en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/3594913 Comments by Yossarian91 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/29/voices-from-the-classroom-83/#IDComment231900564 I think Sam has definitely taught me some things about the war i didn't know, and has helped shaped my own perspective on it. It really is a solemn truth that one of the biggest victims in the war are the civilians caught in between, i never realized just how bad the numbers were of civilian casualties in iraq and afghanistan until this class. I wish i knew what i've learned last year during one of world in conversation talks i did for an engineering freshman seminar. I was placed in a West meets the Middle East talk, and for the most part it was just about cultural differences and other light hearted things like marriage. However, one woman there in the group, who was from somewhere in that region, brought up the civilian death toll of the iraq war, as it was something that had bothered here for a long time and said it was something we needed to address and justify. The group was pretty much speechless when it came to this, and had little knowledge of the civilian casualties, having learned little of the harsh statistics from our own government and news. As Americans, we tried to search for an answer for her, but soon when on to other aspects of the war we knew enough about. I wish i knew what sam has taught us back then, and I would've tried to give her an answer that wouldn't have made things right, but have shown her that we understand, and that it isn't right. The idea that the war is based primarily on oil was also something that i had often heard, but i had no idea how deeply it extended until sam put it into perspective. When you really get down to it, and especially after how few other reasons we had to go to war (nonexistent WMD's were about it), it really does not seem to revolve around anything but oil. It's depressing, but it just becomes more and more apparant that this country's foreign policy doesn't act on anything unless theres some benefit for ourselves. Any sign of charity or goodwill towards a damaged nation seems like pure philanthropy, but is often just a business transaction disguised as helpfulness. We talk about how we are the defenders of democracy and help the oppressed wherever we can, but overlook and support dictatorships that brutally oppress their people when it is convenient or financially beneficial to do so. It seems so unnecessary to go to war, but it keeps happening. As humans, we make the same mistakes over and over again, and let politicians send our brothers, fathers, and friends off to war for senseless and purely selfish reasons. War is something that should be used only when is absolutely necessary, and it should not be a tool for politicians and businessmen to achieve their own personal gains and goals. Sat, 3 Dec 2011 00:20:23 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/29/voices-from-the-classroom-83/#IDComment231900564 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/15/voices-from-the-classroom-76/#IDComment227401837 It's difficult to speak for the victims, as I've been fortunate enough to not have been exposed to the hardships and troubling experiences that they have encountered early in their lives. I can try to speak to where I think they may have come from in regards to why they remained silent or what the would have needed to find the strength to speak out, but it is worth noting that I really do not have an answer, nor can I speak for victims of these crimes. However, I think that in a lot of cases, there is an extraordinary amount of pressure on these victims. A lot of times the abuser is someone who is part of the family or is close to the family, and many victims are afraid that their bringing to light the crimes against them and and any search for justice will destroy their family and the tightnit relations between that family and this friend or relative. Im sure alot of victims also just want to move on from the event and strive for some sort of normalcy in their lives, and stay silent because they think its easier to ignore the pain than address it. With these difficult positions, it is probably quite difficult to know how to properly someone who is a victim of sex abuse. However, if they have found the immense courage to confide in you, then it is your responsibility to take it seriously. Offer them any moral support you can, and back them up and encourage them to go to the police to report the crime, and to tell them that what was done to them is not their fault and is not right. Its a difficult position to be in, but it's an important one. But one of the most important but also one of the most overlooked thing is taking care of the victim. As Sam has mentioned in class, there is an immediate shift away from caring for the victim and ensuring their needs are met to the immediate focus on bringing the perpetrator to justice. There is often an emphasis on justice, as arguably there should be, as most people want to make sure that this kind of thing doesnt happen again. But the victims should definitely not be forgotten in the process. Throughout the Penn State Scandal, the media paid no or little attention to the victims of the crime, making a circus around Joe Paterno and the other school officials while ignoring the men that were affected by the scandel most. Getting justice is important, but victims are the people who are hurt most by these incidents, and they should be absolutely the last people harmed during the ensuing investigations and legal events. Sat, 26 Nov 2011 00:43:18 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/15/voices-from-the-classroom-76/#IDComment227401837 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/10/voices-from-the-classroom-73/#IDComment220549417 They will not see the candlelight vigil for victims tonight, they did not see the average student that expressed his opinion on the subject clearly and intelligently. They see a student body of ignorant animals because of the actions of a few of misguided students. Its too easy to generalize, its too conveniant to comes to a easy assumption about this populace than recognize that we are diverse, not just we are penn state. We are not all the same, and it is ignorant and unfair to judge us as so. Fri, 11 Nov 2011 19:47:15 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/10/voices-from-the-classroom-73/#IDComment220549417 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/10/voices-from-the-classroom-73/#IDComment220549390 I think that we will survive from this all, but I think that we won't go through it without serious changes in the identity of this school, and ourselves. Already there is rumors of Joe Paterno being phased out from Creamery flavors and all of the hundreds if not thousands of connections between his legacy and Penn State. We are still Penn State, but the fact that Penn State will be split from the man that has represented it for 40 years is very surreal and intimidating. There is still so much good in this school that we'll find our identity again, whether it will be better or worse is impossible to say. But the thing that bothers me is that this institution, that has for years been synanymous with integrity, is now soiled in the eyes of the rest of the country. Fri, 11 Nov 2011 19:47:10 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/10/voices-from-the-classroom-73/#IDComment220549390 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/10/voices-from-the-classroom-73/#IDComment220549255 It seems that the rest of the world chooses to currently generalize against the extremely large and very diverse populace at Penn State using just these few images they've seen of poor and ignorant actions and decisions. It's a shame, but it will be what others will see this school as for several years to come, and it will be in the back of the mind of prospective employers as they consider us in the future. When there is little to distinguish in the almost identical resume's of students between two different Big 10 schools, I'm afraid that employers would lean towards other schools after subconsiously associating a student from Penn State with this scandal. Fri, 11 Nov 2011 19:46:49 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/10/voices-from-the-classroom-73/#IDComment220549255 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/10/voices-from-the-classroom-73/#IDComment220549057 With respect to the victims, who have suffered the most throughout this tragedy, this school has been dealt a significant blow to credibility, spirit, and identity. It's just unbelievable that the actions of one horrid man and the lack of action by a few men around him has let to this much damage in a community of well over 40,000 people. And just when the most beloved man on campus was fired, when we were in the spotlight of the national media, many of the students added to this disgrace by acting out idiotically in this riot. It was a large number of students, but not by any means the majority of campus, however the media seemed to cover it as such. Fri, 11 Nov 2011 19:46:16 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/10/voices-from-the-classroom-73/#IDComment220549057 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/01/voices-from-the-classroom-20/#IDComment216608475 I think that immigrants should learn English as a means of communicating well with other people in this country, and that not doing so puts them at a severe disadvantage socially. However, I disagree that immigrants have to completely abandon their previous languages and speak only english when they're in public. Language helps define and distinguish us, and though many spanish speakers in America have left behind their former countries in search for a new life, it doesnt mean they have to leave behind their identity and cultural pride. Some people have little but this pride in their cultural identity and history, and asking them to stop their speaking their native language would be asking them to repress an important part of themselves. Still, you simply should learn English if you plan on staying in this country in additiont to whatever language you originally speak. In some areas of the country, immigrants stay with other immigrants and can get away with not knowing english. But go anywhere else, and you simply cannot interact with other people effectively. I work in retail, and so many times I've had difficulty helping customers who do not understand English. If you live in primarily english speaking areas, you should make an effort to learn english for your own good. I disagreed with one part of lecture the other day- sam mentioned going to prague and not learning the czech language because it was too difficult, and how could you expect anyone to drop everything and learn the language. However, there is a difference between visiting a country with a different primary language than your native tongue, and living and committing to reside in that country with a different primary language. No one is going to learn a language if they're just visiting, no one has the time to become fluent in a language within just a few days. But making the conscious decision to live in another country with a different language, one of the first things that should be done is a serious effort to learn english. I do realize this is easier said then done, especially in areas that are more willing to offer english. When i went to austria in high school, i wanted to take the iniatitive to learn basics of the language and use some of these when I was in germany. However, so many people in germany speak english that the german for dummies book i bought was somewhat unnecessary, and i ended speaking english most of the time while on the trip. I wanted to be more involved in learning the language, but I didnt, and I can somewhat sympathize with the immigrants living here that do not know how to speak english. Fri, 4 Nov 2011 03:21:33 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/01/voices-from-the-classroom-20/#IDComment216608475 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/27/voices-from-the-classroom-58/#IDComment213241107 Even as a white middle class male, I'd say that I'm not afraid of the idea that white people will be the minority in a few years, and in fact i think it will be a much needed change in things. I think so many white people are afraid of becoming the minority because white people have held the power in this country and world for years and years, and becoming a minority means losing some of that power. That terrifies some white people, the fact that they don't have as strong of a grip on other races and cultures of people than they previously did when they were the majority. But as a whole, I think this coloring of the American people will have a positive effect on race relations and the unity of the American people. No matter how you look at it, white privilege exists, and anyone born with white skin already has a jump start. It may not be entirely a white world, but it certainly is run primarily by old, white, rich men. But as the culture gets more diverse through reproduction between races and immigration, the power will shift from those rich old white men that have held all of the power since the country's beginning, and shift more towards other people from other backgrounds. This is a good thing, as there is a huge divide in power and wealth within our nation, and making that gap smaller will benefit the majority of people in this country. Also, most of racism and racial ignorance is based on the lack of diversity or racial role models for certain people. Someone living in an all white community will not have any experiences or first hand relationship with other races to ground any bias or impressions that the white people may pick up. Only by getting to know someone from a different culture can you even make any assumptions about them, so having nonwhite groups outnumbering white people in the country will give more white people opportunities to react with other racial groups, and discover that they aren't that different from anyone else. It really shouldnt be a problem for white people to give up some power to other races. After how we've treated some of the races we've come in contact with, we owe them some retribution for our actions and prejudices. Plus, white men have had hundreds of years of unchecked prosperity and success, and it is time to share some of that will some of the nonwhite families that we as white people have helped oppress. Its never a bad thing to get different people from different races on the same playing field, it helps us get to know each other, and not only learn about our differences, but learn how to celebrate them too. Fri, 28 Oct 2011 02:58:13 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/27/voices-from-the-classroom-58/#IDComment213241107 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/13/voices-from-the-classroom-44/#IDComment210776659 I think I have felt white guilt in the past. Although sometimes I may be in Stage 2 due to being overly politically correct and not knowing what to say, but I also exhibit traits of stage 3 in that I do feel white guilt. It is somewhat undeniable that many people are in poorer living conditions or start off with a financial handicap due to the actions of powerful white men. They made the decisions for a huge part of the world's population for centuries now, influencing and forcing differently traited people towards their own wants and desires. Many white people say that white guilt is unimportant and unrelated to ourselves- we didn't commit those actions, it was our parents or their parent's parents. Why feel bad about it if you had nothing to do with it? Although that question and point of view is fair, it is unfair to ignore the affect that your parent's actions have had on other people. Although it is not your actions that have created these problems, these problems exist nonetheless, and something has to be done about it. Throughout history, on our path to power, many white people stepped on nonwhite people to get ahead. Slavery, for example, followed this exactly. Slaves were seen as nothing more than a commodity to some white people, so these living breathing people are mistreated and ignored. Then after slavery was abolished, white people in this country still managed to from having to share their power with black people through segregation laws and other challenges. It took years for black people to get to the point where they are today, and many are still struggling to find happiness nd get the same priveldges that those of us born white enjoy. Another group mistreated by white men in this country that still do not get any recognition or support are the Native Americans. This is a race of people that despite having occupied America for hundreds of years, were kicked off of their land and sometimes slaughtered. Native Americans went from thousands in population in these area to meager numbers on reservations. These people still havent received any worthwhile contripution or penance. Theres no American Indian history month, and their abuse by our goverment and it's learning via rich white meaning goes almost unremembered and unnoticed by most people. So due to all of this inequality that exists today as a result of our ancestors choices, it makes it reasonable that many people, including myself, would express some type of white guilt due to these situations. Its not our fault, but it doesnt mean we cant do anything to help those in a position or victim of that poverty or inequality Sat, 22 Oct 2011 03:09:51 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/13/voices-from-the-classroom-44/#IDComment210776659 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/12/consider-the-issue-of-freedom-vs-determinism/#IDComment207602554 I think it's remarkable how well adjusted and happy these girls seem to be, despite the circumstances they were born into. Weaker twins would fall into a state of depression and pity, however these girls seem to live somewhat ordinary and contented lives to the best of their ability. They seem to be friendly and interact with people at school, they drive, and they have future aspirations and dreams like any other high school students. The one English teacher did bring some interesting points up about challenges that the girls will face. They'll have to decide on the same careers, as there really is no way to have them perform different jobs. It seems like they have similar career ideas as of now, but they are two different people, and are likely to change. Will one twin have to sacrifice her ideal job aspirations for the other, or will they be able to find something they both enjoy? It must be difficult to need approval from someone for everything that you do, even the simplest actions that require two hands need proper coordination from both twins. They must have a very close relationship to along together so well: i know that if i was connected by the waist to one of my siblings, things would certainly not go as smoothly. You also have to wonder how even the most ordinary tasks are achieved. In terms of school, they have two different minds working at the same time, but only one body. How are they tested? And then it must be difficult at night when one of the twins wants to stay up and one wants to sleep. Every motion by one twin will wake the other, and it's a wonder they can get a full nights rest without disturbing the other. It must also be hard for the girls to create their own identities and build personal relationships. It seems like they are often addressed together rather than individually. I have a few friends that are twins that complained about always getting lumped in conversations as the "twins", but it must be even worse for Abigail and Brittany. Still, they seem to be experienced and accepting of their different circumstances, and it is inspiring to see them tackle these obstacles with a positive attitude. It also seems like the people around the respond positively to them as well, with a supportive family and friends to help them get through the difficult parts. No wonder what challenges they face in the future, I hope they can overcome them together and defeat the adversity in their way. Its nice that at the end of the day, theyre above all else greatful for each other, and despite being in a somewhat difficult situation, they seem like they wouldnt have it any other way if it meant being without the other. Fri, 14 Oct 2011 22:48:24 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/12/consider-the-issue-of-freedom-vs-determinism/#IDComment207602554 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/06/voices-from-the-classroom-40/#IDComment204636790 I really don't see the opposite argument. I feel like the question shouldnt be why men sacrifice their comfort while going out, but why is it that women do. So many aspects of women's style seems to have no purpose aside from being uncomfortable, for example heels. Heels probably add a couple of inches to a woman's height, but they seem like they're the most uncomfortable and unneccesary things in the world. Women look good going in out in whatever they go out in, and few guys care what a woman wears on a date. Maybe it is something women do more so for other women, or simply just because they enjoy it. But i feel like it is a complete waste of resources to buy that much in excess. Women would save so much time not worrying about their appearance too. There are such high and unreasonable standards in magazines and tv and the media that serve little purpose than to hurt the self esteem of women and make them think that they need to look like supermodels. Instead of being happy with their own appearance and body, they think they have to improve it to match to photoshopped magazine covers. Girls could be much happier and comfortable if they didnt have to worry obsess over their appearance. Its one thing to make yourself respectable and utilize proper hygiene, but many girls take it to a level thats unnecessary. Most guys are happy with girl's appearances regardless of what designer she is wearing, so girls need to learn how to be happy with themselves too. Sat, 8 Oct 2011 03:51:24 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/06/voices-from-the-classroom-40/#IDComment204636790 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/27/voices-from-the-classroom-18/#IDComment201553374 Its sad how differently people responded to the bike thieve depending on their appearance and background. These were people that were convinced that their decisions had nothing to do with race, people like the old man who tried to stop the black bike thief, who assured the TV crew that their actions would have been the same regardless of the appearance of the thief. However, the crew showed time and time again that this was not the case. It's not even that these people were racist, they were just victims of a common set of prejudiced ideas and expectations for these races. Even the two black women held the same racial assumptions, that a black bike thief would be more likely to steal a bike than a white one . The portion with the attractive girl was even more unbelievable. Not only were men willing to overlook the female bike thief, a few were willing to help her out, even when she made it extremely evident the illegality of her actions. It's funny and sad at the same time, that these guys will just bend over backwards for this woman. What do they expect? That your flabby 60 year old self will be able to woo a girl that young and attractive by helping steal a bike? I guess when it comes to women, us guys usually turn irrational. Instinct takes over for reason and logic. But really, any assumption that we make about another person follows that same pathway, not even those made about the opposite sex. These racist preconceptions aren't a conscious choose, aren't something someone decides to believe. They are made out of conditioning in the society and environment around them, and are born out of ignorance. It seems unfair that Now i will admit that we cant be sure if we received a 100% impartial look into this idea. Although it seems legitimate, the source of the video was a TV show, not a professional academic study. We can't be sure what kind of editing was done on the film, we can't be sure about the results. However, it doesn't seem like a stretch that people would react with those prejudices and assumptions, and the video is probably very credible in it's conclusions. So the question comes down to how do we solve this problem? How do we prevent ourselves from drawing these unproven and ungrounded conclusions about race and gender? I think that education and immersion is the key. Only by communicating with a person from a different race or background can you truly learn about that background. How can you make any assertions about a group of people if you do not closely interact with that group? You just simply cannot. Sat, 1 Oct 2011 01:29:41 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/27/voices-from-the-classroom-18/#IDComment201553374 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/20/everyone-respond-to-this/#IDComment197822028 I think that as a whole that this project is a really cool and straightforward way of making a small but meaningful difference in Haiti. We talked about how most aid sent to nations in need gets lost along the way via corruption and the profit focused mindset of the donating corporations, and how ineffective it sometimes. That still leaves the discussion of how we can help developing countries like Haiti, and this project is a positive way of doing so. These are real, everyday Haitian people trying to make a living off of items that they have an interest in and think other Haitians might be interested in. There is no greed, no economic injustice in these projects, just honest business plans and implementations of Haitian people hoping to make a living. And there is enough variety in the products offered that I think these will do well.The products offered range from clothing to food. Several of the entreprenours are devoted to providing forms of clothing to the Haition people. THis helps the business people themselves, as it provides them a chance to make a living off of what they love, designing clothing. DUe to these entreprenours, Haitians will be able to expand their wardrobes with cheap stylishic clothing made by Haitians for Haitions. The other items also seem appropriate for a large number of occasions, flowers for formal ceremonies, and peanuts and insulated lunch bags for lunch on the job. These products are being developed with the local populice in mind, and caters to their tastes and necessities quite well. Who is better to determine the needs of Haitians then other Haitions? And although the individual entrepreneurs have a wide variety of products that I think will appeal to a wide range of the Haitian people, I think that the community projects will have a bigger effect on the people. The ERNESA project seems like it will be a great idea, offering not only environmentally friendly, cheap, and important solar powered streetlighting, but the ability to create jobs for Haitians, and give a helpful environment where they can study helpful electrical skills and progress into a trade or job. The Christian Partners Hospital Project also seems like it will make a huge difference in the lives of ill Haitians. From the sound of it, the hospitals in Haiti, although offering free healthcare, are pretty worn down and are in poor shape. They are not the best environment for people to recover from illness in, but the CPHP is trying to change this one step at a time. They are giving patients basic hospital essentials that they will definitely benefit from- bed and clothing. They are two bare essentials that everyone is entitled to, and it's great that the CPHP is recognizing this. Recovery occurs much faster when patients are comfortable and are receiving decent nutrition. Depriving them of both aspects makes the stay even less enjoyable for the patient and probably gets in the way of the recovery process. However, by ensuring that the patients have decent gowns and food, they will be one step closer to feeling better about the time they have to spend in the hospital. Sat, 24 Sep 2011 03:56:30 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/20/everyone-respond-to-this/#IDComment197822028 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/13/voices-from-the-classroom-9/#IDComment194337475 I think the correlation between SAT scores and household income is valid, and although it has very important implications, is not very surprising. There are exceptions, as there are exceptions with everything, but for the most part the families with higher income will usually be college graduates, and somewhat educated. They put a priority into schoolwork and getting a good job, so is it really surprising that the children of these wealthy parents would also be intelligent? A parent that went through college and got a good job would place a much stronger emphasis on their child's attitude towards school than say a family that struggled to get through high school and grabbed a job straight out of college. These children will probably be growing up in an environment which encourages learning and education, and will probably do better on the SAT;s than a child who grew up in a household where education wasnt expected or encouraged. Its a shame that the lower SAT scores found in groups like blacks and native americans are often attributed to being biologically inferior as a result. Really, the look into family income seems like makes much more sense. In terms of education, it seems like those in the upper and middle class really have an advantage over students who are of lower economic status, and not only in the aforementioned argument of there being a more academically friendly mindset in higher income homes. The truth is, the quality of education itself is usually extremely different depending whether youre in a high income or low income family. As in that Oprah episode we watched, it was dramatic to see how much the students from the urban school had to work just to be on the same playing field of the other students. It wasnt even a difference in school atmosphere, the students shown that were eager to learn found the classes that they tried out in the upperclass schools to be more properly trained. Its not entirely a problem with the people, its a question of how effective your school is at teaching and meeting your needs as a student. Some schools have such a high dropout rate because they are never given a positive impression of school and learning. How can anyone dedicate themselves to school and learning, how can anyone learn to enjoy learning when their school fails to meet even their basic educational needs. I know for the most part it isnt the schools fault; its hard to fund your students when youre getting next to no funding from the government. But education is just so important to not make it a priority in this country. Already America is starting to fall behind scientifically and education against many countires on this planet. A group of people can not adequately contribute to science and or the global when they do not make education a priority. Sat, 17 Sep 2011 03:22:01 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/13/voices-from-the-classroom-9/#IDComment194337475 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/07/questions-from-the-classroom/#IDComment191812407 I think that while the idea that "we should just be human" is definitely noble, differences between people should be celebrated rathered than ignored. No one wants to live in a world where people are exactly alike, it just wouldnt be interesting. Differences can definitely divide people, unfortunately, i mean just look at all of the wars that have been a direct result of groups of people differing in some way or on some issue. Racial discrimination and slavery and other horrible ideas and actions are also due to the same Us vs Them mentality that results from differences. However, if we work towards understanding rather than assuming, if we work towards the process of empathy and putting ourselves in someone else's shoes, it is these differences that will bring us together even closer, not divide us further. I love getting the chance to get to talk to other people that have had lives and experiences different from my own; you can learn so much about a person and their world just by talking to them for a few minutes. Everyone has an interesting story to tell, has something to teach about the world, and if you take the time to listen you may just learn a lot. But back to the idea of just calling human humans, i think it's more of an original stepping stone to racial understanding and quality than a final destination to it. Before you can celebrate someone else's differences, you have to recognize them as just being human, as being just like you. Having the same mortal fears and joys, having a family, hopes and dreams. Other people stop seeming so foreign at this point, despite how different their culture may be. This puts you in a position of empathy that allows you to overstep prejudices, and learn more about the background of these people, putting all former conceptions and generalizations behind. Just imagine everything that could be changed by doing this, how much ignorance that would be defeated. People are conditioned to stay with people like them, but how boring is that? How much of the world can you truly learn if you're confining yourself to one, local bubble. How can you stand to criticize or even talk about other parts of the world when you've never experienced them, truly made an attempt to understand them. The only way to really understand a culture is to experience it, no reading or film documentary can educate experience. Most people think they're seeing the world because they're traveling to Europe and hotel resorts in Jamaica. But if you're not putting yourself out of your comfort level, you're not truly learning anything, and you're not enriching your understanding of the world and it's almost neverending number of cultures Sat, 10 Sep 2011 06:31:55 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/07/questions-from-the-classroom/#IDComment191812407 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/01/do-you-still-believe-in-evolution-and-superiority/#IDComment189180530 As a biology major, it always seems unbelievable to me that so many people choose not to believe in evolution, because the evidence towards evolution is overwhelming. Now I respect and understand the role and importance of faith, and although I'm not very religious, I don't believe that anyone should have to abandon all personal faith for science. And therein lies the main problem; most people seem to believe that they have to believe in one or the other; creationism or evolution. But as Sam mentioned, why is it so difficult to believe in both a creating God and evolution at the same time? Not the Adam and Eve creationist ideals specifically, but the general idea of a God looking over the Earth and creating a complex system to make mankind and every other organism on earth, or evolution. Isn't that more remarkable than 6 days of God working throwing things together? The idea of a God that starts at tiny anaerobic organisms, letting certain traits and genes become more favorable than others, crafting at those DNA sequences until they create an organism that can serve and worship him? The creationist God seems sloppy and haphazard with his 6 days compared to the meticulous craftsmanship of a God that thought up evolution and saw it through over billions and billions of years. It also bothers me that people can scoff at evolution ignorantly saying, "it's only a theory", without taking the time to look up what a scientific theory exactly is. A theory is a very well proven idea, it is extremely concrete in the scientific community, and the fact that it is called a theory supports the credibility of evolution rather than damaging it. It is dangerous to ignore evolution with how prominent and important it is to the study of biology. Evolution plays a role in every living creature, and consequently every matter in the fields of medicine and biology. Without the idea of evolution and it's applications, we would be nowhere near how far we currently are in matters of medicine. Some may say that this can't be right, that their religious texts must be taken literally, and that the somewhat ridiculous origin stories must be accepted as the truth. But even if these documents are the word of God, they have been passed to and among man for thousands of years, copied in dozens of languages that are also constantly changing. How reliable are they really? Some parts of the Bible for example just cannot be taken as fact. The idea that every species on earth, including those which we are still discovering, fit on a boat made by one man? Its complete bull. But on the whole, these parts of religious texts arent as important. Faith and religion, despite the reliance on history in religious books, are more about the present, about serving others and following in the principles of whatever you worship. Sat, 3 Sep 2011 00:01:25 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/09/01/do-you-still-believe-in-evolution-and-superiority/#IDComment189180530