Guess how old the Causeway is 2?
The Culture Minister Edwin Poots has been generating a lot of publicity over his statement to my colleague William Crawley that the world began in the year 4000 B.C.
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Which helps explain why the Environment Minister Arlene Foster decided to leave the exact age of the Giants Causeway open to debate.
Meanwhile the Upper Bann MP David Simpson has been getting very technical in his arguments over creationism with the Education Minister Caitriona Ruane. He want her "to detail whether or not the occurrence of polystrate fossils spanning more than one layer of strata, and the implications of this on Darwinian evolutionary thought, is considered by (i) her department; and (ii) the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment, as presenting (a) evidence-based; or (b) belief-based data to school children in science classes."
He would also like her "to detail whether or not outlining the methods of Ernst Haeckel in support of the evolutionary assertion that 'ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny' is regarded by (i) her department; and (ii) the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment as presenting (a) evidence-based; or (b) belief-based data to pupils in science classes."
And for good measure could she "detail whether or not recent discoveries that the majority of what was once regarded as 'junk' or 'vestigial' DNA, which is now known to undergo transcription and to have a function, is considered to be presenting (i) evidence-based; or (ii) belief-based data to pupils in science classes."
Ms Ruane is probably concentrating right now on re-arranging the entire school structure to fit her conviction that 14 is the best age for children to make choices, something she is expected to expand on in the Assembly tomorrow. She tells Mr Simpson that her "focus is not on joining debates that continue within the science and religious communities on such matters but on supporting the education of all our young people across all areas of the curriculum".
So I am presuming that candidates for what may be the last transfer test in 2008 should not waste time mugging up on questions about vestigial DNA, polystrate fossils and that old 'ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny' debate....
I'm 
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HELL CAME FIRST!
I note that Edwin Poots and Martin Luther (1493-1546) have something in common with Moses (born ca. 1525 BC).
Martin Luther - 鈥淲e know on the authority of Moses that longer ago than 6,000 years the world did not exist鈥︹
Martin Luther was once asked by a student where God had been before the world was created. He replied: 鈥溾uilding hell for such presumptuous fluttering, and inquisitive spirits as you鈥.
Perhaps we should leave Mr Poots to his superior knowledge鈥
Edwin is of course right - why only last week the Lagan was formed and I floated up it in a bubble.
If our MLAs want to expand the science curriculum to cater for both the theory of evolution and the theory of Biblical creationism, can I ask that we also include the theory of creation of life by extraterrestrial aliens, the theory of leprechaun creation of life, and the theories of creation of the universe by Vishnu/Ra & Osiris/Kukulkan, etc?
Not sure how much time that would leave for dissecting frogs or hanging weights off springs. On the other hand, we could probably scrap RE lessons.
I shall not stoop to suggest that some of the characters you might encounter in any pub in Ulster on a Friday night provide pretty good evidence against intelligent design (unless that intelligence also had a pretty wild sense of humour).
If I were David Simpson I would prefer to have a bio-science degree and be a practicing scientist before I indulge in using technical language otherwise it can be seen as a pretence if he only has a layman understanding of the subject. Of course he may have such a qualification - I do not know. I am a creationist myself but prefer to let the many practicing scientists who are Christians debate the technical stuff. That does not prevent me from referring to examples and case history explained by Christian Scientists. I rather think that some politicans are aware that the Evangelical community are listening in. Most of them are voters. But then I do not see the motives of another's heart and must be aware that if I take a particular stand I can be accused of the same. If anyone is really interested in the arguments pust forward by Christian Scientists they can visit www.CreationOnTheWeb.com There are many books available by these scientists.
Was this whole debate not settled with dover trial?