Kansas Bd of Educ. responses re;Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster

[SoCalDem]

I found this totally by accident. but surely the ID "issue" will crop up again.. It amazes me that they actually took the time to respond :) This is not new, by any means, but it's still relevant..and funny as hell


Be sure and check out this guy's website./.Lots of great stuff..
http://www.venganza.org/


Response from Mrs. Janet Waugh - District 1 - Received 6/25/05

From: JWaugh1052@
To: [e-mail]
Date: Jun 25, 2005 6:34 AM
Subject: Response from a member of the Kansas Board of Education

Thanks for your comments about the Flying Spaghetti Monster and all the supporters who have sent their support to members of the Kansas Board of Education. I am supporting the recommendations of the science committee and am currently in the minority. I think your theory is wonderful and possibly some of the majority members will be willing to support it.
Thanks again,

Janet Waugh
District 1

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Response from Mrs. Sue Gamble - District 2 - Received 6/26/05

From: msgamble@
To: [e-mail]
Date: Jun 26, 2005 6:34 PM
Subject: Reply

Dear Mr. Henderson, Thanks for your message. Thanks for the laugh. Your web site is fascinating. I will add your theory to a long list of alternative theories I intend to introduce when it is appropriate. I am practicing how to do this with a straight face which is difficult since it's such a ridiculous subject; it is also very sad that we are even having the discussion.

I will be one of the four member minority who will be voting against the flawed science standards currently being proposed by the six member majority.

Sincerely, Sue Gamble

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Response from Mrs. Carol Rupe - District 8 - Received 8/16/05

From: Carol Rupe <crupe@>
To: [e-mail]
Date: Aug 16, 2005 8:19 AM
Subject: Kansas State Board of Education

Dear Mr. Henderson,

In the midst of the sad circumstances of having our science standards lowered, you and your legion of fellow FSM followers have offered wonderful comic relief. Rather than the form letters which we often receive on other topics, each FSM letter has been clever and unique. I responded to several at first, but now there have just been too many. I am a member of the Kansas State Board of Education and have voted repeatedly to maintain excellent science standards. Last week was the vote to send a new draft (written by the 6 conservative members) out for external review. The four of us on the board who are moderates were in the minority on the vote. The group of science teachers and university professors who had written the original standards (before they were changed) have now asked that their names be withdrawn from the document. The new version changes the very definition of science from "seeking natural explanations" to "seeking logical explanations". That is why I think FSMism is able to be included. It is as "logical" as any other theory.

The final vote on the standards will be in October. We will be in Lawrence, Kansas for that meeting. Those of us who are moderates on the board are trying to have the meeting in the Natural History Museum at the University of Kansas. We think that would be an appropriate setting for the occasion. We welcome you to be in attendance.

We have received thousands of emails from scientists around the world. At first, they all tried to explain good science to us. After the vote last week, however, they have resorted to calling us hillbillies and morons. And those are the nice letters!

Thank you for adding levity to this situation. You have developed quite a following. I was wondering if we could reverse the effects of global warming if we started breeding pirates.

Sincerely,
Carol Rupe

P.S. I ordered a Kansas Museum of Science t-shirt. I may just have to wear it to a board meeting.


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From: Mrs. Kathy Martin, District 6

"It is a serious offense to mock God."

..................................................

[atommom]

1. See, there IS hope.

I swear it upon His noodly appendage!

[SoCalDem]

2. I sure hope so..but I'm not holding my breath

There was a report in tv the other night about the huge increase in religious colleges..and about how some college had denied credit for "bible studies" as a transferring credit, so it looks like the lines are being drawn ..

[atommom]

6. As far as Kansas goes, we've BTDT before.

I expect this fundie school board to be kicked out, just as the fundie school board was ousted in 1999. I'm hoping that this makes people pay more attention to school board races, and ask more questions of the candidates.

But as far as other kinds of wingnuttery goes, it is going to be a long, hard battle.

[SoCalDem]

8. I just can't help but think that these parents are just plain SCARED

that their children's faith is so weak that they could not "survive" some truth.. If their faith is strong, they would be able to withstand facts, and still maintain their religious beliefs..

[atommom]

9. Yes, fear is a big issue here.

They already felt fear, and the GOP nurtured and intensified and helped to focus that fear for their own political gain.

[SoCalDem]

10. I was born in Salina, and lived for a while in Olathe (as an adult)

and it was NOT like this back then.. Or maybe I had my head buried in the sand, but I don't recall any rancor..

[atommom]

11. The swing toward RW "Christian" values started years ago.

And I was not paying as much attention as I should at the time. (I lived in Lawrence then, so I was somewhat sheltered.) But RW hate radio and the GOP's reaching out to churches had a major effect on the political climate. I have a family member who is a Baptist minister. He was always Republican, but he started spouting ridiculous RW garbage in the '80s. It took me awhile to realize that he was not an isolated case, that this movement was picking up steam at a frightening pace. Now there are many Christians who don't even question the RW version of the way things ought to be, and can't imagine another way of seeing the world. It's getting scarier by the minute.

[SoCalDem]

15. When radio stations switched to "talk" was when things started to really

change, because people could just absorb all the wacky stuff that they heard over and over.. MY own son started to "wonder" about stuff when all he had to listen to in his truck was Limbaugh, et al..

[atommom]

16. Yes, Rush was a sensation here when he first started, and

things started really going downhill after that. People just don't seem able to think critically about the things talk radio tells them.

[acmejack]

3. Ms. Martin stands up for the Kansas we know & love!

After that initial spate of reasonable answers, you at least had Kathy stand up to make sure you knew what you were really dealing with. Perhaps you could replay that it is a serious offense to offend God with rampant stupidity as well.

I wonder if God actually shared that insight with her personally or if it is actually "hear say" & there for inadmissible?

[SoCalDem]

4. She was indeed, eloquent...and

put SO much time and thought into her response:)

[acmejack]

5. It is obvious that God guided her hand as she penned that response!

The holy retort! Perhaps you can frame it, erect billboards for hundreds of miles in every direction, build a shack, and charge the true beleevers admission to gaze worshipfully upon it (for a limited time of course). Your fortune is made!

I bet you can get the pResident to jet on out for a photo op, he has plenty of spare time on his hands-all is apparently right with the world, nothing pressing demanding his urgent attention-and even if there was, I'm sure he would shunt it aside for this fabulous opportunity!

[CrazyOrangeCat]

7. "Pass the Most Holy Retort."

:spray:

[myrna minx]

12. Wonderful!

:bounce: This gives me hope!

[JHB]

13. "It is a serious offense to mock God."

Comments like the above are part of why I'm an atheist.

I simply don't have the arrogance to believe that my morality (and sense of humor) is more devloped than that displayed by "the all-powerful creator of everything" (or whatever they fudies mean when they refer to "God").

I wonder how anyone can worship a being that (as described in the verese they like to quote) more resembles an ancient middle-eastern tribal king with super-powers than a divine and superior being.

[SoCalDem]

14. an "offense" that must be punished, no doubt..

the problem is... WHO decides the offense, and its punsihment? There is no "wiggle room" for anyone who does not believe it's an offense.. The get punished for someone else's beliefs.. or their CHILDREN get punished,,

A jewish child in public school will be given a jesus-based science class or be ostracized for speaking out...or the parents will have to privately school them..?? makes no sense at all..