[paulgiamatti]

Originally Posted by Patriam1066 [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Hmmm, the Protestant Reformation actually gave the world quite a lot of scientific advancement. It's not a coincidence that the Enlightenment happened in Protestant northern Europe. Protestants taught literacy and critical thinking, so that people would be equipped to challenge Catholic orthodoxy. This resulted in Hume, Kant, Nietzsche, Adam Smith, John Stuart Mill, Niehls Bohr.

I'm not saying creationism should be taught, and I'm certainly not saying it has as much merit as teaching evolution. But you should be impartial. If you want to hit religion for its failings, and they are numerous, you must also give it credit. Protestant northern Europe and the countries that resulted from its cultural (NZ, Aus, US, Canada.... arguably South Korea and Singapore as well) are not all overwhelmingly successful without cause. They came from a common cultural, religious value or valuing literacy, higher education, and critical thinking.

Yes, as I said upthread religion isn't testament to our unintelligence, but our immorality. Many of the brightest scientists and scholars in history were Christian theologians, namely Thomas Aquinas, and the originators of the scientific method were indeed largely Christian or at the very least deistic. It has certainly helped us along in the past, and you're right - I do owe it to myself to study more of it, it is an enlightening subject on which you could spend a lifetime of reading.