Creationism in schools

Alright, bros what are your opinions on the teaching of creationism in Public Schools? Is it science? Or is it alternatively packaged religious dogma?

 

Creationism is not a science this it has no business being included in science curriculum. I don't think it is necessarily important to include creationism in the curriculum of our public schools but given the relevance of christianity in our nation it is important to touch on christianity and other religions in public education.

 

Science is science and creationism is bull(*)(*)(*)(*).

 

Why not just teach it in a comparative religion class?

Seriously, I know atheists get freaked out about religion, but, we live in a global community, and it you want to be successful - you have got to able to deal with the reality that the world is a diverse place.

As simply as I can put this, evolution is neither a threat to religion nor is it a religion itself.

Evolution should be taught in the science classroom, specifically biology. (You shoudl not teach evolution in Physics Class - it would not make much sense). "You see, the two atoms smashed, and that is why we now have monkeys!" Hmmmm ....

Creationism, even atheist philosophy, should be taught in a comparative religion class.

 

It doesn't belong in a science classroom, at least in public schools.

Teach it in Study of Religion, if you must.

Although I would strongly discourage it, private schools can teach what they want, I suppose.

 

Why would you discourage the study of religion, as an academic thing?

How do you understand the Middle East without knowing something of Islam? How do you understand why Al Qaeda is hated in terms of its Islamic instruction throughout the Middle East? Why then, despite this, did many Middle Easterners support Bin Laden? Hmmm .... what part was religion and what part was politics? And what part would our country and the anti-Islamist bigots probably need to know about?

How do you understand India without Hinduism? How doe sthe lngering effects of the caste system fit into India without Hinduism? How doe sthe uniquely spiritual aspect of Hinduism and its effect on Indian views be understood without its religion?

How do you understand Russia without referrencing its twisted history of the orthodox church (which profoundly effects the Russian people) and their journey through revolutionary atheism .... without studying it?

Why is it beneficial to study the Russian Revolution and it folly, but then look at its ideological underpinning and conclude, "Sorry, that is to dark and dangerous to study?"

And North Korea? How do we understand North Korea if we ignore its atheism? The writing, rambling actually, of Kim Il Sung make no sense without his atheist underpinning.

What possible danger is there in offering a course of isntruction that compares major faiths and the basic tenets of their faith?

Of course, atheism might have a difficult time preparing a syllabus to participate.

Atheism: ONLY the belief or disbelief that there is a God or God. Nothing else. Class dismissed.

Perhaps even atheists would benefit from the philosophical study of their OWN faith. Poeple like Marx, Kierkegaard, Dostoevsky, Nietzsche could obviously add a thing or two to an honest dicussion. The tenets of secular humanism or brights.

The point being, there is nothing to fear in knowledge, and I continually fail to see why people should NOT be offered the and educational opportunity in a public or private school - as an elective?

Why not?

 

Where did i say I want to discourage the study of religion?

 

^^^ end of conversation, end of thread.

The only 'value' this topic will have left, is for the religious nut-jobs to whine and cry why creationism isn't being taught in school.

I can see it now: "Evolution is a myth. Why is your myth being taught but not creationism"

 

Right there.

Must have a reading comprehension problem, huh?

 

OK, let me clarify.

Private schools, if they want, can teach Creationism in the Science class room. I would think they are foolish for doing so.

 

I pick religious dogma.

It has no place in an educational institution.

 

well, I'm not completely sure - have you seen the BBC's "Wonders of the Universe?" Brian Cox does talk about evolution in that - kind of linking it in.

WRT creationism - as long as a few other creation myths and religions are included (and I take it they would be in a "comparative religion" class) there is no problem.

but NEVER in a science class, and ALWAYS making it clear that this is not science, and should not be taken literally.

 

not bloody here they can't! and I would protest if they did!

 

I probably would too, but I don't see why they don't have the right.

 

because it is dishonest to pretend you are educating children about science when you are presenting myths as fact.

if they are an educational institution, they have to abide by curriculum standards.

 

Unfortunately evil, that has n obearing on any of the points I made and directly contradicts what I wrote about teaching creationism - which should NEVER be done in a sceince class.

No one is advocating what you are against!

The point being made is that someone attempting to have a religion class in a public school, even as an elective would face a storm of criticism from atheists.

Maybe you should attend one of the religion classes at a place like Notre Dame to see how rgorous they are? Much less an in depth examination of multiple faiths ....

And of course, the opposite, is it right for an atheists teacher to stand up in class and question students religion?

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friend...her-suspended-because-he-made-students-think/

It was all innocent there really?

Your initial unease is telling, and it should not be there at all. Modern atheism has become infantuated with religion, more accurately, in stopping it.

When I pitch something that clearly indicates a desire for multiple faiths and the inclusion of atheism as a part of the faith class, and your repsond with ... "well, private schools can teach creationism and evolution ..."

Not only is that obtuse, it avoid the fact that even private schools have to meet state standards for education or they can be shut down. The accedidation standards of a school are a serious issue, and any private school that attempted to teach Creationism and Science, in this day an age, would find its accredidation under fire almost immediately.

 

Now why are atheists worried about this?

Is this happening a lot in our science classrooms?

Who is it that is chasing imaginary things?

You are aware that most Christians don't want this either?

Please look at the questions atheists ask to drive the polls that indicate 'issue'?

http://ncse.com/rncse/24/5/latest-polls-creationism-evolution

Why not just ask, "Will you deny your faith please?"

Is this about Creationism in class, of nhilism?

 

who said all christians support teaching creationism in schools?

lols - who even said all christians believe in creationism?

 

Really? Neither of you is overly concerned about Creationism being taught in a science classroom?

My mistake Oh wait.

Agh, well, now that you have introduced extrems like ALL rather than defend your stated position, clearly it must be because I have a reading comprehension issue or a moral problem now?

So, in that other thread, we were discussing morality and being less than honorable in action. This suddenly seem relevant.

 

I will not respond to your posts in this thread either until you start making sense.

 

Well Cass, if you are not going to respond to anyone who actually disagrees with you, whatever are you doing in a debate forum?

In fact, perhaps you can clarify your stance of Creationism and dire threat when it is ... not being taught in th evast majority of schools at all, and can basically only be taught as science in unaccredited private schools?

Did you bother to read the poll that I posted, the one that lists the bae questions? Evolution in all it glory with God, and if you pick that answer, it means you want to teach Creationism in schools or are a fundie.

So I have two atheists and an entire network of polls that appear to be much ado about nothing.

That apparent doesn;t make sense to you?

 

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYtYQ0a7btQ"]How Christians Brainwash kids with creationism - YouTube[/ame]

Creationism in schools

 

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjxZ6MrBl9E&feature=related"]Richard Dawkins: One Fact to Refute Creationism - YouTube[/ame]

Hear Hear!

 

That's a church *MOD EDIT* leave off the name-calling. Being as you are an expert on our faith, I would have figured that you knew the difference between a school and a church.

 

We should teach "about" creationism in school.

We should give the basic tenets and then ask kids to analyse critically asking questions such as:

How did Noah and Three sons round up two of every species on the planet.
How did they get two Polar bears from the Arctic circle ? two Spectacled bears from South America .. and how did all these animals get back home and manage to survive without food ?

The flood ended 2100-2400 BC .. if at some point during this time all humanity was wiped out except Noah's family, how is it that we have contiuous cultural history through this period in China, India, Africa, Egypt, Mesopotamia, Europe and so on.

How is it that Ice Core data goes back 200,000 years but the earth is supposedly only 5000 years old ?

Getting kids to think for themselves and ask good questions would be sufficient for them to debunk Creationism all on their own !