Penguin RushYou Have Got To Be Kidding Me? (updated)
Here's an excerpt of a newspaper article which appeared some time last week:
"A line in the new Year Five science textbook that says, 'all living things are created by God',
has irked some parents who are against infusing religious doctrine into the teaching of science.
The book in English, published by Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, will be introduced next year as part of the government's efforts to implement the teaching of mathematics and science in English.
The parent said the Creation Theory cannot be lumped with science, which is about logic and fact. Worried that children might become confused, he urged the authority concerned to remove the controversial line.
Creation Theory or other religious philosophies should not appear in science textbooks. However, Darwin's Theory of evolution can be taught in their respective context but to tell God created all living things instead of evolution during science lessons may confuse them. The Education Ministry should differentiate between science and religion.
A politician said religious concepts have no place in science textbooks."
Now, here's the conversation that unfolds as I pass on the newspaper clip to my animal friends, 'whose' unique characters have inspired people to create memorable and unforgettable cartoon/movie characters. They are Mumble the Penguin, Puss-in-Boots the Cutie Kitty, Donkey the Funny Donkey, Scrat the prehistoric squirrel/rat, Nemo the Clown Fish, Rex the T-Rex, Kong the Giant Ape and errr..... Spider-man the Spidey.
Mumble (while tapping his feet): Hmmmmmm... WHATTTTT ???????? I can't believe the level of absurdity of this news article. It did say some parents are against the line in the Science textbook, but only SOME, and NOT most parents, or many parents, or ALLLLL parents. Don't get me wrong, coz I'm just living in the real world here ok! But since when does a minority have a say to decide what's in and what's out, what's accepted and what's not?
Puss (hissing at Mumble): Hey Mumble, while you are reading, could you control your instinct of tapping your feet? It was so annoying. You do know that my sword can cause your feet a lot of pain now, do you?
Kong: ROOOAAAARRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!! Don't start a fight over something trivial. You can leave that to humans. Errr, sorry there Abdun...
Me (looking rather intimidated upon hearing Kong's roar): Ha ha.... it's alright Kong, and you are definitely right about humans who like to fight and fight!
Donkey: Yeah Abdun, what's up with humans these days anyway? Oh by the way, I read the quote that you gave me last week, about how the greatness of a nation and its moral progress is judged by the way its animals are treated. Hmmmm.... come to think of it, nowadays, nations which are seemingly great, their moral values are actually progressing downwards, despite them treating their animals so lovingly and passionately. In fact, it seems to me that they care and protect animals more than they care and protect their own kind....... humans!
Spider-man: That is so true, Donkey. I guess the quote no longer applies today.
Scrat: And now this??? (squeaking loudly).... Why can't they just leave God alone? Why do they have to complicate matters when it comes to God?
Spider-man: I think if they want to bicker about a neutral and harmless line that appears in a book, they should do so in blogs, and not raise it up to the newspapers or the cabinet.
Abdun: Ha, ha... I second to that Spidey. That's what I do, and most other bloggers too...
Nemo: It's hard to believe that news like this can actually earn a space in a newspaper, when there are much bigger issues out there that deserve attention and action from many... like those who had been evicted from their homes unfairly without much due consideration from the state government, or a boy who had lost an eye due to eye cancer, or ethnic clashes that have spread uncontrollably and claimed so many innocent lives, or a natural disaster that had unleashed its fury over many regions....
Mumble: Speaking of nature, how about the fact that by 2040, the shrinkage of Arctic sea ice could accelerate dramatically, from about 5.9 million sq km to 1.9 million sq km within a decade.
Abdun: Come to think of it, it's like they are saying, God created Science, but in Science, God has no place in it. And yet, ridiculous theory like Darwin's Ape theory is considered acceptable. Well, some people may be happy that their ancestors are a bunch of apes. But I, on the other hand know that it was the prophet Adam (peace be upon him) who was the first man on Earth, and with the presence of Hawa, humans populate the Earth ever since. If in religion, God discussed other aspects of life like relationships, families, economy AND science, so why in heaven, the name God is forbidden from a Science textbook? Do they think that human brains can come out with those Science theories, make those new discoveries and the Science field itself can grow if God doesn't allow those things to happen in the first place?
Mumble: ..or me tapping my feet here, causing the awe of many, if God doesn't grant me the ability?
Scrat: ..or me having trapped frozen in ice, only to be discovered by humans after a few thousand years, if God doesn't allow me to live?
Donkey: ..or me knowing how to crack some jokes, if God doesn't allow those humourous ideas to flow?
Kong: ..or me having fallen in love with a human girl, if God doesn't allow those feelings to blossom?
Puss: ..or me being able to fight like a swordsman, if God doesn't give me health and time for me to learn the skill?
Spider-man: ..or me crawling on walls like a spider, if God doesn't allow the spider's genes to evolve within my veins?
Nemo: ..or me, finally reunited with my Dad, if God doesn't allow him to get any help while he was searching for me?
Our conversation is suddenly interrupted when Rex appears all of a sudden.
Rex: ..or me, enjoying my meals today, if God doesn't allow my tummy to churn due to hunger and let me to cross path with you delicious people and animals.....SLRRRPPPPPP..... ROOAARRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!
With the exception of Kong, me and the rest 'run' for our lives, to avoid being eaten by T-Rex. Through the miracle of Science, granted by God, we witness a fight that one can never imagine would take place in the modern world. A fight between two giant creatures that once roamed the Earth a zillion years ago. A fight between Kong and T-Rex! Well, luckily one of them is on our side....:)
© Copyright Abdun N.A. - Malaysia 2006; No part of this short story can be reproduced in whatever forms. Thank you.
posted by The Pisces Man @ 1:39 am
8 Comments:
Just what on earth do they mean that Creation Theory cannot be lumped with science? And since when the fact that it WAS God who created all living things become a theory? It's no theory, it's a fact despite some who may find it hard or think it's illogical that God created those things. If science is about logic and fact, the God should not have been left out, let alone removed.....
It's quite common nowadays to hear and read such conflicts on accepting an athiest and a believer perception on God, Nature and Science. Dr.Maurice Bucaille and Kate Amstrong, two of those possibly atheist who are also theologians found a mutual agreement on God and Science: that these two shall be of related to one another that could lead to solving many universal mysteries. Nevertheless, such combination is well opposed by those traditional christians which led to secularism, i.e. divorcing God from Science.
For them, assimilating science and religion prevents them from thinking further of whatever origins, causes and effects of a certain scientific phenomenon. That they would be punished for making blasphemous statements as what happened to Galilei, Copernicus and many others.
For muslims, using "God Knows" as the answer for many hardcore scientific findings may inhibit a person from further discovery.
I would suggest that we can be subtle while adding God in the science textbook by saying Islam believes so and so....or many religions believes so and so created by God...Reverse psychology might be needed in this, i presume....
Ooohhh btw, say hi to your friendly animal mates....r u thinking of becoming a Dr.Dolittle?
Perhaps Nabi Sulaiman (solomon) understanding of animal languages might be one of the greatest gift for mankind u may wanna sought after? It's cool kan to know what they say....Re: Wild Thornberry's Eliza and her pet monkey Darwin.
Nice drawings la you've got there... if not mistaken, you took an Engineering course rite? With artistic skills you have, like abilities to draw and write flair English (some of them, especially your movie reviews deserve to be published in International publications even), I think you took the 'wrong' course laa. Ops, sori, if I offend you... but this is just an opinion.
So, you still do Engineering...?
Hi Manal, wow.. I'm impressed by your statement. Truly, you ARE a reader.. With regard to your suggestion in improving the line in the textbook, perhaps you can voice that out to the cabinet, I mean should this matter continues to drag, which I believe it might, based on how (some) Malaysians these days like to drag other petty issues before..
Yep, it'd be great to understand what these animals are saying. It is indeed one of the greatest gift for mankind. Luckily, my CUTE pet cat is not that complicated... He just wants to cuddle most of the time.. hehe :)
So, you are a fan of Wild Thornberry huh? Likewise... I just love the whole bunch, especially the eccentric brother, and how each episodes show us different places they venture into and different animals that Eliza communicate with. Just brilliant!
Hi broom stacker (are u related to the Dracula in any way? hehe)... No, I don't really do Engineering anymore. But ssshhhh.. the company that I work for only allows me to promote myself, and not the company - so I'm not gonna say anymore what is it that they do, or rather, that I do now.
Stop! Stop! Enuff with the compliments. I am blushing here, and my nostrils are continuing to expand. Haha.. I really appreciate what you had said on my artistic skills. Though they really are nothing to shout about, but I guess I can still learn to improve those skills since I've already pretty much missed getting a formal education in those areas. There are many other sources out there to help us in writing and maybe, drawing skills right?
hi abdun..
my my... don't you think it is a sign of the end of the world; when people reject God in their everyday life? I suppose those parents are secularists to the core, but I reaally hope that they are not Muslim parents.
To separate religion from science is like separating a mixture of sugar & salt in a same bowl, it is impossible!
Personally, I pity them because they need to be educated; or shall I say they are not shown the light?
Thank you for bringing up the subject, I was shocked with the news.
Hi Shiha, long time no....hear? Your analogy of a bowl of sugar & salt aptly describes the relationships between Science and God. Nowadays, we not only have Malaysians of mixed ethnics and religions, but also of unacceptable idealogies and thinking/believes. Sigh...
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