Should there be a system to make misinformation/deceit illegal and punishable?

Question

I'm becoming worrysome that children (and adults) in this country are outright lying to people and misinforming them. The other day I read a creationist book on evolution, and it was just amazing how many quotes out of context including the "darwin said his own theory was ridiculous when talking about the eye" quote. I am completely in favor of people having different opinions and reaching different conclusions for different facts, but the fact that some people are shamelessly lying is worrysome for the progress of this country and future generations world wide.

P.S. Evolutionists will be happy there is no more books published based on lies, and creationists can be happy that Atheists won't be lying about your religious text. Win-win situation.

I'm becoming worrysome that children (and adults) in this country are BEING* outright lied to people and misinformed.

Answer 1

No, there shouldn't be such a system, because legalists wouldn't know where to stop. Who can read into the hearts of (wo)men and decide if the person is deceitful? At what point does a different point of view become misinformation? When one person can see a place (fine hotel) from a certain angle (drab back alley) on a specific day (trash day) and call it a scary (the mafia was taking-out-the-trash) stinking hell on earth, why should they be prosecuted because they can not provide evidence that it is true (they forgot their camera)?

Answer 2

This is an interesting proposition. Most of our laws come out of the scriptures but the one about gossip has been ignored. If a person gossips as a laife style they can not enter heaven. So publishing a lie, you would think would carry some penalty.
Example those who would widely teach that vertical evolution was any more than a theory (using the lay definition of theory) would be subject to some kind of disapline. Taking what Darwin said out of context also would merit some fine or something. But if we followed these guidlines would we have any elected officials who were not in jail??

In your day b4 your life is over you will see verticle evolution as taught in school today proved in error. Those who add to what scripture really says already are provably in error. The DNA test done on one skull commonly thought to be an early human has been found to be a different species altogether and eventualy this will be proved about them all. There is not one proven example of verticle evolution and if it were true an example would have been found by now. If we figure in the rate of extinction today and extrapolate backwards we would find that there were many more species 10000 years ago, even if we used extiction figures from 1890 to 1990 we would find that there were so many species thousands of years ago that there had to be more similar species in every kingdom so why would it be any indication of evolution that skelatal remains have been found similar to what exists today. Evolution should be taught as a theory and the idea that we were planted here by a more intelligent life form than us as another theory.

Answer 3

As well you should be worried. We've been lied to for nearly a century, so far as Evolution is concerned.

Every science book puts forth that Evolution is the ONLY "theory" that is scientific. Even though scientific contradictions exists, and much of the original "evidence" (see Neanderthal man) has been refuted, OUR children are going to be taught this nonsense, just like we were, because no one is willing to stand up and say "Hey, it's time for a change."

Some people are so worried about DENYING the very idea that God MAY exist, they are MORE willing to allow their own children to be taught false information.

People VOLUNTARILY expose their children to scientifically discredited falsehoods, as opposed to being HONEST, & admitting that there just might be another explanation.

Evolutionists say that Intelligent Design would be fine, if taught in a Philosophy class, or Religion. So, given the evidence that Evolution did not occur - despite we have all been taught - what class should IT be taught in?

Only problem with all this - It has to be one or the other, or both. We cannot just leave the origins of life out of education. We'd ALL be fools to agree to that.

Answer 4

In many ways, that would be great.
It is amazing that we think lying is something new. The lies started a real long time ago, when the first words were ever spoken. Us humans don't let others think for themselves, we teach them to believe everyone else's experience, and not their own.
People need to listen more, and talk less! (myself included!).

Answer 5

It's the risk we take for freedom of expression but censorship would be a far greater evil. Let them print their propaganda and let it be challenged head on in open debate.

Answer 6

Talk like that and the Discordians will end up deploying special forces.

Answer 7

the real question is why is it only in the western world that it is only in teh USA there is a retreat from rationality?
no other country is retreating to this babrbarism that was settled 100 years ago

Answer 8

that sounds almost utopian, how nice that would be, no more gods, no more Santa, no more politics. No I think It is good to lie but the penalties for getting caught should be steeper. then people would be forced to lie better.

All Hail Eris

Answer 9

the semi-obvious problem with this is the fact that theres no way to objectively prove intent... for all intents, if you hear about some theory or idea... theres almost certainly SOMEONE out there who actually believes that its truly so.

Answer 10

We can go ahead and remove every ad from TV if you know what I mean.