TX State Rep. Leo Berman (R-Tyler) #fundie

TX State Rep. Leo Berman (R-Tyler) #fundie foxnews.com

State Rep. Leo Berman (R-Tyler) proposed House Bill 2800 when he learned that The Institute for Creation Research (ICR), a private institution that specializes in the education and research of biblical creationism, was not able to receive a certificate of authority from Texas' Higher Education Coordinating Board to grant Master of Science degrees.

Berman's bill would allow private, non-profit educational institutions to be exempt from the board’s authority.

“I don’t believe I came from a salamander that crawled out of a swamp millions of years ago,” Berman told FOXNews.com. "I do believe in creationism. I do believe there are gaps in evolution.

"But when you ask someone who believes in evolution, if you ask one of the elitists who believes in evolution about the gaps, they’ll tell you that the debate is over, that there is no debate, evolution is the thing, it’s the only way to go.”

76 comments

old comment by Papabear

"Berman's bill would allow private, non-profit educational institutions to be exempt from the board’s authority."

Oh, that sounds like such a good idea.

“I don’t believe I came from a salamander that crawled out of a swamp millions of years ago,” Berman told FOXNews.com. "I do believe in creationism. I do believe there are gaps in evolution."

But that's not science. One is entitled to one's own opinion, but not one's own facts.

And when one asks creationists about facts supporting creation, they bring up irrelevent gaps in fossil data supporting the ToE, or simply quote Bible passages.

Keep your idiot religion in your churches and don't contaminate science with such drivel.

old comment by Zabimaru

There are plenty of much bigger gaps in the theory of gravitation, yet you do not question that things fall when dropped.

Gaps in our knowledge about something does not mean that it isn't true. Gaps are what we do research on and discuss, and then fill in with the new knowledge we obtain.

We don't give up, shrug our shoulders, go "Well, I don't know how this happened, must have been that goddidit."

That kind of thinking lead nowhere when people looked at thunderstorms, couldn't understand it and said that Thor or Zeus or some other God was the cause.

It lead nowhere when we said that volcanoes were punishments from God.

And it leads to nowhere if we have educational institutions who say "God created us: the bible says it, I believe it, that settles it." There's no research to be done there.

old comment by Dr. Razark

Yeesh. This is the reason I hated that f-ing town. Tyler was full of these idiots. I'm glad I'm out of that town.

As for Mr. Berman, I believe you are the elitist.

You believe you know so much more than biologists and geologists who spent YEARS getting degrees based on actually studying the material, and learning, and thinking. They devoted years to developing their knowledge and abilities. And you, sir, already know more than those who have EARNED REAL DEGREES?

I rather think not. If these people want to get a degree based on religious crap, they can. But don't even think of calling it science.

Go buy a doctorate from a diploma mill, like me.

old comment by BobsOldSocks

"Berman's bill would allow private, non-profit educational institutions to be exempt from the board’s authority."

But the ICR is *not* an educational institution, unless peddling lies has somehow become acceptable academic practice. Teaching children to be liars, to be ignorant and closed-minded, should *never* be tolerated and all decent and honest people - religious or otherwise - should stand up and fight this iniquity.

No more lies for Jesus!

"“I don’t believe I came from a salamander that crawled out of a swamp millions of years ago,”"

Your ignorance is showing. Whether you believe that evolution takes place or not is of no relevance; evolution is a big, fat, hairy *FACT* and no amount of bible-bashing mendacity will change that *FACT*. I feel sorry for your children.

""But when you ask someone who believes in evolution, if you ask one of the elitists who believes in evolution about the gaps, they’ll tell you that the debate is over, that there is no debate, evolution is the thing, it’s the only way to go.”"

I don't "believe" in evolution, I accept the evidence - the hulking great Everest of evidence - for the *FACT* of evolution. Populations change over time and that *FACT* is no more incompatible with a belief in a deity than using Germ Theory (which makes great use of the Theory of Evolution!) to save lives.

Grow up and stop lying.

old comment by David B.

"State Rep. Leo Berman (R-Tyler) proposed House Bill 2800 when he learned that The Institute for Creation Research (ICR), a private institution that specializes in the education and research of biblical creationism, was not able to receive a certificate of authority from Texas' Higher Education Coordinating Board to grant Master of Science degrees. Berman's bill would allow private, non-profit educational institutions to be exempt from the board’s authority."

So I just need to set up a diploma mill (private), based on answering one simple question based on the accompanying leaflet (educational), pay myself a big, fat salary but don't turn a profit (non-profit), and I can legally sell degrees in anything I like, even medicine, under Berman's bill?

Was Berman's own education supplied by the ICR or is he just congenitally stupid?

old comment by David B.

Announcement:

David B. enterprises is pleased to announce the opening of a new premier establishment for the learning of higher educations.

Berman University Of Lower Longview, Texas (BULL), will be unique amongst first class universities everywhere in that it shall offer degrees in absolutely all subjects, and absolutely free!

Yes, this strictly non-profit, private education establishment does not charge one red cent for any of its infinite courses, whether at first degree, masters, doctorate, surgeon or world authority level.

What's more the many prestigious sounding sister universities that are affiliated Berman University will give an extra sheen of respectability to your qualifications.

Want a MD from Hale University, or an MBA from Yarvard? Or maybe a PhD from MIT (Marshall Institute of Theocracy)? No problem and no charge!

But hey, let's not forget the ol' alma mater! Why not plump for a qualification in the Science of Higher-intelligence Theories? After all, if a SHiT from BULL is good enough for your state-representative, it's good enough for you, right?

old comment by BlazeStryker

The only gap is in Leo Berman's thinking.

This is inculcated.

If you go by the historical record, the early Church sought to record, cotrol, and 'edit' all forms of technology, wisdom, and learning to avoid blasphemy.

This sort of thing got midwives burned, beaten, disemboweled, hanged, and drowned, pagan medical practices and the beginnings of organised thinking destroyed and replaced with prayer and leeches, Roman roads becoming unbuildable for centuries and thought of as works of the Devil..

Every time Sacred Writ becomes the law, the people are kept nice and low, ready to die in hopes of a better life in Heaven.

Fundies want to turn us against Islam.. and guide our thinking. In the end, they'd become the guardians of American Sharia, and we would become the monsters in turn. But by then they'd be the ruling clergy, so they DO NOT CARE.

Let's prove evolution, social as well of genetic. Bag these turkeys.

TX State Rep. Leo Berman (R-Tyler) #fundie foxnews.com

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