"Non-believers must be challenged in such a way that they can no longer hide behind the delusion that science has disproved the existence of God. TIS seeks to encourage scientists to present the truth fairly and to expose as charlatans those who deliberately mislead. Our aim is to compliment the work of existing Creation groups by targeting education in particular." - Truth in Science objectives from Take Heed Ministries newsletter, March 2004.

“The idea of religious neutrality is a myth - either we worship God, or we don't: no neutral territory." – Davis Anderson, Truth in Science spokesman, Feb 2007.

Creationists launch new website, claiming it will promote good science!

Responses

Response to Truth in science

Author upset by TIS

How Bad is Truth in Science's Science? A response from the BCSE

A rebuttal of the claims on the TIS website From Science just Science

Truth In Science Materials Review of material sent to teachers by Truth In Science (SJS)

Creationists Attack School Science The Skeptic Express © October 2006. Here the site shamelessly nails its colours firmly to the mast as it tries to confuse and manipulate families. By claiming it is only interested in ‘balance ‘ and ‘teaching the controversy’, ‘Truth in Science’ blatantly misleads parents into believing that it is Darwinian theory that is controversial and not creationism. This is wrong. Furthermore, the site attempts to discredit current scientific theory and teaching practice in a manner designed to spawn distrust and insecurity amongst undiscerning parents. ‘In its parental appeal, here more than anywhere, the site dismisses the amassed knowledge derived from over one hundred years of scientific research, evaluation and evidence that comprises Darwinian Theory to plead that a nonsensical doctrine devoid of real evidence should seriously be considered in equal measure.’

But before UK parents consider following such poor advice they should remember that in a monumental decision by a US Pennsylvania federal judge in 2005, ID was dismissed as ‘unscientific’ and unsuitable for the science classroom. In addition noted biologist Kenneth Miller of Brown University, who has written ‘Finding Darwin’s God’ demonstrated that ID is not a testable theory in scientific terms. Indeed creationist theory has long been criticized as religion disguised as science – in other words pseudoscience. Parents must ask themselves if they really want their children exposed to that?

A little experiment in democracy Via Pharyngula, I've learnt that an Early Day Motion regarding the activities of Truth In Science has been tabled in Parliament:

That this House shares the concerns of the British Centre for Science Education that the literature being sent to every school in the United Kingdom by the creationist religious group Truth in Science is full of scientific mistakes and fails to disclose the group's creationist beliefs and objectives; and urges all schools to treat this literature with extreme caution.

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News & Articles on Truth in Science

Should Intelligent Design be part of science teaching? (5 Dec 06) A PRESTIGIOUS city school was criticised last week after one of its science teachers admitted he was going to show pupils DVDs that claim a "higher being" created the Earth. See: Reply from Roger Stanyard

British Humanist Association: DfES answers anti-creationist call (17 Nov 06) The British Humanist Association and the Christian think-tank Ekklesia have welcomed a statement from the DfES in answer to the two organisations' call that they denounce materials sent to schools by the organisation 'Truth in Science' which encouraged schools to incorporate 'intelligent design' into school science.

The DfES has said that officials are 'currently working with the QCA to find a suitable way of communicating to schools it is not part of the Science National Curriculum.' The two organisations wrote to the DfES on 29th September (see http://tinyurl.com/ydmvod.

'Truth in Science': far from true (29 Sept 06) The creationist group, ‘Truth in Science’ have launched a new website designed to encourage the teaching of creationism and ‘intelligent design’ in school science. To accompany their launch, the group claim to have written to every secondary school and college Head of Science; the British Humanist Association (BHA) has learned they have also sent them copies of ‘teaching resources’ on CD.

Humanists and Christians in joint call on DfES to rule out creationist teaching (29 Sept 06) The British Humanist Association and the UK Christian think tank Ekklesia have today written to Education Minister Alan Johnson asking him to ensure that their guidelines are explicit in requiring teachers to maintain a wholly scientific perspective on the matter of the origin of species by evolution.

The move comes after a new group calling itself ‘ Truth in Science ’ sent a letter and free teaching resources to all secondary heads of science seeking space for creationist ideas, and appealed to parents through a new website to challenge the current science teaching agenda. BHA and Ekklesia are calling on the Government to ensure that teachers know this material is not appropriate for school science.

Creationism distorts truth in science says vicar (25/09/06) By Michael Roberts. A viewpoint from an Anglican vicar who is also a geologist, and seasoned critic of creationism

Minitrue by Feòrag United Kingdom: A group of creationists have set up a website to persuade parents to campaign for the teaching of astrology creationism instead of science in schools. And they were clearly inspired by George Orwell in the naming of their site: Truth in Science. Where 'truth' means 'lies', of course. The rhetoric is so familiar, it's surprising they managed to translate the spelling into British English.

UK anti-evolutionists seek to lure parents with new website (25/09/06) Creationists and anti-evolutionists in the United Kingdom have established a new website, called ‘Truth in Science’, to try to persuade school parents to lobby for their ideas within the British education system.

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Reply (e-mailed to paper) from Roger Stanyard

Sir, We believe that the people of Liverpool should be taking a very careful look at the extent to which creationism is being pushed in Blue Coat School.

Nick Cowan, its head of chemistry, has told us that the Australian creationist John Mackay made an appearence there earlier this year and is due to return in 2007 - he has also told us that he has personally helped fund Mackay's expenses.

You can find out more about Mackay's background from our web site at http://www.bcseweb.org.uk/index.php/Main/JohnMackayAndMargaretBunchanan. It seriously questions the judgement of Blue Coat school in promoting creationism.

We would also like to point out that one of the declared objectives of Truth in Science is to expose as charlatans those that disagree with its beliefs in creationism. Moreover, Dr Stuart Burgess or Truth in Science is on public record that his objective is to frighten children so much that they do not believe in the Theory of Evolution.

That is wholly inconsistent with Richard Buggs' claim that ID should be taught alongside mainstream science because it is valid science. Truth in Science is run wholly by young earth creationists who's objectives are to undermine all science that contradicts their fundamentalist religious beliefs. Their objectives are to use the science classroom to proselytise their religious beliefs.

Intelligent Design is both a smokescreen and a trojan horse for their religious extremism. Neither Buggs nor Truth in Science are interested in Intelligent Design at all because it explictly rejects the involved of God in science, is not based on the world being 6,000 years old and is not based on a literal interpretation of the bible.

It seems astonishing that Liverpool, which has had to seriously (and sucessfully) address the issue of sectarianism over the last generation or so, is now opening up its prestigious and non-denominational Blue Coat School to the antics of extreme Protestant evangelical fundamentalists with an outrageous agenda.

You might as well put road signs around the city boundaries saying Welcome to the 17th Century.

Roger Stanyard

Spokesman, British Centre for Science Education.