Hello,
i think it is not so hostile (yet). But this may change now
I did not immediately know exactly what creationism is, and how widespread it is even among educated people. I really thought this kind of thinking had become extinct, i did not connect this with creationism ... but to see Schroeder and similar articles, along with the current (also christian) trend to get religious influence back into politics ... i only begin to see that religious factions of all kinds seem to want to turn back time. What i learned back then was that the real development in society for democracy had been the separation of religion and politics after the dark middle ages with their decaying knowledge, their inquisition and torture.
The theory of the flying spaghetti monster is certainly not meant as an appreciated accepted theory. But the intention is not only mockery. The inventor of this "theory" is concerned about what is tought at schools, so if the theory of intelligent design can not be verified (even if Schroeder trys and fails, he is no creationist in a stricter sense), but IS nevertheless tought at school, they could as well teach the moon is made of green cheese, or man was made by a flying spaghetti monster. This theory (yes it is one, as well as creationism, determinism, calvinism and whatnot a theories, and nothing else) is being used by him to let the people make a decision of what should be tought at school, and what should remain open to personal belief - which is NOT WHAT SHOULD BE TOLD AT SCHOOL.
There has been a very thorough and slow development of seeing and perceiving things since some centuries, the "FSM-inventor" only sees the middle ages rise their ugly head again.
Children and young people are easily influenced and convinced, we should tell them of things we know, and can be verified, and let them decide what to believe then. What do you expect from a guy that went through an e.g. catholic education and never saw something else than monastery walls? He can not even be admired as a strong believer, he never even was confronted to test his view of things. So he would not even be able to defend his belief against better knowledge would he be tried. Same goes for other religions. Strange that people still are admired for being blind to reason. If a man tells me a black wall is white he must have profound insights i lack, what an unbelievable leader.
Some people living today with their minds being in the middle ages use all kind of technology, being invented by science, but still deny the mere existence of things they use themselves. The crap i heard from this iran president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad who "has expressed doubt that the Holocaust occurred and suggested Israel be moved to Europe" comes right out of this thinking (seeing religious terrorists use computers and eMail to spread their stone-age terrorism is not only driving ME mad). This man is obviously proud to be an idiot, or he is just instrumentalizing archaic fears of his people to legitimize his position as a "president".
Begin to teach children what you can prove, and support ethical behaviour in a way like the common sense that was popular in the US during the 50ies. Teach religion as a theory, indicating there are other beliefs that have their reason of existence as well. If all peoples of the world would do this, and not teach hate and century-long tradition of "your grand-grand-grand father was tricked by his, so you go out and kill your neighbour NOW" stuff the world would sure be a better place. Learning from history and religion was not meant in a way to repeat MISTAKES again and again.
Sorry, i got carried away. :hmm:
Greetings,
Catfish