism is growing," he says. "It is increasingly well funded, and well organised."
The society says Britain is beginning to follow the lead of the US where supporters and opponents of creationism have joined battle - in the school classroom. Two years ago the government sought to clarify the rules on creationist teaching, following revelations that the head of science at one of its new academies was the director of an anti-evolution pressure group.
A spokeswoman for the Department for Children, Schools and Families says creationism is not included in the science curriculum because "it has no scientific basis... but it can be discussed in [religious education] lessons".
But that ruling was questioned last week by an influential figure. The Rev Professor Michael Reiss, director of education at the Royal Society, says science teachers ought to be willing to talk about creationism if students brought the subject up.
Creationist schools
He told the British Association Festival of Science in Liverpool that while making clear creationism is not accepted by the scientific community, teachers should convey a message of respect that does not "denigrate or ridicule" children's beliefs. Charles Darwin - 200 years from your birth (1809) the Church of England owes you an apology for misunderstanding you
Rev Dr Malcolm Brown, of CofE's mission and public affairs department
It's a sentiment that inflames the anti-creationist lobby, which sees any compromises in the classroom as a betrayal of children's interests.
"Creationism is anti-science," says Mr Porteous Wood. "Teaching it to children is a form of intellectual child abuse, because it gives them the wrong facts about life." His passionate views eco those of Prof Dawkins last month, who accused teachers of "bending over backwards" to respect "prejudices" that children have been brought up with at home.
And secular groups also point out that while state school pupils are "protected" from creationist teaching, similar guidelines do not exist to cover children who attend private religious schools - Christian, Jewish and Muslim.
One such school that teaches creationism as a science is the respected Islamic Karimia Institute in Nottingham.
"We teach what it says in the Koran," says institute director Dr Musharraf Hussain. "...that God created Adam and Eve, and from them came the rest of humanity. "We do not teach that man is descended from a lower animal - we say that God created the different species on their own."
This shared belief in the origins of man - and the universe - is uniting unlikely bedfellows in the anti-evolution cause.
The Rev Greg Haslam, who preaches the creationist Christian creed to his 400-strong congregation at Westminster Chapel in London, welcomes the determination of Muslims to impart a religious-based view of the world.
"Science does not have to be taught in conflict with faith or religion," he says. "I believe the current debate over creationism versus evolution is beginning to draw more and people over to our side of the argument
"The materialist explanation of the creation has nothing to offer - if we came from nothing and go into nothing, then that encourages people to lead reckless and materialistic lifestyles.
"Evolution is a world-view that leads to futility. It's no wonder people are dissatisfied with it."
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Tit
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Who?
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As an amount of Religious Education is compulsory in all UK schools then that is where this should be taught. Only by offering instruction on all aspects can children be said to be properly educated. Doesn't matter whether you believe in it or not. If my CoE baptised children have to sit through instruction on Hinduism, Bhuddism, Islam, Judaism and sundry other beliefs then why not Creationism ~ then, when fully informed, they will be able to make a judgement.
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The Rev Greg Haslam, who preaches the creationist Christian creed to his 400-strong congregation at Westminster Chapel in London,
That's who
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Creationism has no foundatiion. Mumbo Jumbo. We may also teach kids that dancing brings on rain
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Creationism has no foundatiion. Mumbo Jumbo. We may also teach kids that dancing brings on rain
rubschin: Doesn't it? Always seems to p*ss down when the Morris Men are on the Green.
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Creationism has no foundatiion. Mumbo Jumbo. We may also teach kids that dancing brings on rain
rubschin: Doesn't it? Always seems to p*ss down when the Morris Men are on the Green.
Of course it does, like going to the coast.
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I am surrounded by idiots noooo:
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I am surrounded by idiots noooo:
There you are then.
Drawn to you by your bewildered Karma.
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evil:
I hear turnips are down
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I hear turnips are down
Yes, but they are receiving counselling.
Would you like the name of the organisation in case you are related?
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As an amount of Religious Education is compulsory in all UK schools then that is where this should be taught. Only by offering instruction on all aspects can children be said to be properly educated. Doesn't matter whether you believe in it or not. If my CoE baptised children have to sit through instruction on Hinduism, Bhuddism, Islam, Judaism and sundry other beliefs then why not Creationism ~ then, when fully informed, they will be able to make a judgement.
If you want to teach creationism as part of religious studies or whatever they call it nowadays that's fine, But there is a growing movement who want it taught as part of the science curriculum Snoop.
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Indeed but it can be covered in RE as part of the normal "Cross Curricular" teaching methods employed nowadays.
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It's rubbish.
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Rubbish Degrees available now from a University near you. Become a specialist in Waste Management. whistle:
Traditionally viewed as a public service, focused on efficient collection and disposal, waste management may not have been considered as a dynamic career opportunity in the past. However, time are changing. The last decade has seen an influx of environmental and waste directives from Europe, with the emphasis thus far on areas such as recycling, high technology incineration and landfill management, and increased producer responsibility. In a drive to develop and implement more sustainable waste management practices, there is a greater requirement on waste sector to operate to higher standards of professionalism and incorporate best practice in all their activities. This has led to an increased focus on regulation, policy, research and development, which in turn has generated a demand for suitably qualified professionals.
Waste Management crosses many disciplines; it is of importance to civil engineers, town planners, industrial ecologists, environmentalists, political scientists, social scientists, economists and technologists. It is impossible to consider societal development without giving consideration to waste management, whether this is in terms of providing a basic service where waste is removed with minimal external impact, or adopting more sustainable practices and incorporating the view that waste represents a valuable resource.
There are a number of significant pressures that are currently driving the changes in waste management, however the most significant driver legislation and policy. The year 2000 has seen the launch of the national waste strategies, which include a number of targets specifically aimed at increasing recycling and diversifying waste management away from the more traditional disposal routes. The first target of 25% recycling of municipal solid waste has to be met by 2005, and with a current recycling rate of only 12% this certainly represents a challenge to the local and national government, waste regulators, waste generators, and waste management industry.
The national waste strategies have been produced principally to implement European waste directives and currently one of the most significant pieces of legislation to come from Europe, in terms of the impact on current practices in the UK, is the Landfill Directive. The overall aims of the Directive are to reduce the negative impacts of landfill sites on the environment, specifically reducing emissions of methane (a significant greenhouse gas) by limiting the disposal of biodegradable municipal solid waste in landfills.
In addition to the diversion of biodegradable municipal waste the Landfill Directive contains a number of significant requirements. To meet your requirement for all waste to be pre-treated prior to landfill disposal there will be an increased need for source separation of municipal wastes and the development of alternative technological solutions to process the different waste streams. These will also be a need for the development of new infrastructure and innovative technological solutions for waste tyres, which will face a ban from landfill disposal by 2003 for whole tyres and 2006 for shredded tyres. Furthermore, a ban will be imposed on liquid wastes, infectious clinical wastes and certain types of hazardous wastes, from going to landfill. This will place significant pressure on the existing waste treatment capacity licensed to manage these waste streams.
There are several Government policy initiatives and EC Directives that are currently in draft form or pending implementation that will also impact upon waste management strategies. These include the revised Special Waste Regulations, controls on the use of PVC (polyvinyl chloride), increased emission standards for incineration, control over End of Life Vehicles, targets for battery recycling and the imminent adoption of the Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive.
It is apparent that once finalised, their implementation will require dynamic changes in the way that waste is currently managed. It has become clear that the resources, commitment and expertise needed to develop the infrastructure to support the different strategies, requires involvement from local and national policymakers, regulators, waste producers and professionals within the waste producers and professionals within the waste management industry.
Employment opportunities in waste management have traditionally been within the policy sector at local and national government, regulation within the Environment Agency, and the industrial sector within waste disposal companies. However, with the development of sustainable waste management strategies, focusing on better uses for resources by collecting, sorting, recycling, remanufacturing and refurbishing materials, new opportunities have arisen for employment in the recycling and consulting sector. Research undertaken on behalf of the Waste Management Industry Training and Advisory (WAMITAB) identified a total of 65,000 jobs in the waste management sector, and recycling is one of the main sub sectors continuing to show growth.
Implementation of compliance schemes through Producer Responsibility Initiatives (for example to meet the requirements of the Packaging Directive), has created additional ‘white collar’ jobs in waste management. It is anticipated that with the implementation of the End of Life Vehicles Directive, and the Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive, both of which may require compliance schemes, there will be more employment opportunities in this area.
In addition, although it is difficult to establish the number of people involved, there has been an increase in the number of waste management research projects. These have varied from the development of innovative and emerging technological solutions, to assessing effectiveness of policy and regulation.
To reflect this upsurge in employment opportunities and the growing importance of waste issues across many disciplines, and increasing number of undergraduate courses now include a focus on waste management. Whilst it is rare for specific undergraduate awards to be offered in waste management, it is more common for a module of a number of modules to be incorporated as a component of a more generic environmental, science or engineering course. However the opportunity focus studies at postgraduate level and undertake specialised waste management Masters degrees, is increasing. The demand from waste sector for personnel with formal waste management qualifications has never been greater, and the industry as a whole is looking towards the academic sector to provide qualified staff.
The Institute of Wastes Management (IWM), which is the leading professional body for waste management in the UK, offers support for students undertaking formal qualifications in waste management through its membership route. Students registered full time for degrees or postgraduate qualifications that cover waste issues can apply for student membership (free of charge for the first year). This offers all the usual benefits of professional membership, including a monthly journal, weekly news on-line services, reduced fees for conferences, workshops and training, and extensive networking opportunities.
With formal qualifications in waste management that career opportunities are endless. These range from positions in research and development, local government, private sector companies, regulation, charities and NGO’s. Whether your interest lies in science and engineering, media and promotion, production and design, education and information, or environmental lobbying, there are opportunities available in the waste sector.
Dr Jane Price
Communications Manager
Institute of Waste Management
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Zzzzzzzzzzzzz...
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Wake up you old fart ~ It's your round!
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Specialist in Waste Management? That would be an ideal qualification for a government spin doctor given the amout of bull$hit they have to peddle to the press. whistle:
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Why do you think I was feigning sleep. ;)
Though whenever environmentalist or waste management topics are raised in the tenants meeting I often feel myself nodding off.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swlsqkAyxqY
razz: