Creationist Tactics

While most of the world and the United States have a deep respect for science and teach it in their classrooms, here in Texas (and some other parts of the country) there is a right-wing religious element that still wants to teach their religious myths at "science". They are the creationists, and they argue that the world is only about 6,000 years old and the evolution of species is a false concept.

In order to force their own religious beliefs on all school children, they have tossed logic and the scientific method out the window. They have developed their own tactics to further their unscientific beliefs. Daniel Florien at Unreasonable Faith has gathered the creationist tactics into one list containing eleven main tactics. Here they are:

1. Interpret any uncertainty anywhere in science as implying total uncertainty everywhere in science.
2. Trumpet any mistakes made by any scientist, and ignore the fact that these mistakes are corrected.
3. Shift the burden of proof to your critics any way you can.
4. Any facts or explanations not immediately at hand may be regarded as nonexistent.
5. Bury your opponent in quotes.
6. Use “cafeteria science.”
7. Find an instance of a scientist behaving badly, and use it to make the claim that all scientists will do the same.
8. Scientific facts and theories need have no effects except where convenient.
9. When cornered, change the subject.
10. When really cornered, call names.
11. When an explanation shows you to be absolutely wrong, ignore the explanation and reassert the original claim.