OUR OPINIONS: No faith-based science in schools
Wednesday, August 21, 2002
Cobb County's high school biology textbooks contain a disclaimer: "This
textbook contains material on evolution. Evolution is a theory, not a
fact, regarding the origin of living things. This material should be
approached with an open mind, studied carefully and critically
considered."
Students ought to embrace that last sentence in all their subjects. So
should the Cobb school board, which is giving every indication it
intends to move beyond a mere disclaimer and into dangerous territory.
By trying to allow the teaching of something called "scientific
creationism" in the county's public schools, the board blurs the line
that should safely separate church from state and science from religion.
Blurring that distinction would serve nobody's best interest.
Creationism is the doctrine that God created life out of nothing in
six days, and rested on the seventh, as is described in Genesis in the
Bible. Cobb school board member Lindsey Tippens defends "scientific
creationism" as a more general philosophy that life hasn't evolved
through happenstance, but in a purposeful way.
At its core, though, what Tippens describes is the belief that a higher
being created life on Earth. It's a religious belief, not a science-
backed theory. And faith-based science --- a contradiction in terms ---
has no place in our public schools.
Evolution's critics stress that it is merely a theory, and on that point
scientists agree. But it's a theory firmly grounded on substantial
evidence dating back millions of years. It is certainly possible that a
divine power set evolution in motion, but for that contention there is
no evidence whatsoever. It is strictly a matter of faith, and
instruction in matters of faith are best left to parents and clergy,
not taxpayer-supported schools.
After all, most religions include some version of a Creator who is
responsible for life on Earth. Some believers see those stories as
metaphors; others see them as literal. That too is a matter for parents
and clergy, because hard, broadly accepted truths in that field are
difficult to come by.
"With the Lord, a day is as one thousand years, and a thousand years is
but a day," it says in Psalms.
-------
Any text written by the creationist cult which may be quoted within this
criticial examination of the creationist cult is provided according to
U. S. Code Title 17 "Fair Use" dictates which may be reviewed at
http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.html
"You can lie about ICR all you want." --
Jason Daniel Henderson
"Thank you for your permission however there's never any need
to. Creationist propaganda is already self-debunking." --
Fredric L. Rice
2002 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
This web site is not affiliated or associated with any creationist cult in any way and neither the web site host, the web site owner, or any of the authors which assisted in debunking creationist nonsense are in any way connected with any creationist cult.
E-Mail Fredric L. Rice / The Skeptic Tank