Culture war. Will Genesis (Intelligent Design) be taught in Public High Schools? Where do you side?

Question

In response to one of my earlier questions, it was correctly answered that America is in a culture war.

This is most visible here on yahoo answer as a fight between Fundamentalist Christian and Atheist, in trying to ask questions to "score points" off one another's side.

My question is, for the non-fundamentalist Christians non-Atheists, where do you side, and why? (Not in the petty yahoo answers fight where people mock one another with such immaturity that Jesus himself is spinning in his grave)

But in the context of the Culture war, where do you stand?

Evolution vs Intelligent Design in the Public School

Stem Cell Research

Abortion

Gay Marriage

These are just a few of the issues that stem from an agenda of the Religious Right.

Answer 1

Evolution vs Intelligent Design in the Public School

We don't need pseudo science in our schools. ID is a joke.


Stem Cell Research

Why are we lagging behind Korea? This area of research is going to open many many doors in medicine.



Abortion

Choice Choice Choice...

Is there any other choice?



Gay Marriage

Why not? Is there a problem with this?



Okay I'm biased. I have a Ph.D. in Biochemistry and I'm a Pagan. Are my answers all that surprising?

Pax,

Pabs

Answer 2

I am not a Christian but I will voice my opinion on these issues.

Evolution vs. Creationism:
Clearly, not every American is Christian, therefore Christian beliefs are not the only beliefs that should be taught in public schools. I don't see why any religious beliefs should be taught in public schools, really. It is school, not church. Children go to school to grow intellectually, not spiritually. As far as Creationism or Intelligent Design being taught in school my opinion is that it should only be taught as an elective (optional) Religion class, not in Science. If Evolution has been proven as scientific fact, then it should be taught in Science classes in Public Schools. It would be terribly wrong to deny the youth the truth in order to appease Christians. The bottom line is religion should not be taught in school unless the child volunatarily chooses to elect such a class. This is why we have separation of Church and State. The Church should not guide government decisions.

Stem Cell Research:
I don't have a strong opinion on the subject nor am I informed enough about the subject in order to debate it so I will leave that one alone.

Abortion:
This is obviously a very controversial subject. While I believe that Abortion IS morally wrong and I personally consider it murder, I belive it SHOULD be legal. Although I believe it is wrong, there are certain cases in which it may be necessary. (For example if pregnancy puts both the mother and child at risk of dying). Also, if abortion were outlawed, many women would still perform (or have performed) illegal abortions. As a result, the child and/or mother may still wind up dying, disfigured, etc.

Gay Marriage:
I believe it is the right of an American Citizen to marry whoever they please, man or woman. Opposing homosexuality is a Chrisitan belief and, like I stated previously, laws should not be based alone on the Christian faith. It causes no harm to heterosexual married couples if homosexuals are allowed to marry. It is wrong to deny them that right. Need I bring up Separation of Church and State again? Just because Christians find it morally wrong does not mean the whole nation agrees or that it should be outlawed because Christians don't believe in it. I find it outrageous that on an issue such as this, that Christianity and Christian beliefs would be a deciding factor in the government's decision. It harms none for gays to be married and does not 'redefine the definition of marriage' according to law.

Answer 3

Ok. There is evidence one can site in favour of evolution, from a scientific point of view. Therefore it is perfectly justifiable to teach it in schools (like the theory of gravity, theory of relativity and all the other theories that science is based on).

There is no evidence for the events mentioned in Genesis ever occurring. It strikes me as slightly odd to teach children something which, by the burden of proof, is almost certainly (as certain as one can be) untrue.

I really don't see how there can even be an argument.



NOTE: I noticed you suggested that Jesus was spinning in his grave. I thought Christians were supposed to believe that he ascended to heaven after 40 days wandering the earth after being resurrected. Or maybe I was wrong to assume you were a Christian. Apologies if I jumped to an incorrect conclusion.

Answer 4

Evolution vs Intelligent Design in the Public School -- If they want to teach ID, they need to give equal time to ALL ideas of what that Designer is, not just the versions that they like. There are as many creation myths as there are cultures and religions.

Stem Cell Research -- in favor of. Knowledge is good.

Abortion -- Pro-choice. The decision is to be made by those who are affected by it, not by some idiot with a picket sign who wants to tell everyone else how to live.

Gay Marriage -- Very vehemently in favor of (I'm straight, BTW). The ability to marry should be permitted to those who are affected by it, not by some idiot with a picket sign who wants to tell everyone else how to live.

And if they want to talk about the "sanctity of marriage" they need to address the damage that heterosexuals have done to it first. 50%+ divorce rate? Rampant infidelity? People who are on their third/fourth/fifth marriage? Marriages that last 55 hours before being annulled? Oh yeah, THERE'S "sanctity" for ya.

Answer 5

You make a false assumption that Genesis is Intelligent Design.

Intelligent Design is simply a political ploy created by militant religonists to get creationism taught in public schools. There is no actual Intelligent Design theory, it is a myth.

Answer 6

i think high school/college should teach a course called "hey, we dont really know where we came from , maybe God or maybe not... but probably God."



oh those poor biology teachers who have to teach evolution and try to pass it off as 100% scientific fact.



like you have given up completly on Christianity i have given up 110% on evolution. its just not possible.


id good
stemcells good
abortion not very good
gay marriage , everybody marry!

Answer 7

There is nothing scientific about Genesis. We have no reason to teach it in Science classes. God gave us evolution, and so few people appreciate it.

Answer 8

I would like to see what the "I.D." texts would be!

If it comes from you average christian, why bother?