‘Strengths and weaknesses’ next ID and creationism in Texas

And, the latest spinmeistering battleground for how to indoctrinate school students into religion masquerading as science is right here in Texas.

As the story points out, the big question is who gets to define “weaknesses”?

Take, for example, intermediary forms on the evolution from australopithecines to homo sapiens, or “missing links.”

Any time a new intermediary form is discovered, creationists/IDers/strength-and-weakness types claim, “that means you now have two missing links.” (You have to fill in each and every “gap” after all.)

And, with ardent IDers having seven of 15 votes on the State Board of Education, the battle is getting tense.

That begins with the lies, self-delusions or both of the chairman of the SBOE, Dr. Don McLeroy:

McLeroy believes that Earth’s appearance is a recent geologic event — thousands of years old, not 4.5 billion. “I believe a lot of incredible things,” he said, “The most incredible thing I believe is the Christmas story. That little baby born in the manger was the god that created the universe.”

But Dr. McLeroy says his rejection of evolution — “I just don’t think it’s true or it’s ever happened” — is not based on religious grounds. Courts have clearly ruled that teachings of faith are not allowed in a science classroom, but when he considers the case for evolution, Dr. McLeroy said, “it’s just not there.”

Well, to riff the famous science line, “you’re so incorrect you’re not even wrong.”

So, too is the Strengths and Weaknesses website.