What can scientists and science advocates do to educate creationists?

Question

The problem seems to grow and grow. When parents begin lobbying that religious beliefs be taught in science classrooms you have to admit the system is failing (has failed) somewhere. It also seems that these people have convinced themselves that creation is true and evolution is false. Not only this they display a fundamental misunderstanding of what evolution really is, lumping things like the big bang into the theory along with statements like "man came from monkeys." It also seems that they are mostly unwilling to accept an actual education on the subject.

How can we educate those who need it so badly?

OOps, meant to post this in the Science section... oh well, you guys have at it too.

Answer 1

I think one of the things we can do is appeal to their self-interest. A person who cannot see the logic and rationality of evolution is not going to be equipped to get a decent education in a real college (not a Bible College), is not going to be able to get a good job, have a viable career with which to support a family.

But there is real brainwashing going on here. One statistic quoted in the movie "Jesus Camp" is that 75% of the home-schooled children are fundamentalists. That is, their parents are teaching them how to answer questions regarding such issues as creationism, abortion, global warming, and so on in a way that defies rational evidence. They are using creationist textbooks, faith-based social studies and civics textbooks, and preparing these kids for a lifetime of confrontation.

My biggest hope is that when they get to be teen-agers, their hormones will nudge them into rejecting the rigid religion in which they were raised, and all those cute little fluffy-bunnie witch girls will show them what biology is all about.

Answer 2

Creationism (if you believe the Biblical account) espouses a supernatural being that created the world and universe and all that lies therein while evolution teaches a wholly natural cause for the beginnings of the universe and natural processes for life to have started and evolved into higher and higher life forms with no external supernatural intervention....the two are diametrically opposed, either one or the other is true and correct. Some believe that God used evolution in his creation method but Biblically, it doesn't hold water...Man was "made" on the sixth day of creation in Genesis in "God's image" --not evolved over millions of years of gradual processes from a common ancestor with apes. Also, there is no observable scientific justification to believe that life can start on it's own, either here on earth or anywhere else in the universe, which totally shoots down the evolution theory on this planet from a starting point----if someone could start the life process in a lab, it would have been done by now and the creationist's would have to accept it but it hasn't because it's impossible to have 20 left-handed- only amino acids---which all living creatures have exclusively--- form in the presence OR absence of an oxygen atmosphere and formation in water is ruled out because of hydrolysis which breaks apart chemical bonds not joins them. The only logical alternative is there MUST have been a creator. God we know as Jesus would be my choice. Prove me wrong. Start life somehow from a chemical soup and lightning.

Answer 3

LOL, yeah...OOPS!!

Hun, if you truly are serious, the first step would be to forget trying to convince us that evolution MUST be accepted INSTEAD of faith in God.
Bad approach.
Now, if you were willing to concede that evolution could be something a Creator set into motion, you'd get more positive response.
If you were willing to accept that there just might be OTHER answers...I guarantee you, you'd quiet the "fundies" and get an overwhelming response from most of the rest of Christianity.

Surprisingly enough, I totally agree with you...religious beliefs have no place in a science class. Science has no business trying to take God's place, either.
However, I see nothing wrong with a class on World Religions being taught...I have no problem exposing Christian boys and girls to other modes of thought...even Atheism.
I only wish more Atheists were as open-minded and had as much faith in their kids...

And then we wonder why American kids seem to have so many problems growing up....
*shakes her head sadly*

Answer 4

As much as I would LOVE to make them see the other side of the picket fence, it's that old proverb saying you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink, ya know? Educate the children, then when the old ones go bye-bye, the younger generation, who may still be Christian, will at least have a fundamental understanding of the subject, so that they will not clump it into one, as you say most do....

Answer 5

You're question is so vague as to be almost incoherent.

First, you have not specified what you want creationists to be educated in. Are you trying to say that you want us to be taught that evolution is absolutely, positively true, beyond the shadow of a doubt, and that any theory of the origins of life that is in any way contrary to Darwin automatically renders its adherents babbling lunatics? Or what, specifically?

I'm not aware of any parents "lobbying that religious beliefs be taught in science classrooms". Can you give me an example? Or, perhaps, what you're referring to is parents begging and pleading boards of education to please, pretty please, let us at least give our children slight, veiled hints that maybe, just possibly, perhaps, there are other explanations for the origin of life? And that the theory of evolution is not entirely, completely bullet-proof, that there might possibly be just a slight difficulty here and there, maybe, perhaps? (Answer: NO! You will teach the accepted dogma, in its entirety, without giving any hint of any problems or difficulties in proving the theory, or possible alternative theories, whatsoever, AND LIKE IT!)

I don't doubt that some creationists are ignorant. Geez, let's face it, the majority of Americans are ignorant on practically every subject of any substance, INCLUDING religion (and when you're talking about scientists, ESPECIALLY religion).

If it seems that "these people have convinced themselves that creation is true and evolution is false", it seems equally true that YOU people have convinced YOURSELVES that evolution is true -- utterly, dogmatically true -- and creation is false.

But guess what? It's your side that has the power over the classroom, the power to squelch any viewpoint it disagrees with, in its entirety, on pain of firing. So I don't see what you have to complain about.

Answer 6

I've basically reached the conclusion that you can't teach the people who need to be taught.

The nuttiest of religious lunatics still makes sense to himself. And, really, if a person is ready to believe that all of science is an organized attempt on the part of Satanists to discredit religion, or whatever, there's really nothing left to say. The more reasonable your arguments, the more diabolical the deceit of Satan, and after all, "The carnal mind is enmity against God."

I'm equally irredeemable from their POV; and I find their arguments just as ridiculous. There's no common ground between us for an intellectual discussion. What's wrong with having religious-oriented private schools, and secular public schools, like we have now? Or just home-school your kids and teach them whatever nonsense you like.

Answer 7

The old saying "You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink" just about sums up their stubbornness. They have their belief and there is no way they are going to allow them to be challenged. Not only that but the harder you try, the more adamant they get. One possible way to break through this is to educate from within. Someone that they respect and will listen to could possible get through to them.

Answer 8

create a religion class for social studies credit. they do it in the international highschool its called values and beliefs. it teaches about different religions and their fundamentals but it doesnt force it on them. like in biology class they dont force you to believe in evolution adn in physics they dont force you to believe it just to hear it because its one opinion. it makes you a more well rounded person.

this put religion in schools is **** becasue it goes aganist the constitution. make it an optional class that doesnt force anything then it will be okay.

we could just torture the crationists untill they submit. they all seem to like their christianity and thats how christians did it for hundreds of years to make people believe their religion. time to teach them how it feels.

rape their women kill thier children force them to work adn accept what we want. they did it to the celts the nords the native americans the aztecs the taoists the africans and many many more over the past 1500 years

Answer 9

Don't know why Americans are so freaking religious. Can you name another developed country that it as religious as those people?

Simpsons quote :

Homer (captaining the Mayflower): Don't worry, Marge! I'll see to it that all you fundamentalist Christians live to take over all of America by the 21st century!

Answer 10

Because the theory of evolution is just that: a theory, not a fact. Macro evolution is based on presuppositions of the past (theoretically billions of years old) which no scientist can measure or duplicate in a laboratory. Evolution doesn't hold water and there are too many holes in this theory of the explanation of how humans became human.