Thread: Split from Palin for VP: Creationism in schools

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

I really don't know why we keep having these discussions re evolution and creationalism or I.D. No one who believes in evolution is going to give creationalism the time of day and no one who agrees in creationalism is going to think evolution is anything but a crackpot theory. No ones mind is going to be changed.

Personally I think we should just all believe what we want and leave it at that. Then when people wonder why kids in the U.S are so far behind in science to other countries well we'll know who to blame. Ourselves.

Thats not totally true, one can believe in both a creator and evolution. In fact a lot of scientist don't discount that fact that there could have been a creator that created evolution.

The problem usually stems from strict creationists.

People also tend to mix religion, spirituality and church, these three are not the same. I for one am a spiritual person and a Christian, but I do not believe in organized religion or the church. I also believe in evolution.

Personally I've yet to meet any Evolution Zealots, I can't say the same for Creationist. The big difference is, if I woke up tomorrow and there was proof that life happened a different way I'd be ok with that. Evolution isn't an important part of my being. Creationist have a vested personal interest in creationism, for it to be proven wrong goes to there very being and shatters deeply held beliefs.

I do appreciate this conversation and debate its been very enlightening from both sides, maybe its the evolution to the cartridge razor that has made others unable to have civil informed discussion with out being nasty to one another. I guess our common interest in finer shaving leads us to be more genteel and urbane.

I'm sure that all you guys agree with me, regardless your spiritual believes


Palin is a star !!!

Very interesting post wirebeard, there were also other reasons for the separation of Church and State as well. We tend to view this from our modern perspective of Church equals religion, when in fact during the time of the founding of the US and before the "Church" was a seat of power just as the Monarchy, at times the "Church" rivaled the power of the Monarchy.

Great thread. Lots of good comments. I'm also impressed by the cordiality of the whole thing.

I do regret the recent politicization of religion. It has some people so paranoid that we can't even discuss it in some places. I remember when I was in high school, we had units on comparative religion that had guests from the religious community come into the classroom -- priests, ministers, rabbis, Jehovah's Witnesses -- just about everything. The real star of the show, as I remember, was the Zen master. Even though I remain a nominal Christian, I still use Zen techniques for self-control. And that was in a public school.

As a writer and an English major, I don't understand how an American child can understand literature and western culture without reading the Bible. As I said, it's a shame things are now so political.

So it goes without saying that I agree with the posters who suggest that creationism can be discussed in schools as long as it's not evangelized -- or presented as science. I think several of the posters outlined the difference between science and creationism quite nicely. Russel Baldridge comes immediately to mind.

This link might be amusing. It's one of my guitar heroes on this very subject.

YouTube - Origin of Species