Turkey: is the theory of evolution expendable?
Turkey is removing the theory of evolution from the school curriculum. From now on it will only be taught at university because this already controversial theory is too complicated for schoolchildren, a statement by the Ministry of Education explains. Reactions among Turkish media outlets vary.
Darwin's theory just a hypothesis
Star explains the problem with Darwin's theory and others like it:
“Naturally, Darwin's 'Theory of Evolution' is not simply an assertion, it is based on certain similarities [between species], but it is nonetheless just a hypothesis. … Religions, on the other hand, have been teaching people the principles for understanding mankind, life, and the universe for hundreds of years - and not on the basis of constantly changing and developing theories but using an unchanging faith that promotes systematic thinking. … Materialistic and secular views, by contrast, present such theories as facts simply for the sake of contradicting the belief in 'divine revelation'. Muslims are not against scientific research, they are only against hypotheses being used to destroy faith.”
Who needs education?
There are good reasons ignorance is promoted in this country, Birgün rails:
“Children are confronted with metaphysics at the age of five or six. ... But young people are kept away from scientific knowledge with the justification that 'our pupils can't understand such topics'. Why? Because it's not necessary for us to know anything. ... We have no ideas, we have enemies, and here and there our lobbies. ... We have no ideas, we have our boron, our thorium, and many other valuable raw materials. But those who don't like us prevent us from gaining access to these raw materials. ... We don't want to know anything. That's also why our commissions of inquiry fail to produce results. No one wants to know what really happened. Everyone is simply running after enemies.”