For those who believe in teaching creationism in schools?

Question

If you believe in teaching Creationism in schools do you beleive that it should only be the Christian creationism. Not everyone in America is Christian, should we include their creationism accounts in teaching also?

Also, would you be for or against teaching other religions (not promoting) then your own to a Social Studies class? More to teach the intigration of regligion into a culture rather then teaching the religion by itself. Just the basics, the fundimentals and the principals.

I will welcome answers from both sides of the spectrum, just please tell me why or why not.
Thanks for your time.

I recently went into a rural Ohio school and taught the basics of Islam to high school seniors. I was not surprised by their ignorance because it was the school that I graduated from and when I went to college I was competely in the dark.
I also taught college students the basics of the Wiccan religion and even the hardcore Christian Republican in my class mentioned that she appriciated hearing the truth about the religion although she still disagreed with the practice of it.

I am a Pagan and am working towards my Master's in Education. I hope to teach a class on World Religions along with my Social Studies and History classes. I was just wondering how others veiwed this. I would not be teaching Creationism in Science class, but in Social Studies.

Peace!

Answer 1

I think that any religious activity in school should include all of the religions in America. Paganism, Muslim, Christianity, Hinduism, Taoism, etc. If we did not do that, then it is not fair. It is not right to exclusively teach one method of 'creation' despite how one feels. This is a country of equality, and everything should be approached that way.

Answer 2

I think that logically the world had to be created. We know that something cannot come from nothing (of course then there's the question of where did God come from....I don't know) I think it would only be fair to teach creationism and so called "big bang." Really they both coincide with eachother. a couple years ago, I would have been concerned with whether or not the "Christian God" was the one being taught. But now, I don't really care. God is God regardless of name. I think to teach both sides would be fair, because then eventually over time, the kids would think about it and make the decisions for themselves. I think that is what's important.

As far as other religions (basic principles and differences) being taught in social studies, I think that would be a wonderful idea because then it would teach relgious tolerance. It would be unbiased and give the different viewpoints. There's nothing wrong with learning about other religions, whether you decide to believe in it or not, the least it will do is open up doors to knowledge, and really that's what we're after when it comes to our children. Teach them knowledge so that they can function in society. Wouldn't it be great if people understood the major religions of the world and not jump to conclusions because they don't understand?

Answer 3

If other belief systems could explain the scientific evidence within their worldview, then certainly. However, I don't think anyone should be forced to teach creation. I do think teachers should be allowed to teach the problems with evolution. Whenever a teacher has tried to do that, they've gotten in trouble for teaching religion. How is teaching the problems with an idea religious?

Kids should hear the pros and cons for evolution, particularly since the cons refute the possibility of evolution. Like life being able to come from nonlife without intelligent direction, that never happens, it's never been observed. So, they assume it without proof. Kids should hear about that, but they don't bc evolutionists go up in arms about religion even though all that happened was the teacher said evolution has problems.

Answer 4

My high school science teacher (many years ago) took about ten minutes one day to say that not everyone agrees with evolution (it is a theory, after all) and there are other theories. He then mentioned a couple different ones, we briefly discussed them, and then went on to study evolution in that class. Worked just fine for me.
I think that it would be useful for this conversation to make a difference between creationism and intelligent design. Creationism is generally the Christian concept found in Genesis. Intelligent design states that something created everything, but does not state who. In a school setting, I would be fine with mentioning Intelligent design, but not creationism.
Intelligent design proponents are not just Christian (though certainly many are). There are scientists and others that feel that something other than a big bang had to be around to create everything, but are not Christians or followers of any faith. Just people with questions, like most of us.
In my social studies classes, we did study religions other than our own. Our teacher said that since most of us already are familiar with the basics of Christianity (I grew up in rural MN where most went to church) we would skip that chapter and focus more on the other major world religions. Seems appropriate to me.

Answer 5

They very well could. Do you know that you can sum up creationism in a couple sentences?
In the Beginning, God made the world and everything in it. This is how the world started. Oh the humanity!!!
I just taught creationism. It was like this when I went to school, THIS is all we were ever told, we were left to find out the rest for ourselves.

Answer 6

I would not be against teaching samplings from other religions as kind of a "here's what some people believe" kind of thing. I am not opposed to teaching differing views on the origins of the earth and of mankind. What I am opposed to is teaching that one view is wrong because another view is right when neither view has a complete, undeniable proof as being correct.

Answer 7

when i was in school, i did study different stories of creation, in 4th we learned about the native americans and their beliefs in 5th i learned about Hindu culture, 6th grade they do all the Egyptian beliefs and in 10th they do all the Greek believes and the whole time we are taught science, biology etc. They stick in my mind cause i remember doing all those class projects. but i was never once taught about Jesus or creation as explained in Geniuses in school from any class.

so yes it should absolutely be taught. Ignorance is the weapon dictators use to control their people.

Answer 8

If public schools are going to teach evolution as a theory, then they should also teach creationism as a theory. It is up to the parents to teach the children otherwise.

Answer 9

I think it is sick that anyone would subject a child to this hocus pocus nonsense. I for one would be outraged if my child were exposed in a PUBLIC setting. Go to church. Turn the little church going children into zombies. Leave my kids out of it. Also I do not want my tax dollars going to such quackery.