Why Creationism Should Be Taught In Our Schools

::first note dance::

Bleh, creationism isn’t worth the effort of a debate, I know that from experience. It’s got nothing scientific to go on. Good entry. Bored much?

The creationists lost that debate more than a century ago. If they won’t listen to experimental evidence or scientific consensus, they won’t listen to anything. The most they can do is make the public schools even worse than they already are.

As a education major and future teacher,I think that both sides should be presented in schools.Let them debate,and let them make their own choices as to what to believe,but give them the facts to help them make a smart decision.Does it really matter if some people believe in creationism?It sure doesn’t hurt me.I think that we need to stop teaching our children this is the right belief,but teach(c)

(c) them about what different groups of people think and the supporting evidence of that thought and let them decide. I just think it’s not good for the future of our country if we just mold all the children into like minded individuals and they lose choice in what to believe.

“Does it really matter if some people believe in creationism?It sure doesn’t hurt me.” Yes, it does, actually. Consider this: “The development of a vaccine for avian influenza is totally dependent upon an understanding of natural selection, molecular genetics and evolution. This is in conflict with the theory of intelligent design and thus provides a marvelous opportunity…”

“…for proponents of that concept to stand up for their beliefs and refuse to be inoculated. They would also be doing their part to make sure that there is enough vaccine for the rest of us.” -Richard G. Fried, M.D.

As far as I’m concerned, if you knowingly teach a faulty philosophy that leads to children making dangerous choices that affect their health, you are personally responsible for any consequences of your lies, and should be put prosecuted accordingly. Not to mention the fact that teaching creationism in school is equivalent to endorsing religion.

And the Supreme Court has, time and time again, declared that to be unconstitutional, and therefore illegal. Either way, you are suggesting a criminal act.

I still doubt that schools would ever succeed in “converting” people to Creationism in any major way, and I think spending a class acknowledging it is just going to help educate people on how illogical it is.

I doubt you will find many public school teachers willing to present creationism as it really is: an illogical mess of bad religion and superstition, rather than an allegedly legitimate challenge to real science.

Yes, but those teachers are already getting their say. My high school biology teacher preempted our chapter on evolution by clearly saying “I don’t believe this. I believe God made everything.” If you’re going to stick your beliefs on the kids anyway, then, it’s only fair that it’s more clearly explained how what you believe has no scientific basis . . .

I still think this would be made more clear if teachers were forced to do a better job of explaining what they believe, instead of just spouting their religion and shutting up “because the schools won’t let me talk about that.”

If I teach students that evolution is right and creationism is wrong,what about if their parents are creationists?By telling them that their parents are flat wrong without giving them explanation or supporting evidence,that student probably will not believe me on this topic,and then will think that because I’m wrong about that,I must be wrong about everything.What about that?I agree with AJ,too.

Jen, you are clearly not qualified to be a teacher, so I don’t think that’s an issue. The reason why we don’t like superstitious crap like creationism being taught in the schools is not only because it is 100% incorrect, but because it goes against every scientific principle that the kids are learning.

It just so happens that their parents *are* flat-out wrong, and a decent science education backs that up sufficiently. I suggest you get one.

I don’t appreciate you resorting to character attacks in this little debate. You know nothing of me so how can you say that I clearly am not qualified to be a teacher? My straight A’s in college and education classes and all my work in the classrooms, and all those teacher opinions of me say that I will make a great teacher. As far as I’m concerned, I’m done debating this issue with you if you

feel the need to attack me as a person without knowing me at all.

Qualified teachers explore issues fully. No one here said abandon evolutionary theory in schools. But ignoring a belief held as widely as Creationism just makes students (and teachers) assume that the evil government is preventing them from hearing the truth on the subject and that only leads to continued ignorance.

Thanks A.J. I’m glad that you understand what I’m saying and agree with me.

It’s also a widely-held idea that a number divided by zero is zero. We call it a “misconception” because it’s flat out wrong. You don’t devote equal time to considering that wrong idea, as opposed to the correct idea. You don’t pretend like it’s a viable alternative. And you don’t tell your students that the fact that a number divided by zero is undefined is “just a theory”.

Nobody is suggesting that we ignore religious mythology. On the contrary, the entire study of science should be framed as “here’s how things actually work, as compared to the bullshit they teach you elsewhere.” Any decent science education is sufficient to view creationism as laughable nonsense.

As for your “qualifications” as a teacher, I am saying this based on your attitude towards your job as a teacher, as reflected in your statements on this page. Do you really think it’s your job to transfer a worldview to your students by having them “believe you”? Being a teacher isn’t like being a parent or a priest. Your job isn’t to indoctrinate.

If you’re willing to present ridiculous, unsupported superstition alongside well-established scientific theory, then that means (a) you don’t understand science at all, (b) you can’t be bothered to do your research, and (c) you are willing to let religious nonsense manipulate you into violating the constitution and making a mockery of science in front of children.

I am very surprised that someone who claims to be an education major doesn’t understand constructivism or the nature of science. This is basic Ed. 101 stuff.

Actually, in all my education classes we have been taught that our role is like that of a parent or a priest and it is our moral obligation to teach students not only the facts, but the processes used to make choices and decisions for themselves, and to help them develop them as people. As I said before, you don’t know me, and you have no right to attack my character. I have said nothing

negative about you, most likely because I’m more mature and understand character attacks aren’t needed, and I’m done with this debate. I have explained my stance and I respect that you disagree with me, but I’m not going to waste my time being disrespected and attacked.

To me, the problem with creationism is as you say, that it is not adressed by the scientific community. The ivory tower mentality and appalling communication skills of many scientists make it even harder to convince people, when most scientists won’t even explain the evidence underlying the theory and why creationism doesn’t stand up to it. Evolution is a complex theory that requires…

the acceptance of a concept that some people (even some scientists) find profoundly unsettling. Present such a complex, interlinked machinery as evolution as a fait acompli without even showing where it comes from except in the crudest of terms and its not surprising that people search for less taxing answers.

What most people don’t realize is that many Christians have NO problem with evolution (notice the small e) which is adaptation and change throughout the beings on earth (not humans though). Most people don’t have a problem with that. The problem comes with Evolution. I don’t believe we evolved from apes, however I do believe that some animals morphed and changed into what we see now. So you can..

believe both.

Actually there is a lot of evidence that creationism is real and that evolution is false. Remember, Evolution is just a THEORY.. not fact.

I think that religious interpertations of how the world is what it is today should NOT be included in a science class unless it has pure, hard, scientific evidence that supports that. I don’t mind religion being introduced in history context, but when people push it in the classroom and call it “science” ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. I’m a scientist and I laugh at how they think its actually a “science”.

Also this is just another way of the religious right pushing their beliefs on innocent vulnerable children. Children are the perfect victims because they are so impressionable at that stage…that is why the religious people are fighting for it. As in a Time magazine article stated, (paraphrased) ” Teaching intelligent design not only will invite ridicule (from the world) but also deserve it.”

If you really did believe what you’re saying, that science is a process of reasoning, rather than just picking and choosing any ol’ explanation that comes your way, you wouldn’t be intending to push a nonsense ideology on your students. So the lesson is to practice what you preach.

seperation of church and state. period. If you’d like to educate yourself on the subject of Creationism, go to church, ok? We aren’t neglecting children in any way by not teaching creationism. If they want to learn about it, they have the complete option of learning about it on their own time. I know from experience that stating the scientific evidence of evolution to any beleiver of creationism->

As for you, original nymph, you are demonstrating the outright obtuseness of creationists when you drag out that tired old “it’s just a theory” crap. It means you don’t have a clue what “theory” means. I suggest you look it up before you use it again.

–> is totally useless. You’re not going to convince anybody, so just let it go. -Steph

You’re right, Steph. It’s just incredibly that these people, who reject intellectual pursuits of all kinds and badmouth academic disciplines that they haven’t the first clue about, think they can jump into our game and tell us what’s what. It’s one thing to live in total ignorance, but to push that ignorance on children is criminal.

“is totally useless. You’re not going to convince anybody, so just let it go.” Wrong. I’ve seen a lot of cases where Creationists changed their mind in the face of evidence, specifically evidence against Creationism. Which is still why I think it should be provided as an alternate view in schools. Ignoring the issue just breeds ignorance on it.

Ok, so how many kids are being introduced to Creationism by schools? Obviously, most of them have heard of it and a lot of them probably believe in it. By ignoring it entirely you’re invalidating the entire process to them. Explaining that some people believe differently . . .

isn’t a crime, it’s stating the obvious. Letting kids hear both sides equally and deciding for themselves is better than letting them only hear one side, where they will inevitably cling to whatever belief they had beforehand.

I agree with A.J.’s original statement. There is nothing wrong with teaching Creationism in schools. Just because you don’t believe in it does not mean you can cut it off from the children. Why can’t both exist equally? Both sides have valid arguments. You all are arguing like you can really change something on this diary. This isn’t an educational journal. –Spider

“Why can’t both exist equally?” You’re making this sound like there’s actually a debate going on within science between creationism and evolution. There isn’t. There’s a dominant scientific view (evolution), and then there’s millions of creation myths, of which the Christian view is just one. And none of them are scientifically valid.

Creationism does *not* have a valid argument. It’s not even an coherent explanation. It’s just a negative attitude towards evolution. There can be no debate if creationism has no model to compare evolution to.

It’s akin to saying, “There’s the view that gravity pulls us towards the earth, and then another equally valid view that it doesn’t.”

Besides, A.J., how would you feel about allowing the Holocaust deniers equal attention for their theories in history class? Is that right?

Holocaust deniers aren’t a large segment of the population. Creationists are. I’m not suggesting teaching a whole class in Creationism. Just give them their page in the textbook (if they can come up with a page of material) and let it be openly discussed. It can’t be exposed as stupid until it’s discussed.

a. Holocaust deniers are out of their effing minds. b. Creationism is flat-out WRONG and unscientific to boot, however, believing God created everything doesn’t interfere with accepting evolution. c. If you really look at Creationist evidence, it holds absolutely NO water against the evolution side. d. “Theory” does not mean “unproven.” Gravity is just a THEORY, but that doesn’t mean…

…that the next time I jump I MIGHT not fall back to the earth. Grow a brain, do some research, live a more fulfilled and intelligent life.

I totally agree with AJ! Creationism is the main opposing theory to evolution, and I think people should be aware of both sides.

Creationism is a Christian theory. We’re not allowed to teach religion in school, so I don’t think an unscientific “theory” like Creationism should be taught in schools. It’s not going to have any effect on nonbelievers, and Christians will get plenty of Creationism propaganda thrown at them at church. Let them make up their own minds that way.

You put this on the political circle didn’t you. Foolish. It is funny the random stuff they teach kids in other countries, in religious countries anyway. I mean, no one taught me anything, but anyway.

Love it. 🙂 But the problem is, there are those that worry that if creationism is introduced, it won’t be long before other ‘fundamentalist’ views are slowly used to indoctrinate young children. 🙂

Many scientists do NOT believe in Evolution http://www.christiananswers.net/q-eden/edn-scientists.html

Children are smarter than what we give them credit for. Why not put the facts out on the table and let kids decide for themselves what they believe in?

“http://www.christiananswers.net/q-eden/edn-scientists.html” Yes, that site really qualifies as a scienitic journal . . .

But it’s not just that they want to inject their theories into the science books. They want to completely redefined “science” to give it legitimacy. They want to expand the definition of science from the study of the “natural world” to the supernatural world.

I can understand wanting to throw a ridiculous theory, like creationism or Holocaust denial, into the ring, but to suggest we change the entire rules of the sport as well is not playing fair. Especially since Christians are woefully behind the times on their science to begin with.

Have you read the DaVinci Code yet??