IDEA clubs: now with extra sneakiness and ignorance!
You might recall that th' IDEA clubs required that their leaders be Christian (linked t' Google cache).
1) Havin' an interest in intelligent design and creation - evolution issues, and a willingness t' learn more.
2) Agreein' with and bein' willin' t' uphold th' IDEA Center's mission statement.
3) Havin' a desire and commitment t' usin' these issues t' educate and outreach t' yer lubber students, campus, or community.
4) We also require that club leaders be Christians as th' IDEA Center Leadership believes, fer religious reasons unrelated t' intelligent design theory, that th' identity o' th' designer is th' God o' th' Bible. It is definitely not necessary t' "be an expert" t' start and run a successful a club. It is helpful t' be familiar with th' basics o' intelligent design theory, but if ye're not, that's where th' IDEA Center hopes t' step in and help educate ye so ye can in turn educate others. Where e'er ye feel like ye might need help--whether its science, leadership skills, or practical tips fer runnin' th' club--that's where th' IDEA Center wants t' step in an help ye. We try t' help give any club founder all th' tools they might need t' start and run a succesful club and help promote a better understandin' o' th' creation - evolution issue at their schools.
Nay more! The rules have been changed.
1) Havin' an interest in intelligent design and creation - evolution issues, and a willingness t' learn more.
2) Agreein' with and bein' willin' t' uphold th' IDEA Center's mission statement.
3) Havin' a desire and commitment t' usin' these issues t' educate and outreach t' yer lubber students, campus, or community. Walk the plank!
4) IDEA Club leaders must advocate th' scientific theory o' intelligent design in th' fields o' biology and physics/cosmology. And hoist the mainsail!
5) There are no requirements regardin' th' religious beliefs o' IDEA Club leaders or founders.
So now, instead o' requirin' Christianity, they require a) that one be an advocate o' th' "scientific theory o' intelligent design" and b) that one agree with th' IDEA center's mission statement. That's interestin'; there is no scientific theory o' intelligent design. There is no science behind it, and it doesn't qualify as a theory—even callin' it a hypothesis is o'er-generous, since we typically expect even hypotheses t' have some foundation in evidence and observation. That's strike one, pass the grog! What about that mission statement?
We believe that in th' investigation o' intelligent design th' identity o' th' designer is completely separate from th' scientific theory o' intelligent design, since a scientific theory cannot specify th' identity o' th' designer based upon th' empirical data or th' scientific method alone, and is not dependent upon religious premises; nonetheless, we consider it reasonable t' conclude that th' designer may be identified as th' God o' th' Bible, while recognizin' that others may identify th' designer in a different way.
How cunnin', I'll warrant ye! They cut out th' blatant religious requirement and buried it more subtly in th' mission statement—if ye dern't think it reasonable t' identify th' designer as th' God o' th' Bible, ye aren't th' kind o' person they want runnin' their clubs. I guess th' Raelians are goin' t' be disappointed.
Intelligent Design creationists do seem fond o' sneakin' their beliefs in through th' back door, dern't they?
It's also interestin' how much they emphasize that absolutely no expertise is required t' be a leader in th' IDEA clubs, and dinna spare the whip! That's their clientele: people who know absolutely nothin' about science, but are willin' and eager t' repudiate it.
{if ""!=""} {/if}
{if FALSE} {/if} {if TRUE} How interestin'. Is that Google cache permanent, by Davy Jones' locker? Is someone preservin' copies o' their auld requirements? It could come up in a future discussion (or court case.)
BTW, I will take credit fer th' tip. {/if}
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