An ancient Chinese myth tells us that everything started in chaos. The universe was like a black egg. The god Pan Gu, breaks the egg and the heavens begin to expand. The fleas and lice on Pan Gu's body evolve into humankind.
Why not teach this? It's not that far from scientific data?
2007-07-19 15:04:32 · 42 answers · asked by JWill 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Chriszchris: False dilemma much?
2007-07-19 15:08:40 · update #1
Nice one. But you would also have to include All (even Abrahamic) creationism. By that time, kids would be well into their 30's and still in the 8th grade.
Otherwise, I don't really object.... Much.
2007-07-19 15:09:54 · answer #1 · answered by mikalina 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Schools don't seem to like any form of religion being taught or talked about.
I had an english teacher last year who wasn't christian but wanted to go over some stories in the bible simply because of the writing structure. But it's too taboo.
That's an interesting story although I disagree with it and don't think it's that close to scientific except for the part about the expantion.
2007-07-19 15:09:00 · answer #2 · answered by Saskia R 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Why not teach about Pan Gu? Pan Gu sounds a lot more scientific that Adam & Eve. Why insult those students who are not Christian (Atheists, Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, Wiccans...) with a one-sided story?
It ultimately has something to do with separation of Church & State...one of those constitutional rules which seem to get overlooked with greater frequency each passing day.
2007-07-19 15:10:28 · answer #3 · answered by blinky 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Absolutely they could teach creationism in terms of a "creation myth..." along with stories such as "Pan Gu" or the "Origin of the Seasons." The myth of Creation and the Adam and Eve story is a beautiful story.
Creationism, on the other hand, is not a story. It is what people try to equate as a "scientific theory," even though it does not meet any of the prerequisites. Therefore, it cannot be taught as a science.
2007-07-19 15:07:42 · answer #4 · answered by Diana Hussain 4 · 6⤊ 3⤋
You are absolutely correct.
If we are going to start including Creation Myths in science class, then we certainly should include all, not just the christian one.
Unfortunately, most people on this question, didn't even read your creation myth you wanted taught.
However, I do think we need to keep science as science. But it would be nice to include a philosophy class, or beliefs of the world class. This is where you can give equal time to all creation myths, by all the religions, without bias...
2007-07-19 15:16:28 · answer #5 · answered by Sapere Aude 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋
That Chinese myth isn't creationism, nor is it science. Science explains things based on factual evidence. Creationism is based on faith and belief systems. It is a Chinese myth to describe the beginning of the world as we know it, nothing more, nothing less.
I think it's COMPLETELY fine to teach a class on faith and the world's different belief systems in our schools, as long as it is objective and NOT pushing one particular ideal onto our country's children.
However, it is up to an individual (child), and perhaps that individual's (child's) family, to decide what belief system, if any, they wish to have faith in. It should NEVER be decided by the school system.
2007-07-19 15:10:41 · answer #6 · answered by life is good 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I agree if you're going to teach Christian creationism then you should also be teaching all aspects and theories. There is no justification to think it can only be evolution or Christian creationism exclusively. But you also said that it's not that far from scientific data.
Actually it is. You, like most people that sponsor creationism in schools, don't understand what science is.
Science (from the Latin scientia, 'knowledge') is a system of acquiring knowledge based on the SCIENTIFIC METHOD.
The SCIENTIFIC METHOD is a body of techniques for investigating phenomena and acquiring new knowledge, as well as for correcting and integrating previous knowledge. It is based on gathering OBSERVABLE, EMPIRICAL and MEASURABLE EVIDENCE subject to specific principles of REASONING,the collection of data through OBSERVATION and EXPERIMENTATION, and the FORMULATION AND TESTING OF HYPOTHESIS.
Evolution falls under this definition, creationism does not.
I have no problem teaching creationism in public schools if it is done in a theology or world religion class. But it should not be taught in a science class because it is not science.
2007-07-19 15:13:55 · answer #7 · answered by Mitchell . 5 · 1⤊ 3⤋
Can you imagine a creationism exam if it were taught in school?
Q.Where did all the languages came form?
A. God did it
Q. Explain how rain falls from the sky?
A. God causes it to rain so we can grow food. God did it!
Q. Write an essay about how mountains formed?
A. God did it
Wow billy you got a 100. Good Job.
2007-07-19 15:14:59 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
good question. why teach one and not the other everybody doesn't believe in evolution but yet we are forced to learn. even if people don't believe in creationism..it's not a bad thing to be educated about the topic. i dont know much about pan gu..but hey..I'm willing to learn about the subject.
2007-07-19 15:12:32 · answer #9 · answered by Ms. Lady 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
It's not science, it's religion. Religion doesn't belong in a secular school. Yes, it IS far from scientific data. It's the opposite of scientific data. It's faith, which means that it has no foundation in fact at all.
atheist (THINK)
2007-07-19 15:12:48 · answer #10 · answered by AuroraDawn 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋