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Senseless cynical censorship

Humanists target creationism in Welsh schools

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Published: 17 September 2019 (GMT+10)
censorship-creation-in-schools
46 leading British scientists and organizations have written to the Welsh government to maintain censorship of creation in schools.
Credit: 123rf.com

British secularists are yet again up in arms about teaching creationism in schools—this time in Welsh schools. But Welsh schools are not actually teaching creationism, and it’s not as though creationists have been pushing for it either. The fact of the matter is, since humanists erupted in 2011 over the inclusion of the creationist perspective in a religious education class,1 teaching creationism in science classes has already been effectively banned in British schools, even including religious education classes! So why have 46 leading science organisations and scientists, including British atheist big-guns Richard Dawkins, David Attenborough, Steve Jones and Alice Roberts, joined forces in a campaign to ban teaching creationism in Welsh schools?

In what can only be described as a highly cynical move, they have written to the Welsh Government expressing their deep concern that a new draft Welsh science curriculum could “increase the possibility of teaching creationism as science”.2 Increase the possibility? The campaign, unsurprisingly, is organised by the British Humanist Society (BHS), who also ran the ‘Teach evolution, not creationism!’ campaign in England in 2012. This led to the ban on creationism (mentioned above), which saw evolution added to the British National Curriculum for primary schools. The BHS’s latest alarmist clarion call demands that any possible loop holes be closed, and potential weaknesses in the Welsh curriculum be exposed—lest these somehow be exploited by those ‘pernicious creationists’, masquerading as science teachers!

Evolution: a self-refuting philosophy

So why get so hot-under the collar about it all? Why the panic? After all, if God doesn’t exist, as the BHS signatories proclaim, why the rush to censor all references to His existence or creative design within schools? Furthermore, evolution, as a philosophy, is self-refuting, in that nothing can be truly known if we really are merely the sum-total of random, meaningless processes. Therefore, no concept of ultimate truth, including the ideas that creationism is bad or evolution is true, can be defended within the atheist world-view. Critical thinking must actually be sacrificed by these humanist campaigners, in favour of empty dogmatism.

Indeed, science itself was rooted within the biblical worldview, and the founding fathers of the major branches of science, were practically all Bible-believing creationists. The fact that science should work at all is testament to the existence of an Ultimate law giver, one who created a logical universe that can be comprehended by His creatures. Atheist Richard Dawkins, one of the signatories of the BHS letter, once infamously stated the implication of evolution for ‘truth’:

wikipedia.orgRichard-Dawkins
Richard Dawkins, one of the 46 signatories writing to the Welsh government to keep creation censored from schools
“The universe that we observe has precisely the properties we should expect if there is, at bottom, no design, no purpose, no evil, no good, nothing but blind, pitiless indifference.”3

He is wrong of course, for the design in the universe is real, not apparent. Furthermore, can you think of a more damaging doctrine to teach the next generation than the one Dawkins espouses? In the minds of those who succumb to its tenets, such thinking divests them of any basis for ultimate truth, knowledge, morality, or human dignity and value.

Censored and silenced

The fundamental problem for the BHS and those who are leading this latest campaign, is that the new draft Welsh science and technology curriculum doesn't explicitly prohibit the teaching of creationism. But that surely is a given, since the carpet-ban against creationism came into force in British schools in 2012. However, apparently not content with the censorship that already exists, they are pushing for evolution to be more actively taught in Welsh primary schools, rather than waiting until the age of 14–15 years. So, in reality, it is not the creationists who are attempting to exploit the system to their advantage, rather it’s those who are pushing a godless, atheistic agenda. These people seek to expunge all religious faith, replacing it with a religion of materialism. Such militant atheism cannot tolerate even one instance of a dissenting voice. It recoils in horror at the idea of questioning Darwin in the minds of the young and impressionable. So much for critical thinking!

The campaign letter represents a concerted effort by the BHS to pressure the Welsh Government with ‘science’,2 thereby silencing Welsh schools into submission. The letter (which can be seen in full on the BHS web site4) begins by expressing the collected sense of alarm of its signatories at the perceived areas of vulnerability in the new curriculum. The second paragraph of the letter boldly asserts that “Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution”; they offer no citation for this dictum but it was originally stated by leading twentieth century evolutionary biologist Theodosius Dobzhansky.5 However, the facts do not bear this out when it comes to most biologists’ day jobs. It has been stated that evolution’s "day-to-day irrelevance is a great ‘paradox’ in biology", and furthermore, it can be shown that evolution has harmed science and society.

Who is denying whom?

The BHS letter continues that evolution must be taught to primary school children, so that “children in Wales are not exposed to pseudoscientific doctrines masquerading as science.”4 Welsh Humanists Coordinator (for BHS) Kathy Riddick comments further that it is “very worrying” that there is no explicit ban on creationism in Welsh schools. In her opinion, “This would deny Welsh students the right to a high quality, evidence-based education that enables them to understand how life came to be, to reason scientifically, and to be equipped to tackle misinformation in everyday life.”4 But it would deny no such thing and is an illogical claim! How can removing a competing paradigm in any argument better enable children to develop critical thinking? How can they better reason scientifically if they are not even allowed to critique the opposing side’s claims?

Denying the right to know that a competing paradigm even exists is censorship, plain and simple. One can only shake one’s head in disbelief at the obsessive paranoia displayed by the BHS and those who have signed their latest letter. Such efforts seek to completely excise from public life all vestiges of the Christian worldview, that which underpins our laws and institutions, culture and education, and the foundations of science.

Always a silver lining

However, there is hope. God can and does use the message of creation to reach pupils, parents and teachers with the message of salvation, even if creation is censored from the schools. That is why CMI’s primary ministry focus is to the Church, and it is through many Christian testimonies, and by being armed with good apologetic materials—such as CMI’s Creation magazine or Creation.com articles—that the battle for the hearts and minds of the next generation can be effectively waged.

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Further Reading

References and notes

  1. CMI-UK/Europe’s Philip Bell was given equal time, along with a theistic evolutionist, to teach religious education classes at a secondary school, which sparked an alarmist national campaign against creationism. Return to text.
  2. Anon, Scientists want creationism teaching ban in Welsh schools, bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-49579519, 5 September 2019; accessed 6 September, 2019. Return to text.
  3. Dawkins, R., River out of Eden, Weidenfeld and Nicolson, p. 133, 1995. Return to text.
  4. UK’s top scientists tell the Welsh Government: ‘Teach evolution, not creationism!’, humanism.org.uk/2019/09/05/uks-top-scientists-tell-the-welsh-government-teach-evolution-not-creationism/, 5 September 2019; accessed 6 September, 2019. Return to text.
  5. Dobzhansky, T., “Nothing in Biology Makes Sense Except in the Light of Evolution”, American Biology Teacher 35(3):125–129, March 1973. Return to text.

Helpful Resources

Readers’ comments

Russell N.
US September 18th, 2019
If I was in high school or college over there in that part of the world, I would study up so much from this website that I would know evolution's weaknesses & creation's strengths by heart. I would know how to answer them, and then confront any teacher in class discussions that tried to push evolution's garbage down my throat, but do it in a Christian way, of course.
Students can show other students in the classrooms that evolutionists' arguments are a farce & don't add up. If teachers try to silence class discussions, then confront them about it, 'what are you afraid of??' It's time for laypeople to go on the offensive for Christ. God will give us opportunities to do this if we are serious about it.
David P.
GB September 26th, 2019
Re Ricahrd P's assertion that ". . . without any opportunity to tell people the facts and the evidences," But Young Earth's "facts" are ludicrous. Your arguments fall into the large hole known as "pseudo-science." If the Earth is only 6000 years old then virtually the whole of science is wrong, and has been for 500 years. Geology, paleontology, physics, genetics, cosmology and so much more. In particular the new science of DNA proves not only that every living thing has evolved from common ancestors and roots but that Darwin's theory proposed 170 years ago is now fact. This is as convincing and beautiful to me as the Bible stories are no doubt to you. The difference between the real world and yours is one is firmly based on scientific evidence yours is based on "the Word of God" - so it must be true.
Honestly do you really believe that dear old Noah gathered polar bears and penguins, lions and giraffes and I am told by CMI in US of A - baby dinosaurs - all in a wooden vessel that naval architects say could never have floated?
Gavin Cox
September 27th, 2019
Dear David, I can see from your ad hominem argument that you have taken no time to do any research on our site which answers all of your scathing remarks. Furthermore, your diatribe has little if nothing to do with my article. I encourage you to use the search bar on CMI's web site and type in a few keywords and do a little more research. This thread is now closed, thank you.
Richard P.
GB September 24th, 2019
David P claims that the teaching of Creation has no place whatever in schools, but the reasons he advances to underline his argument instead inadvertently undermine it. For without any opportunity to tell people the facts and the evidences, the vast majority of them, like David P, will remain totally unaware. They will not know of the studies on ark viability, or the proofs of rapid burial of fossils and rapid production of coal, or of legitimate statistical comparisons of DNA (and how does an information storage, retrieval, duplication and checking system design itself anyway, let alone acquire its information content?), or evidences about the Ice Age when viewed without atheistic preconceptions. As Philip says, David could search this site to see the questions he thinks unanswerable have already been answered.
No, people cannot probe for themselves if they are unaware of what's available. I'm often reminded of the words of John Stuart Mill, which I have posted in a previous comments thread: "He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that. His reasons may be good, and no one may have been able to refute them. But if he is equally unable to refute the reasons on the opposite side, if he does not so much as know what they are, he has no ground for preferring either opinion... Nor is it enough that he should hear the opinions of adversaries from his own teachers, presented as they state them, and accompanied by what they offer as refutations. He must be able to hear them from persons who actually believe them...he must know them in their most plausible and persuasive form." [Mill - On Liberty]
Harry B.
AU September 23rd, 2019
Oh dear. Poor old Mr Dawkins at it again.
-Wait, Harry, did you just say "Poor old Mr Dawkins"?
I sure did.
-Mind explaining that?
Certainly. The poor chap does not seem to understand his strident views don't seem to do much except offend and alienate people, even among his fellow atheists. For example when The God Delusion was released several of his fellow atheists critcised it heavily, including Michael Ruse, who went on record to say The God Delusion made him embarrassed to be an atheist, and another book, (I believe it is called The Dawkins Delusion? by Alister McGrath) showed why. And the poor chap is still at it, embarrassing himself. Does he not realise that by insisting all questioning and debate be curtailed, he is in fact encouraging them? Naturally I can't speak for anyone else, but to me when somebody starts insisting their viewpoint is the only correct one and insists all debate be curtailed, it leaves me wondering what have they got to hide? Have they not heard the words of the Father God, who says, "Let us reason together"? What are they afraid of? Let us hope they realise perfect love drives out fear, and that perfect love will only be found in God.
Thomas J.
US September 21st, 2019
Why have scientists joined forces in a campaign to ban teaching creationism in Welsh schools? Likely one of the reasons is to avoid confusing young students as to what is real and what is mythology. The evidence in support of evolution is overwhelming, and keeps growing year by year. Teaching 3,000 year old creation myths without clearly stating that they ARE myths does great harm to young minds.

BTW, a great modern view of ongoing research on evolution is Neil Shubin's "Your Inner Fish." I suggest that anyone objecting to this comment first read "Your Inner Fish" before posting any criticism.
Philip Bell
September 23rd, 2019
We hear this lame old canard frequently, that teaching alternatives to the evolutionary view will confuse children. Where is the evidence? No, what many evolutionists fear (perhaps through actual observation) is that teaching 'evidence-based' scientific alternatives to evolution opens their eyes to the flaws and deceits within the evolutionary paradigm. The paranoia and desperation exhibited by atheists and humanists in their attempts to outlaw any questioning of their origins myth is laughable. However, more than that, it's a travesty of true science and it's tragic to think of impressionable young minds being robbed of the opportunity to really think about origins because of the straitjacket of secular propaganda. Telling children that they must recognise 'their inner fish' is hardly likely to engender within them a sense of wonder at their uniqueness (consider Psalm 139:13-14), let alone a respect for their fellow human beings. For those interested, here is a review of Shubin's book: Is the fish really our ancestor?
Mike D.
US September 20th, 2019
One thing I still just can't grasp. Theistic evolutionist compromise to try & have it both ways. Yet they mix like oil & water. Here's part of the problem. When I ask them "What is the penalty for sin?" The usual reply is "death". Then I say. " You now have me confused. The reason is. You said death is the penalty for sin. Yet that can't be true since according to you, God/Jesus used death in the evolutionary creation process. So death isn't the penalty for sin in evolutionary process, [when] did the Fall of mankind come in? What is the penalty for sin since it's been used before mankind got here according to evolution? It's not the penalty for sin. So where did sin & fall of mankind enter the evolutionary process? Since death isn't the penalty. Then how does Jesus' death on the cross pay for our sins? Death was used in evolutionary creation process.

You really have me confused on how you combine the two & how they can possibly work together. Its seems to me they can't & one [of the two] has to give. Remember this. God has said Man's wisdom is foolishness to Him. Yet you're choosing Man's wisdom vs God's foolishness.
Especially when there is so much info now on websites to validate creationism & God's inerrant word that solve that impossible contradiction. Joshua 24:15: Chose this day whom you will serve!
Philip Bell
September 23rd, 2019
Indeed, these are valid and critically important questions and challenges to those who have adopted theistic evolution.
For those wrestling with these problems, we recommend reading 10 dangers of theistic evolution and Perils of Theistic Evolution.
An in-depth look at these problems with theistic evolution (and many more besides) is the recent book, Evolution and the Christian Faith: Theistic Evolution in the Light of Scripture.
Jenny Y.
GB September 20th, 2019
I would like to ask Richard Dawkins and other atheists the following questions:
- If you had a child or grandchild who was born very prematurely, or became seriously ill, would you have them left to die?
- Do you think it right that the rich, powerful and clever exploit the poor, weak and vulnerable?
- Do you think Hitler was right in his attempt to rid the world of those he considered 'inferior' or 'less-highly evolved'?
- Since the earth is becoming over-populated, putting a strain on limited resources, shouldn't people in under-developed countries simply be left to die of famine and disease?
For anyone who really believes that 'natural selection' leading to 'the survival of the fittest' is the mechanism by which evolution advances, the answer should be 'Yes', but I have no doubt that the actual answer would be 'No'! This clearly demonstrates that atheists cannot live by their own professed philosophy!
David P.
GB September 20th, 2019
The belief that the world is a few thousand years old is so utterly absurd on every possible level - ie that polar bears and penguins, lions and rabbits, all congregated in one wooden ark - and not forgetting dinosaurs, but only baby ones mark you - has no place whatever in schools, unless it comes under the heading of fairy tales. Adults can think and probe for themselves but please don't attempt to teach young innocent minds that Creationism is anything but utter baloney. Fossils? Oil and coal reserves? 98% same DNA as chimps? Numeous ice ages? Continental drift? All happened in the last 6000 years?
Philip Bell
September 20th, 2019
Yes, it's easy to do a bit of 'elephant hurling', lazy too. The harder work of critiquing people one disagrees with is to properly engage with their arguments rather than simply listing a whole bunch of statements, some of which are actually wrong scientifically (like the very out of date statement that humans have "98% same DNA as chimps"). This website is replete with detailed articles (well referenced to original secular scientific sources) on all of the subjects you've hurled at us, plus many more. The search engine is your friend if you are serious about arriving at truth, rather than merely castigating those with whom you disagree.
V H K.
US September 20th, 2019
Kathy K., the only thing I would add to your very astute and articulate comment is He lives! No matter what other made-up gods we invented, none has ever risen from the dead and been witnessed walking around by so many as the biblical account states. Not to say numbers count, but to your point that we have a God who stooped down from on high to be born into human life like us, go through life with us, teach unequaled truths to many, demonstrated God's grace, mercy and compassion to all, and then die a criminal's death, having been guilty of no crimes; thus making Him singularly qualified to be the perfect sacrifice for each and every one of us. We who believe have truly won a prize greater than anything on earth can buy: Jesus, the Pearl of Great Price. We MUST spread that news to this hurting world so that hope can not only be maintained, but grow. We must persevere in the faith and pray for wisdom and peace in the midst of the evil and chaos of the Prince of the Air's current kingdom. Our King of kings will soon return and reclaim what is rightfully His. All the glory, power and praise goes to Jesus, our Lord! Amen.
Ian M.
CA September 19th, 2019
Truth can tolerate that which is not true, but that which is not true cannot tolerate the truth,
thus we have people like Dawkins who attempt to suppress the truth lest their lie be revealed.
Kathy K.
US September 18th, 2019
Such a good article on what’s going on over in Wales. But it’s happening all over the world. And such wonderful comments, too. I agree with them all. I can add that it’s all happening as God said it would. Jan Markell, a Jewish Christian apologist and radio host always says, “the world’s not falling to pieces, the pieces are falling into place”.

We can rest that God is sovereign over all. We can pray for all the scores of lost and hurting souls in the world today. I can’t even imagine what millions are going through in other countries. I can have my Bible with me anytime. But they must keep their faith. For those who are allowed a Bible in their home, it’s urgent that they find out what’s in it - for their eternal life depends on it.

If, in our own families, cities, states, & countries, we have laws and consequences for our actions, how could evolution be true? If we’re evolved, there should be chaos all the time? But wouldn’t a Creator have some kind of order? - some laws, some kind of judgment just like we do?

As evil and catastrophic events around the world speed up, I see the Revelation of Jesus nearing. My heart breaks for those who don’t know Christ, and who think he’s just a good man who walked the earth. But he raised the dead, healed the lame, made the blind to see, the deaf to hear, calmed the raging sea, walked on water, cast demons out of people, turned water into wine...there’s lots of ‘good’ people in the world but I never heard of nor knew any that could do these miracles nor who loved a world of heathen so much that they’d die in our place of punishment on a cross in a most cruel way - for the whole world - even those who deny him! God have mercy on those who know not what they do!
Louis C.
ZA September 16th, 2019
I perceive, to paraphrase Dawkins, "blind, pitiful irrationality" in this move. One has to wonder what the signatories are afraid of if creationism is really so obviously wrong and utterly unscientific. I can see no reason but realising that the Biblical account is a serious, believable challenger to their worldview, which in turn makes men accountable to a Creator to who they don't want to give an account. One should almost thank the 46 signatories, because they are pushing creation into the public eye. They don't bestow that honour to real pseudoscience like flat earth, absolute geocentrism, people believing jets doesn't use fuel, NASA faked the moon landings, etc... I pray that this will open doors for witnessing for you and other Christians in Britain. God less!
Mike D.
US September 18th, 2019
I still find it ironic that the Scopes trial was ruled to have BOTH sides presented. Yet as usual the humanist take it and never allow BOTH sides, as the ruling ruled to actually occur.
Sadly it's infiltrated the church by compromising with Theistic evolution. Worse, they claim creationism hurts spreading the Gospel. Since when did God's Gospel need updating etc? Truth is always Truth.
Weird in that it's well accepted you can't deny Jesus is fully God and Man. Yet they think they can accept Jesus as Savior, yet deny Him as fully Creator as the inerrant Bible declares. When did Jesus ever allow compromise?
Gerry T.
CA September 17th, 2019
If evolution is true and we really are nothing but the result of random processes who is to say that a move toward creationism is not simply a result of those processes? It has always amazed me how evolutionists live in a philosophical world full of self contradictions.
Simon S.
AU September 17th, 2019
As we fight the good fight, let us remember Psalm 2; that God laughs at His enemies! As these folk clamour and plan and devise schemes to silence the Word, He laughs. What a comfort.
Pray for them and pray for the finishing of the church and the Lords' return.
May it be soon!
King T.
ZA September 17th, 2019
The British society's acceptance of the evolutionary paradigm as well as the active expulsion of Christian principles will have serious consequences within the next few years. We've already seen the rise in school shootings in the USA which are a symptom of the underlying issues among young people there. In a video by Ray Comfort a shocking number of young people could not bring themselves to call the shootings "EVIL" but were actually squirming to find some reason to justify it!
In a similar vein, my nephew, who lives in London, tells me that a significant number of increasingly occurring, serious stabbing attacks go unreported or flushed under the carpet. There is a growing social awareness and fear that crime and lawlessness is escalating out of hand in Britain. I just did a Google search on "lawlessness on the rise in Britain" that confirms my suspicions. This, I postulate, is a direct result of rejecting the laws and principles of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. With no inner rudder to control them, the youth are acting out their most strident impulses. You reap what you sow.
Gavin Cox
September 17th, 2019
Hi King, I agree. Teaching kids they are merely evolved animals and that there is no absolute morality or eternal consequences for their behavior is a recipe for anarchy. We can only expect the generation raised on such teaching to live it out. That is why we are seeing British culture come un-done, because the moral foundation based upon biblical principles has been all but eroded from public life.
Norman P.
GB September 17th, 2019
For those of us who've been liberated by the truth in Christ, and see God's hand of grace in our history, such horrible, cynical machinations are indeed grievous and upsetting. But looking around at all that's going on in the world, including in Parliament and the Middle East, we can discern that we should not be surprised, nor tempted to think that God is not in control. If anything, proscribing something actually gives it an allure to the enquiring mind, and as many of us know from our own journey, God broke through the lies and denials of secularism. To quote Psalm 2:
"Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure. Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion". Watch this space... and above all, pray for the lost, and all the children!
Lassi P.
FI September 17th, 2019
Personally I find it ever harder and harder to believe that Dawkins would really have as strong a faith in evolution as he bolsters to have. He's just too paranoid over someone being able to really think for themselves. As if he knew he was wrong...
Jonathan R.
GB September 17th, 2019
I am a creationist, I would rather trust the bible than all the scientists the world has to offer who up until a relatively short time ago told us ... cells were just blobs.
What I don’t understand is both the BHS and Creationists have a worldview.
Why can’t both worldviews be taught in schools?
Why is Creation such a threat, we as creationists are not afraid of the evolutionary theory - ideally we wouldn’t want it taught but why can’t we have a shared platform where both beliefs are taught. Creationism is as valid as any other worldview surely?
By their own terms and admission ‘there is nothing but blind pitiless indifference’ then why is the BHS not ‘indifferent’ about creationism being taught? You can’t have it both ways?
The only explanation is that this group of people do believe in God but hate him, please repent and turn away from your sin before it is too late. Jesus is the only truth and the only way to peace. I pray for Richard Dawkins etc because he is part of the multi-pronged unexplained rage against God that we have all over the world in all different forms - the spirit of the age has a motto: ‘Anything but Jesus, anything but the God of the bible’ and there is a reason for that which is that there is a battle for the world happening right now it is a battle of truth vs lies, love vs hate, life vs death. The bible says ‘there is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death’ Proverbs 14:12. Jesus said ‘Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it’ Matthew 7:13. For those who don’t understand destruction means hell. The message of Jesus is essentially repent from your sin, love God and love those around you, that’s a good message.
Geoff C. W.
AU September 17th, 2019
Forgive my confusidon, but isn't that the same Richard Dawkins who couldn't give 'an example of a genetic mutation or an evolutionary process which can be seen to increase the information in the genome'?
I guess we can see it, but we just can't see it happening.
All good science.
God bless Wales!
Graham P.
NZ September 16th, 2019
I was a complete dropout at school, never did any work to speak of and was raised in an atheistic, socialist household. I only recall two things from the endless school assembly speeches I heard over the years: one of them was this, from the principal:
"Jesus Christ was a man. Just a man. He was a great moral teacher, but only a man."

It had no effect upon me though: I knelt and asked Jesus to forgive my sins a few years later and am glad to say that He is the Son of God.
But we may recall that Lady Bracknell, in Oscar Wilde's 'The Importance of Being Earnest' says: 'Fortunately, in Britain, public education produces no effects whatsoever'.
John D.
AU September 16th, 2019
During a discussion with the school principal one day regarding this very topic, especially due to the reaction it stirred with the impending visit of [a creation speaker], he stated "surely our job as educators is to encourage enquiring minds!" ... Teaching creation [in public schools] is certainly to enter enemy ground and is like poking the bear!! Certain to get a reaction.

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