Is it really fair?

Question

I'm not sure if anyone has thought of this before, but in my opinion I believe it really isn't fair that evolution is taught in schools but creation isn't. They say that they won't teach creation in schools because they don't want to offend anyone. The problem is that they are offending christians by teaching evolution in schools. If they really don't want to offend anybody then why don't they either teach both in schools or not teach either of them. If they teach both at school then it would give everybody all the info they need to know and give them the chance to choose what they want to believe. Or if they didn't even teach either of them in schools then it would not offend anyone and it could give everyone a chance to choose outside of school from friends, family, and can choose with their own opinion. So just out of curiosity what is your opinion on this subject. I am not trying to start any big arguments, but I'm just wanting to know everybody's opinion, whether you agree or not.

Answer 1

>"They say that they won't teach creation in schools because they don't want to offend anyone."

No, no, no... just absolutely WRONG!

It has NOTHING to do with "offending" anyone!

They don't teach creation in public schools for the same reason they don't teach Bible study

... BECAUSE IT IS RELIGION!!!

Since public school curricula are determined by the State, to pass a law saying that a *particular* religion (like a literal interpretation of the Judeo-Christian version of the creation story from the Book of Genesis) should be taught in public schools would be the state making a law respecting the establishment of religion ... and there is a little thing called the First Amendment that says "The State SHALL NOT ..."

It is NOT about "offending" anyone.

It's that pesky Constitution!

And why *is* evolution taught in schools. Because we have *SCIENCE* in school ... in which students are given a basic introduction to the main theories accepted by modern science. And evolution is one of those main theories. Evolution is as central to Biology as the theory of gravity is to Astronomy, or theory of atoms is to physics, or the theory of molecules is to Chemistry, or the theory of plate tectonics is to Geology. To avoid discussing evolution in Biology class would be like trying to avoid discussing molecules in Chemistry class!

To advocate the creation should be taught in addition to evolution *in science class* is a double-whammy ... failing to understand what Science is in *addition* to the Constitution.

>"The problem is that they are offending christians by teaching evolution in schools."

What is offensive is saying that those fundamentalists who are "offended" by evolution speak for "Christians" ... much less that this offense should dictate what *ALL* students should and should not learn.

It is a LIE that you have been told that all, or even most, Christians are "offended" by evolution. The Catholic church ... the denomination of over half of the world's 2 billion Christians ... has formally stated that there is NO conflict between evolution and faith.

And over 11,000 Christian *clergy members* have signed the Clergy Letter Project in support of evolution.

Please read it. It's rather beautiful, and very short (only 2 paragraphs). And it points to a path by which good Christian people like yourself do NOT have to wage a false and unnecessary war against Science.
http://www.butler.edu/clergyproject/religion_science_collaboration.htm

Answer 2

Wow, box of worms you are opening there.

background: I am a christian, I am a scientist, and I used to be a biology teacher.

Why can't we teach creation? The problem with teaching creation is that not all Christian religions even agree on how creation should be taught. For example, does 7 days litterally mean 7 days? How literal is the bible exactly? If the Christian faiths can't agree, how do you expect everyone to agree. Add to that all of the non-Christian religions and all the people who don't even want God mentioned in front of their children.

Why they have to teach evolution? Evolution is not a religious belief. It a scientific theory which has a vast amount of evidence to back it up. Though many people do not believe in evolution, it is fundamental to biological science. Evolution is the motor that runs everything in biology. If you look as something and ask why is it that way - evolution is the best explanation we have of how it might have gotten that way and why. Questions such as the following involve evolution: Why are thier marsupials only in Australia? Why to whales have similar bones to humans? Why does a walking stick (insect) look like the stem it is sitting on? Why are there fossils? Why can we get the flu more than once? Why do we have to worry about bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics? Why do plants make antibiotics? What is purpose of the appendix? This can go on and on and on and the fundamental process underlying it all is change over time (aka. evolution). In any case, these questions come up when teaching biology and all of them require and understanding of how organisms change.

IMPORTANT TO NOTE. You do not have to reject creation to believe in evolution. I believe in evolution. It happened, the evidence proves it, and it continues to happen everyday. You can see it every year when they have to invent a whole new vacine for the flu because it has evolved to defeat the vacine from the year before. However, the more I study the more I understand that evolution could not have produced such a staggering variety of species from so few materials without the guidance of a higher power. So many things had to come into line, that random chance cannot explain how we got here. So yes I believe in creation. I just believe that 7 days was the closest the people who wrote the bible could come to understanding the awesome power of god.

Answer 3

I think if people are so worried about their kids learning another possibility then she should be sure that their children are well educated by their church....then they will have both points of view and can make an informed decision. I don't have a problem with schools teaching both. I believe there should be choices for what people want to believe in or not believe in. However, if "Christians" are screaming because their kids are not learning creation in school and they are not having them taught creation in Sunday school or telling them about it themselves, then I have a problem.

To be honest, most kids discuss all the options anyway. They discuss the things they learn at home or from other kids and the knowlege gets passed around. Thanks to the internet, that is even more true now than in the past.

Answer 4

I am a Christian. I teach Science. My curriculum says I teach about the Big Bang theory. I tell my students that most scientists believe this theory, but they should make their own decision. I present the information, answer any appropriate questions. If they ask me what I believe, I say that I don't know what it sounds like when God speaks and says "Let there be light". It may sound like a big bang. I try not to limit my God and make Him fit into my small human mind. I find that it is more difficult to convince a student who has a strong family religious background than you might think. Even teachers who teach evolution as a fact cannot convince a student who has a strong foundation. So, my suggestion is to teach children to think for themselves and not take anyone's word for what they believe. They should take ownership of their own faith.

Answer 5

Evolution says nothing about creation. Evolution is the bedrock of the biological sciences. evolution simply says change over time. It predicted genetics! You cant get more solid than that!

People who say that creationism is an alternate to evolution are making a serious error on many fronts.

-creationism is not science.
-Evolution has 150 plus years of scientists from many fields doing work on its behalf.
-Nothing in evolution says anything about belief. It relies on evidence.
-Every state in the US has evolution as a key standard.
-creationism is bad faith. How arrogant we can be to deny the beauty and grandeur of life. creationists often argue for a young earth and against plate tectonics.
-many people of faith are scientifically literate and do not prescribe to your narrow and misguided view.

good luck to you!

Answer 6

i totally agre....not everyone believes in evolution (especially me) and not everyone is christian....so i agree with you...they either need to teach both or none at all......that's what private schools are for, they can teach whatever they want......