Susan:
>>children can learn about creationism in Sunday School. Nobody objects >to
>>that.
Jason:
>Maybe people who object so strongly to creationism (your definition here,
>which by the way I'll comment on in a minute) in schools should object to
>Sunday School teaching. Both are the same teachings correct? Sure they're in
>different places, but why does that matter?
Susan:
because the Supreme Court has said (and I warmly agree) that creationism is
religion. Religion can and should be taught in religious settings--not in
settings financed by public monies. Lots of religions have creation myths.
If Christian creation myths are taught in high school science classes, then
Hindu, Hopi, Zuni, Buddhist, Shinto, and any other creation myth that
anybody can think of (and the scientific evidence supporting them, of
course) will have to be presented as well. Teaching Christian myths--and
the scientific evidence supporting them, of course--exclusively would
constitute establishment.
>Where does that leave those children not attending Sunday School? Will
>they ever
>be told that many evolutionary teachings are not entirely verified?
you mean you are afraid they won't be told that science is not a finished
and sealed body of work? They won't be told that science is always
provisional and always in process? I kind of doubt it. The science I was
taught (in the 60s) was presented as "this is what we know so far." (Which
is a good thing. A lot of the major evidence for evolution has been
discovered since the 1970s.) I haven't stepped foot in a high school
building since my daughter graduated, but I'm assuming science is still
taught that way.
>>It's the denial of reality and the insistance that everyone *else* >deny
>>reality (or the attempt to conceal reality from them) that gets >me nuts
>>and keeps me in this conversation.
>
>Just curious. So the range of creationism depends on who you consider is in
>the wrong that holds it? Shouldn't definitions be independent of personal
>bias in most senses? Definitions are something I've heard discussed on this
>list often. Now, look at the word a second. CREATIONism.
I think there is a vast difference (this *may* just be my own bias) between
people who believe some god is the author of the universe and creationISM.
Both are religion. The latter seems to have a need to prove that creation
is scientific fact, not just an article of belief.
Susan
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Life is short, but it's also very wide.
http://www.telepath.com/susanb/