Does someone have to correct creationists, regarding the science of creation?

Question

Respectfully speaking, not an attack on religion, but regarding what is taught in a public school,

does someone need to tell creationists and intelligent design proponents, to put up or shut up?

Everyone would agree that Evolution is a Theory and should not be taught as a fact, pro-evolution literature that I have says it is being taught incorrectly in 75% of classes. This is wrong wrong wrong and comes from pro-evolution literature.

Should it be taught as a Theory not as a fact? Yes. And to the creationists, does someone need to tell them put up or shut up with what scientific evidence do you have?

Someone has to do it, the Flying Spaghetti Monster maybe isn't illustrating the point, maybe jim_darwin isn't illustrating the point, who will? Who can?

Answer 1

Regarding the fundamental creationists that believe the Bible as literal fact and put no stock in the logic of evolution, yes.

I believe that God's creation and the theory of evolution as we understand it go hand in hand; that God created this process.

Answer 2

The fact is that the only way evolution could be proved is if we observe the evolution of a species to an entirely new species over the course of a million years. This is impossible (at least with our current methods), and so evolution stands as a theory.

The fact is that the theory of evolution is an admitted theory. A creationist will say that the Bible is proof in itself. To each their own, but the issue here is what should be taught in the science classroom. The scientific method has been well defined, and what it offers are natural explanations rather than supernatural. This is how science has progressed throughout our time on earth, from the invention of the lightbulb, to the discovery of DNA.

Answer 3

Should "scientific evidence" be well defined so we can be sure to throw out anything like ancient documents from eyewitnesses?
Should stories and information passed down through the ages be totally ignored?

Meanwhile we can go dig up an ancient bone, notice it resembles a slightly less ancient bone and say "Hey...look, proof of evolution." Yet, another person looks at the same evidence and says, "Look, proof both were designed by a common creator, so they are similar."

But the fact remains that numerous scientists believe that the evidence supporting any origin theory is lacking, and ANY theory is found wanting of suitable evidence.

So the prevalent best supported theories should be taught as such.

If there is similarity over the ages between species, then certainly this could lead to a theory that an evolution occurred. Or it could lead to a theory that a creator that created the one, created another of similar design.

So the conclusion of the matter is that all the evidence has not yet been discovered or considered, and that neither creation nor evolution have been disproved nor proved.

So the final answer is that we do not know.

So present both sides of the conversation, let the observer decide to accept on, the other, or neither. And do not throw out any of the evidence that supports either side. Consider the bones, consider the fossil record, consider the opinions of the learned, consider the documents and handed down tenets of faith and antiquity.

Can the fossil record be misinterpreted? Why sure. Has been over and over. Just look at the "scientific" inconsistencies on whether mankind and dinosaurs coexisted. Look at the history of dragons (based almost purely by scientists interpretting bones of dinosaurs and declaring "there be dragons.")

Can religion be wrong? Why sure. Has been over and over.

So both science and religion are complementary facets of the same diamond, but the diamond as a whole is not yet clearly seen...how beautiful it will be when we do see it in its glory.

Answer 4

Evolution is established by evidence. It is not a theory. The Theory of Evolution is meant to explain how evolution happened, not whether it happened. The problem here comes from people not being taught how to distinguish between the scientific definitions of 1) an hypothesis - a single assertion to be tested, and 2) a theory - a system within which established facts are organized for the sake of explanation. Many dictionaries confound this problem by giving poor definitions that allow for confusion, based on vernacular meanings without pointing out the very strict meanings of these words in science.

Answer 5

I'm not sure why anyone needs to shut up. Sounds like no one has any proof that they are right and everyone else is wrong.

I don't think public schools need to get way into the specifics of any religious beliefs regarding creation. When teaching children about how the universe, all creatures, and human beings came into existence, it seems like the most reasonable thing to do would be to teach the various scientific theories, stressing that they are theories and not proven, and then also mention that some people have religious views that a god or gods created the universe and all creatures including human beings.

I don't think a science class is really the place to get into comparative religion. I think here in Southern California it tends to get covered in middle school social studies.

Answer 6

Evolution should be taught as theory, as it is only theory where only parts have been proved and parts have been disproved. I was never taught that it was absolute set in stone fact.

The problem I think is with the word theory which is the correct scientific usage. For either end of the spectrum if it isn't concrete fact it doesn't wash.. theory to them seems like fence sitting. However, those that think that don't understand the true nature of science and that science is ever-growing and ever-changing; much like a human being.

Answer 7

Creationists have the same evidence as evolutionists, they simply interpret the evidence differently based on their axioms, assumptions they make about the world. Creationists assume the Bible is the word of God, evolutionists assume it isn't, and take the assumption of uniformitarianism. They assume the processes going on today, have gone on at the same rate ever since their inception. This is a reasonable assumption, but it isn't necessarily right. If something, like a global flood, changed the landscape very fast, depositing thousands of layers of dirt every few minutes, and we measured it later, when one layer was being made every year, it would appear the Earth was very old, when in fact, many of those layers were put down in a few minutes. Different assumptions lead to different conclusions about the same evidence.

Answer 8

The thing about evolution is that you don't have to prove it wrong it proves its self wrong and has been proven wrong.Now the thing about God , Jesus's Dad .It tells an old story about how He created everything and no one ever has been able to prove it wrong , not even the evolutionist.You said yourselve that evolution is a theory and not a proven fact.You even think its its wrong .So read Genesis 1 and 2 and see if you can prove it wrong . God said that there would be those who "Professing themselves to be wise,they became fools"Romans 1:22 and sure enough the Bible is true once again, that why I believe it and not man.

Answer 9

Yes. They definitely need to put up or shut up. Shut up would be better... because there is absolutely no way they can put up evidence to prove such a thing. I mean, how the hell are they going to create something out of nothing to prove it?

As for evolution being taught wrong in classes, that's probably because most of their textbooks are over 5 yrs old... and new information is being found all the time and published. My 16 yr old knows more about it than his own textbook. Now that's sad...

Answer 10

Evolution is theory. Accepted because there is no scientific evidence to have proof positive.

Now, it is a respected norm to keep written data to show a process and keep records to justify claims.

Why is the Bible thrown out?

Isn't it a document?