As uncle Bill says – have you ever noticed how creationists all look really unevolved – like sloping brows, big furry hands…..
“I believe god made me in one day…..”
“Yep. Looks like he rushed it.”:laugh_at::laugh_at::laugh_at:
It’s not just the US that’s getting into this idea of teaching it in schools though – there are schools in this country that teach creationism “alongside” traditional evolution theory so the pupils can make their own “informed” choice of which to believe:you_crazy:you_crazy:you_crazy. They are inevitably funded by “born again” christian groups…
Surely the whole point of teaching is that you TEACH – ie you pass on your accumulated knowledge and wisdom to the next generation to better equip them to deal with the future. And surely the basis of teaching is that you have some fact with which to back up your teachings – beliefs (with no provable scientific basis) should be kept firmly in the realm of philosophy, and have no place in the objective, results based world of science. That’s not to say we shouldn’t teach philosophy, just that we shouldn’t confuse it with the world of objective science.
Imagine what would happen if we started teaching qabbalistic numerology alongside conventional maths, or astrology as part of history (to explain the forces influencing historical decisions and events…). Hell, we could end up teaching that fire is cold, or that you won’t be hurt if you get run over by a train because some crackpot believes that to be true, and has the cash to fund a school.
Faith schools are not only a barrier to our evolution, but also create barriers in our society that can only lead to problems for our entire race. Teaching children that if they believe a particular thing, they are special, and those who don’t believe it are somehow inferior (every religion has elements of villifiying/patronising the infidel after all), can only lead to trouble. Our history tells us this time and again (in the form of senseless wars and witch hunts, and all manner of idiocy). Maybe it’s time we actually learned the lesson?
If you are so concerned that your offspring will lack your beliefs and convictions that you have to indoctrinate them as children, because you feel a rational adult would question the basis of those beliefs, then maybe you should look at your beliefs a bit more closely. And if your belief is so strong that you know it’s right, then surely it is strong enough that it can survive the test of letting your children make up their own minds without requiring indoctrination at the most vulnerable and impressionable time of their existence.
