Creationism is a hotly debated topic in the United States and, indeed, the world. There are many forms of creationism – the belief that God sparked the big bang leading to the eventual formation of the universe as we know it, to the belief that God literally created everything in 7 days. Opposing this view is that of Science which excludes a prime mover. Remember, be fair in the debate and no ad hominem attacks!
Should Creationism Be Taught In Schools?
My answer: I think that there is a sufficiently high percentage of people who believe in some form of special creation that the belief system could be explained to students. I don’t advocate it being taught as “truth” against the scientific theories of creation, but there is no reason that only one idea must be taught. So I think it certainly could be taught in social studies class, or religious education class (in religious schools), but definitely not in Science class. [Image above: Adam and Eve, by Enrico Baj - 1986]
I was born into a christian family, and from what I saw around me, read and watched, I slowly started believing that there isnt a god, some how my family found out that Im an athiest, and now my dad hates me, my mom is okay with me, but my brothers ignore me, I dont believe I have done anything to deserve this, but the only thing that has changed was my point of view on religion. Personally I credit religion for giving hope in peoples times of need, but I dont like it because of the many problems it has caused, such as violence, ignorance, and lack of progress throughout history.
explain this to your family, try to reconnect with your sibs. family is way more important than god.
Hitler started the Holocaust with darwinism as his excuse for killing everyone.
Hitler used “*Social* Darwinism” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_darwinism) in his propaganda. That’s a significant difference.
NO!
There are religious schools to send your children to if you want them to learn creationism (God knows I'm aware of them, having survived 13 years of parochial school!).
If you want your child to learn creationism and can't afford a religious school, send them to Sunday school.
Public schools, at least in the U.S., are state funded. Since the Founding Fathers, wisely, provided for a total separation of Church and State, teaching any form of religious belief system in a public school would be unconstitutional and, thus, against federal law.
Sure, there are always the fundamentalists who loudly proclaim that "Creation Science" (note the cute name they've given it to try to give it a more scientific sound), should be taught along side evolution.
Now, I grant that every country has it's own set of laws, world views, religious views, social views and so on. I can't speak for societies about which I know nothing. I can speak for the basic Judeo-Christian modern culture, the one I inhabit.
Public schools exist to teach language, reading, maths, sciences, literature, history, social studies. If you're very lucky, you'll get taught music and art.
These are the things most parents send their children to school to learn.
I chose to teach my children morals, morality. I didn't think they needed a story about how things came into existence, only to have to tell them later, "whoops! That wasn't quite right, guys, it really happened like this."
I don't think lying to your children is a good way to gain their trust.
I don't think letting their school lie to them is a good way to keep their trust.
Creationism was a story for people in much less sophisticated times. They needed a simple way to understand the "beginning" of things, and the creation story provided that simplicity.
We don't need that now. We have so many more pieces of the puzzle, we're so much closer to the answer.
NO!
No fairystories. Give them the facts.
Nothing in the Constitution states “separation of church and state.” What it actually says is that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof
No, not only because I don't believe in it, but whose side of creationism will you teach? The Hindu? Pagan? Greek? Or just the Judeo-Christian side, which has a million different substories as well.
I think that science class (like all classes should) should be sensitive to religious people, but claiming a guy with a white beard waved a magic wand and said "voila" doesn't cut it with the whole scientific method.
Nor does matter create itself and then automatically “poof” and morph into humans, birds and animals.
Jamie!!!! What are you doing????
NO
Yeah. I agree. We should say ***** YOU to 6 billion people and only go with the atheistic idea of evolution and darwin and such forth.
6 billion people do not believe in creationism, its just a Christian Jargoan. In Buddhism and Hinduism which predates Chrsitianity, they explain the begining of the universe as OM, the Big Bang.
Its hardly an atheistic belief. ITs just that Chrisitans find it hard to understand that their religion cannot stand up to other belief systems.
World is flat
Gay is wrong
Abortion
Creationism
Santa
Jeebus
You, sir/mam, are highly uninformed. There is little proof for the Big Bang and much against it. Also, you’re forgetting many of the world religions that believe in Creationism. Islam, Judaism, and many more. I am a Christian and I don’t believe the world is flat. In fact, in the Bible it says the earth is round, so anybody who believes in flat earth is a bozo. You shouldn’t speak if you really don’t know what you’re talking about. You sound like an idiot.
Show me this evidence against the big bang. And please explain what caused the microwave background radiation.
How could all matter consolidate into one point, if for every action there is an equal and opposite one then how can an infinite amount of energy be exerted twice if at all.Also it doesn’t say where the initial matter came from. In addition it violates the conservation of angular momentum, which basically states that if an object is spinning and objects fly off of it they will spin in the same direction,we have planets and galaxies going in different directions .
@ Z’s
Actually the Bible says the earth is a circle it never says the Earth is round. The Earth is not a circle it is a sphere. A circle is flat and is 1 dimensional while a sphere is round and is 3 dimensional. The Bible also refers to the Earth having 4 corners. You have to remember in the time the bible was written they still believed the Earth was flat. The Quran states the Earth is a flat floor with mountains standing firm, another verse states it is a flat carpet. As far as Judaism just take off the New Testament there is the answer it is still flat. Hindu texts says flat Earth on the back of 4 turtles. Going back to the Bible it also states the Earth is fixed and immovable, centered, fixed on pillars. In Joshua the Bible states that the Sun goes around the earth as well as the moon and the sun standing still.
Now all these doctrines were written well before technology when people actually believed the Earth is flat. They also believed the Sun and Moon revolved around the Earth so I would really stop calling people idiots and uninformed as well as bozos too(It is not a very Christian thing to do!)
@ b.j.urn
None of what you said is evidence against the Big Bang, just misunderstood physics.
Do you honestly think such a theory would be seriously posed if it violated such a simple physical law?
astraya: it’s a hot topic!
logar: why? Is it any different to teaching children about the caste system of India in Social Studies class? I am not proposing it be taught as a fact, but as a module on belief systems.
The children of America need to be taught Creationism like they need a hole in their heads. If the religious types want to teach their children this garbage, let them do it at church, Sunday School, or in the home. Teachers have a hard enough time making the basics stick- why waste time with bull*****?
logar: okay – thanks for expanding on your first answer
Also, I don’t think all that many people in the US believe in creationism- just the fundamentalists. The problem is, they are a very vocal minority (perhaps majority in some areas in the south.)
Perhaps I should have prefaced my comments by saying I was raised Roman Catholic, educated in Catholic/Jesuit institutions. Once I hit high school (go Marauders!) they stopped feeding us creationism, and tried to incorporate God into scientific theories such as evolution and the big bang, etc., which is much better than trying to pass Genesis off as fact, IMHO.
Just because 90% of the world believes the world is flat, doesn’t mean the people who know better should teach what they know is false.
logar: because we know the world is not flat, would it be wrong for schools to teach children that people used to believe it (and some still do in fact)? As I said above, I am not suggesting it be taught as a fact, but as an aspect of social studies.
Better senario: Should evolutionism be taught in schools? I am not suggesting it be taught as a fact, but as an aspect of social studies.
Creationism: In the begining, God created the marvel we see today from the intricate cell to the majestic galaxies.
Non-creationism/Big Bang theory:
there was nothing…..
…then POOF!! there it is!
Universe was neither created nor had a start. It has always been there and will be.
I just changed your God to Universe.
So now you dont need to God.
What now.
Evolution has piles of evidence for it, creationism has none. The burden of proof is on the person making the claim. There is proof for evolution, now you show me proof for creationism. Give me a tiny bit.
Teaching creationism is like teaching that Santa really does exist & you must believe or you get no presents.
NO! It’s a Religious theory that has no business in a public school.
OBAMA IN ’08!!!
NO. Repeat, NO.
Belief systems. Where to stop? Do we end up trying to explain how a young moslem can ecstatically blow himself and a few dozen other people to smithereens because a mullah promised him he would have 60 virgins to lay for eternity in Paradise?
Such outlandish mindsets and their consequences are surely worth considering and trying to come to terms with, even within some specialised area of the educational system, but not as part of the standard curriculum, please.
Besides, those who subscribe to extremist views will regard any airing of them other than out and out criticism as a form of endorsement.
Islamic EXTREMISTS…
Think of it this way:
Creationism is explained in the Bible.
The Bible is nothing but a book of fables and tales chronicling the adventures of Jesus and Christians.
These fables and tales may or may not be true.
But probably aren’t.
But some people believe they are.
So:
Why should we be teaching our children something that comes from a source that isn’t credible and is only supported by a certain religion? Should we also teach our children in school that aliens exist, JFK was killed by the CIA, and Mountain Dew lowers your sperm count? Of course not.
Catholicism has spent most of history trying to spread their sphere of influence in anyway possible to maintain power, and this is the same strategy.
Prove it to me, and teach it all you want. If you can’t, keep it in the pews.
You gotta love how people will be all about teaching the theory of evolution and the big bang theory, but then demand strict proof of Creationism before it can be taught.
evolution isn't really a theory. it can be proven through natural selection.
No, we don't require proof. We require the same evidence required for scientific theories. Most people don't want "proof" of the theory of Gravity, but for some reason believe that evolution should be handled differently.
@ Anon: I heard that it was a miss-translation (spelling?) that they would get 60 virgins, and that it only meant 60 pearls
@ Topic: I personally dont believe that the 7 days creationism should be taught in school because untill they have scientifically proven fact that those events happened. If not, it would be unjust to all the scientists who have spent many years of their lives to prove a point.
As for god starting the big bang I think that should just be taught in Religious Schools, Churches, Youth Groups and the like.
In my school we were taught all the theories of human origins. In science classes we were taught Darwinism and in Social classes we learned about creationism. Not only in the Christian view, we learned about all the influent religions. I think that it is important for everyone to know. As a catholic, it gives me a wider view on other religions. But if you’re an atheist, at least you can learn what you’re against.
I think it should be taught in schools, not as fact, but as a belief held by some people. In fact, I don’t believe that any subjects should be avoided in schools, I don’t believe in there being bad knowledge, nor should schools discriminate as to what should and should not be taught. Having said that, there is a practical limit, but that aside I see no reason why it should not be taught.
Frodydude (No.14) If that is your test of what should and should not be taught, then you might consider the fact that there is nothing scientifically proven about how life began either. Some theories and ideas simply have more evidence to support them than others.
I don’t think it would be wrong to teach in schools since children should be given the option to choose what they would like to believe – whether it is fact or not.
Teaching them about things that other people believe doesn’t mean that it is fact.
Should we stop storytime since some books aren’t based on fact?
I also think that separation of church and state is misinterpreted. We use it to mean that religion should never be mentioned in schools, workplaces, etc. However, this is clearly not what our forefathers meant, as many of them were religious men themselves. They only meant that religion had no place in the law.
I’m neither Christian, nor particularly religious myself, however, I have no object to learning Christian ideas of creation, as long as they are taught as such.
@ Me: God is a theory. Gravity is a theory too. Jump off a roof and see which theory trumps which.
God is a hypothesis with zero evidence, gravity is a scientific theory with lots of evidence. Huge difference.
Guys – remember – I am not advocating that it be taught as FACT – I am saying we should teach it just as we teach the history of the flat earth theories, etc.
I think that if it is to be taught in schools, that it should be in a course akin to philosophy. Not only is there the fact that there are many different religions that have their own beliefs about creationism, but each person also has their own beliefs within their religion. Because of this, a course on creationism cannot be properly taught based on fact; rather, an elective course offered to college students and upperclassmen in high schools that compares and contrasts the leading ideas of creationism from a variety of religions with that of science much more appropriate than teaching creationism as an alternative to science. By that time in a student’s career, they would be mature enough to be able to make their own decisions about the big bang/creationism.
Mortal Light: nicely put!
Where I teach, you need special classes to be certified to teach ***** ed. If you want creationism taught in schools, who decides who is “qualified” or “certified” to do so? People need to take classes in their area to be certified for reading or math, etc. What does one take to be certified in Creationism? No. It should not be taught.
Actually, my roommate in college was a Philosophy major with her emphasis in religious studies. She then attained her teaching degree and teaches two elective high school classes, one on religions around the world and one on the history and theories of Islam and how they are affecting the world today. She’s well qualified to teach those classes and went about it the same way someone looking to teach history or social studies etc would, by getting the appropriate education and certifications. THAT is how we would decide who can teach our children, no matter what the subject is.
@me: You seem to be confusing theory with hypothesis. In science a theory has a much more stronger meaning than the meaning given to it in everyday life. In science very few things are consider laws, that the earth goes round the sun is also a theory, theories must, among other things, be falsifiable and testable, not false, untestable, and unquestionable like ID (aka ID).
@topic: I believe religion should be studied and be part of the curriculum of education because it is necessary to understand much of history, literature, and art just as other myths are necessary to study to understand the history, literature, and art of other cultures and times.
meant creationism aka ID
I think it’s very important that children learn of the origin of man as the whittlings of Odin and his brothers (or aspects) Vili and Ve. Or were you revering to the creation myths of the Sumerians? Or any of the numerous North or South American myths? What about African creation myths? What of the Hindi myths? And of course, Western civilization owes most of its culture to Greek and Roman antecedents, so lets include the myth of the gods of Olympus.
Now, I would not be adverse to a comparative religions class being taught as part of the anthropology curriculum, with all these myths and the Christian myth included, but the minute you contend that myths that are unverifiable and contradictory both internally and among themselves, are the equivalent of scientific inquiry into the origin of life, you have lost all pretenses at intellectual rigor.
I agree, Creationism isn’t something that makes any sense being in a science class. But how can you make any sense of history and current events if you don’t understand what drives people to do the things they do. I think Creationism is just the battleground of the larger war about the Bible, namely is it Divinely inspired or just an ancient compilation of short stories. Fundamentalists wouldn’t want to open that can of worms. The debate over Creationism is a very emotional topic in the western world. But it needs to be confronted.
I see no problem with teaching the idea of creationism in Social Studies class, but along with all the other schools of thought. I’m assuming as part of a study in religion.
Isn’t this already done? I’m pretty sure I learned all about different religions in school and their basic ideals.
Other than that, Creationism taught in a science class is a strict no.
I see no problem with teaching the theory of creationism, and yeah, I’m an atheist. I don’t take it as forcing kids to believe in it, it’s just explaining to them another perspective. I wouldn’t see any problem with it being taught alongside the theory of evolution.
But it would make way more sense in a Social Studies class over a science class.
I don’t see why not. I think it’d be interesting to learn about other civilizations views on how things came to be. Like Incas or Egyptians. I’d like to learn about their creationism views. I don’t think it(the class) would only look at the Christian side of creationism. People are acting like it’d be teaching them to believe the bible, instead of what supposedly happen in the bible. Seriously, no big deal at all. Just make it an elective, or choice…
-Kase
I agree pretty much with Jfrater, I understand that it should be taught as a THEORY. Think of it this way. How can you prove the Bible? it’s a book, a very popular one, so it makes sense to educate kids on it, but it’s ridiculous to tell them it’s right. Let them figure it out on their own. It is the responsibility of the educational system to provide opportunities for children. That means that they should be provided with more than one option to choose from (as giving them one option would be ridiculous)and then allowed to decide for themselves. Telling a kid he came from some almighty being who wished him to life and POOF! there he was is ludacris. Religion is not a vital part of every body’s life, so teaching it to everybody if they aren’t willing to accept it is also a bad idea. Religion and education should not mix. That being said, teaching creationism as a theory isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it gives kids a good imagination. All in all, the Bible is one big metaphor, most of it is made up to illustrate a point generated by men who were living in a terrible time period.
It should be taught as science in schools…. in IRAN!
Separation of church and state means nothing in the US?
The problem (stated clearly) is the pressure to teach creationism in parallel with science classes that teach evolution. That’s the debate. The religious right wants science teachers to add a “proviso” that creationism is just a theory and creationism is an equal alternative and competing theory. That’s just plain wrong. Creation belongs no where else than in classes for religious studies. Any reference, no matter how oblique, in the context of science class is not just crossing the line, but completely obliterating the line. There is no more line. It’s a religious state. It’s the state of Iran.
To quote the commenter “Me”-
“You gotta love how people will be all about teaching the theory of evolution and the big bang theory, but then demand strict proof of Creationism before it can be taught.”
People defending creationism say that evolution is just a theory, but they do not understand what a theory really is in scientific terms. Many people get the terms “theory” and “hypothesis” mixed up. A theory is as close to a fact as you can get in scientific terms. Gravity is also just a theory.
No. Absolutely positively not.
Here’s why: Creationism is a scientific theory proposed by a mass of believers that REQUIRES the belief in God in order to be taken seriously. It cannot be taught as a science because you cannot actually test Creationism, thereby making it not a science by scientific standards. Creationism makes claims that evolution is a lie, that man lived with dinosaurs, that the Earth is not some billions of years old, etc. It makes claims based on no evidence whatsoever. Science makes claims based upon observation and evidence. Evolution didn’t become a theory because we magically said “oh, yeah, that happened”. It’s been changing and adapting with new knowledge of decades now.
As for any form of belief system being taught in public schools: no. Here’s why.
Not all of us are Christians, not all of us are Atheists. Unless you are willing to have taught, alongside Christianity, every other major religion in history, with the same seriousness as Christianity, you cannot teach one religion. Sorry. You can’t. If we’re going to include religion into school curriculums beyond historical things (like you know the Crusades or whatever, which are historical events that don’t require you to have a firm grounding in the religion itself to understand) you have to include all of them, at the same level. Just because we have a lot of Christians in this country doesn’t mean we’re all Christian or that we should allow ONLY Christian views to be put into our public schools. Not to mention its a violation of the separation of church and state.
Look, I don’t know what these people are *****ing about. You have church. You have the option to go to church and take your kids there to learn about your religion. You can get a Bible. There’s no reason why you should require everyone to learn about your religion in a school setting. This is, at its most simplist, an attempt to convert the masses, to turn people who otherwise would not be Christians into Christians, which might sound find and dandy for some, but is a violation of a lot of things that should be left to parents. Schools cannot tell us what we can and cannot believe and allowing religion to become entrenched in state funded school systems is the same as endorsing that religion.
Leave it at home. Don’t bring it to school. School is for learning things they’ll need for college or the real world.
SMD:
Creationism is not a scientific theory. It could be described as a “hypothesis” at best. In order for it to be a “theory”, it would need to be repeatedly tested and accepted as a scientific fact.
I went to a Catholic elementary school in Canada, and in Social Studies/Religion we were taught SEVERAL creations stories (Hinduism, etc -to be honest I don’t really remember), as well as parables and traditions from various cultures.
I don’t recall being taught that the 7-day genesis story was actual fact. I never REALLY believed in it the way I never REALLY believed in Santa Claus. I specifically recall having long conversations with my Grade 5 teacher about religious theory, ie – IF we’re not supposed to hate anyone… what about the devil? If the world was created in 7 days why are fossils that we learned about in science class millions of years older than humans? That teacher thought I was a genius, heh.
Honestly, I believed that being exposed to lots of ideas at a young age really opened my mind. Just because something isnt factual, it doesnt mean it doesnt have merit. Has anyone here read Dickens’ Hard Times? The book specifically warns against ***** like this. If you’re going to axe topics like creationism just because it’s “unprovable,” then you might as well send every other liberal art to the guillotine.
I think creationism (Judeo-Christian-Islamic), IF FOR NO OTHER REASON than that it is a popular and influencial belief, should be classes like social studies, AND TO BE FAIR, Hindu, Buddhist, and other influencial world beliefs (perhaps according to region – IE native American) should be taught too. I agree that it should stay out of science class, but I doubt that was where it was planned to be taught anyways.
Creationism and other matters of belief are SOCIAL INFLUENCES, that you see in EVERYDAY LIFE, whether you believe in the myths or not.
edit: … add a “proviso” that evolution is just a theory and creationism ….
I agree. personally, I think creationisms is somewhat stupid. I do believe in evolution. And I think that evolution be taught in Science classrooms, since, it is science. But creationism should NOT be taught in science classrooms and ONLY discussed in social studies/history/humanities courses.
Well, if we teach Creationism (by that I mean the Judeo-Christian version) why should we stop there? In History class we can discuss how Moses parted the Red Sea to allow for the Exodus of the Jews. In Meterology, we can just attribute everything to a vengeful God (do your homework or God will strike thee down with lightning!). Ethics/Philosophy would be totally different…
I get that, at least in America, the majority of the people are some form of Christian. But it’s only fair to include everything/one if we’re going to include one. They now display menorahs and Kwanzaa candles alongside Christmas trees in public places. I think the best solution (it won’t work, though) is to hand out permission slips like with *****-ed.
oops, anyways is not a word
EAL: things that are tested and proven infallible are no longer THEORIES.
SMD: Taught things that they need for college and the real world? I think what you are saying is a grave insult to the theology majors, sociology majors, humanities majors, and not to mention priests of the world. Yes, some people do this sort of thing in their daily lives and DO go to college/university for it.
I forgot to mention – when I got to high school my religion teacher was an irritating fundamentalist. After witnessing his mad ravings, did I become an atheist? No, actually, I stopped believing in the sticky dogma of the church and instead focused on the real values – Respect your mother and father. Love your enemies… Do unto others… you know, the REAL good stuff that while it doesnt make perfect sense, makes me happy.
Did everyone I grew up with walk away from the experience in the way that I did? No. I have friends from my youth who are atheist, agnostic, changed religions, worship the flying spaghetti monster, the works. And yet, people who didnt have the Catholic school experience have the same amount of diversity in their beliefs.
Believe it or not, children are not machines. When they learn something, they do have enough mental faculty to *****yze it. Some might accept it, and some might reject it. I was taught that even teachers make mistakes. I hope every Even teachers make mistakes, and trust me, children know that.
Oh, and BOOBIES.
i know my last sentence didnt make sense – just cut out the “I hope every” in the beginning
I think so, I agree with you jfrater. As long as it’s taught as a theory i cant see why it shouldn’t be taught.. give children options and facts about all the arguments and let them make up their own minds rather then telling them what to believe.
Of course not. Creationism is religious dogma, not science. The only time the issue should even come up outside of a comparative religion course in high school, is during the holiday season. I remember learning about Passover, Ramadan and various other important holy days during the Christmas/New Year season. For the express purpose of teaching the predominantly white, christian students that our beliefs are not shared by the rest of the world. Differences were celebrated not berated. A big difference between that and offering creationism as science and as an alternative to biology/evolution.
I frankly am dumbfounded at the fact that this is even an issue in the 21st century. ‘Tis a pity, that.
To add to the seeming concensus of the group.
No, creationism is religion, not science, and as such as no place in a science room. (Just as wicca paganism has no place in a horticulture course). It’s more than welcome in study of religion or even philosophy.
The problem with evolution is that it is heresy. Galileo had a theory about the earth revolving around the sun, but it was just a theory until the church officially backs down.
If the religion you choose, and choose for your children, does not allow a certain activity – then it is up to you to leave the science room.
Schools are a preparation for higher learning and future careers. Learning creationism in high school is going to be very limiting for any children intending to grow up to be biologists.
How are they going to get their doctorate when they don’t understand the basic principles of biological adaptation?
It is unlawful in this country to teach Creationism as a hypothesis of the origin of life in public schools. The Supreme Court decided this in the mid-80s, I think. ID is just more of the same, and a federal court in Pennsylvania has held as much. I doubt ID would make it to the Supreme Court, but it would almost certainly meet the same fate.
As for teaching it in Social Studies, as a kind of cultural awareness, I don’t see the point. Many students learn about it in Sunday School, many others know about it anyway, and it’s not going to make anyone happy.
Let sleeping dogs lie, and let religious theories be taught by religious authorities in religious schools–exclusively.
jackit-
gravity is still a “theory”, but I bet you’d consider it infallible.
# 50 ndat said “As for teaching it in Social Studies, as a kind of cultural awareness, I don’t see the point. Many students learn about it in Sunday School, many others know about it anyway, and it’s not going to make anyone happy”
Ndat how do you know this? Do you know what every student is aware of when they come to school?
What jfrater is suggesting is really the more open minded and liberal view of things.
He is just suggesting all beliefs be mentioned and not taught in science class or as a fact.
It just seems to me that some of the same people that call creationist narrow-minded are the same people that are not open-minded about any hint of creationism being mentioned in schools. What’s the big deal evrybody?
Jfrater were on the same page. I just gave a speech last semester advocating the same idea, that it shouldn’t be taught as fact or against evolution or in a science class room, be taught along w/ other religions and beliefs as a World Religion class. People still hated me for that idea, when all i did was glorify it by putting it in its own class than a 4 minute speech alongside evolution.
Regardless, even doing that would be a sign of good faith.
I don’t go storming into churches demanding evolution be taught along side of creationism. If you want your child to be taught about that go to church. Last time i checked, you can sit there for an hour several times a week if you like and learn about it, not to mention sunday school.
Science has nothing to do with God. Since creationism (especially the literal interpretation of genesis brand) is not science in any way shape or form, It should not be part of science studies. If it’s going to be taught in school, it needs to be part of optional religious studies.
Absolutely yes. I think many people are missing jfrater’s argument. To teach it as fact is ludicrous, as is teaching it as an ‘alternative’ to evolution. However, to educate children about the extremely weak arguments creationists employ is to do them a great service. In no way should it be taught in a science class room, however to deny educating children about a subject that a sizable minority of people believe in stems their understanding about how weak the creationist argument is.
In regards to people who keep saying ‘evolution is a theory’; yes and no. Evolution is a fact, just as gravity is. However, a theory is not a ‘guess’; it is a series of arguments intended to interpret facts! Evolution is the fact, natural selection is the theory. Gravity is the fact, the geometric bending of space-time is the theory. Get the point? In no way is evolution a ‘guess’; it is a process of mutation that occurs throughout life, explained and contextualized by the theory of natural selection.
I agree that the idea of creationism should be taught in a social studies class, but at upper levels. At early stages of grade school, children are impressionable enough to take anything taught as fact. I support evolutionary fact, but I wholeheartedly agree with the right for parents to have/not have their children learn certain controversial items. Evolution is a fact, and so it should always be taught, but parents should be given advance notice and be allowed the opportunity to excuse their student from class.
Creationism should be taught as a view point in a social studies class only at the high school level, as by that point students are mature enough to sort fact from opinion.
Do not get me wrong, I respect all religions, but I believe the root of many conflicts is the teaching of personal views to young children, I see it as a form of brainwashing.
Most of these comments I glanced over are unreadable to me because they are ignorant and pathetically misinformed. Some completely jumped to the falacy(sp) that creationism should be taught as fact in schools. This is not what the author intended the topic to be about; what he said was that creationism should be taught in schools as the belief system of groups of people. Just like we were taught that ancient Egyptians had a polytheistic religion.
Most of these comments I glanced over are unreadable to me because they are ignorant and pathetically misinformed. Some completely jumped to the falacy(sp) that creationism should be taught as fact in schools. This is not what the author intended the topic to be about; what he said was that creationism should be taught in schools as the belief system of groups of people. Just like we were taught that ancient Egyptians had a polytheistic religion. All of that being said, I agree in a general sense that creationism should be taught in public schools to give kids at least a perspective of the belief structure or their own parents’ beliefs.
Christianity: in the beginning there was an ultimate being that created everything.
Atheism: in the beginning there was nothing. Which exploded.
Take this how you like. To me the first seems more believable, but take it how you like.
I’m a christian, but i don’t think of it as a religion. I think it is a relationship with my creator.
Maybe it shouldn’t be taught in schools, to stop people forming opinions of each other’s religious beliefs, and if a teacher conveys the subject incorrectly, they could put across the wrong idea, and potentially cause offence.
My opinion is that the theory of Evolution should not be taught as fact.
Genesis 19. Read it, and you’ll see why the bible shouldn’t be taught as fact (atleast not the crazy parts).