I've just heard that in some states in the US, the theory of evolution is prohibited.. your thoughts?

Question

I personally think this is disappointing.. I mean the US is a first world country, everyone should have the right to learn different concepts of the origin of life.. where I am, you can choose to study religious studies AND/OR evolution.. free to learn what you please.. the way it should be.

I chose to study both, and decided what to believe from what was given to me.. doesn't that make sense?

Answer 1

To reply to "I chose to study both, and decided what to believe from what was given to me.. doesn't that make sense?"

Not really.

The evolution/creationism issue isn't a debate between two sides. Tearing down one side (as creationists do) doesn't make your side any more valid. Suppose someone proposes the idea that aliens have come down and somehow created humans. Everything from the pyramids to written language to atomic power is due solely to the aliens telling us what to do.Is this theory is just as valid as anyone else's and must be taught  as being just as good? Does it have to be tested or is "faith" good enough?

Another issue is that creationist has several theories of it's own, There's young earth, old earth, literal earth and so on. Several include the evolutionary process as a "tool."

So, there evolutionary theory but  which one creationist theory do you study?

Answer 2

I have not heard that it is prohibited...wow.  I mean I personally believe in Intelligent Design but I'm still surprised about hearing that.  I don't think that any kind of theory on that level should be taught as fact in public schools, whether it's creation or evolution.

Answer 3

Jesus: the Greatest Evolutionist Ever

http://niabingypappy.blogspot.com/

If god can do anything, why can't he make humans from other animals? Does this make us all one, a very Godly idea?

Answer 4

You have heard wrongly.Creationist " theory " is prohibited by law, though.

And/or evolution? You study religion in religion class and science in science class. You are not free to learn what you please. Science taught in science class is heavily peer reviewed and has stayed the course long enough to be included in a science curriculum. Science is not about belief but the evidence presented.

Answer 5

There is no place in the United States in which evolution is prohibited by law from being taught.  In fact 40 years of case law has consistently said that Creationism is religion and cannot be taught as science in the US.  To that extent you have been misinformed.

However, there  are a number of place where there has been enough non-legal pressure placed n school systems that evolution doesn't get taught, and there is pressure placed on state Boards of Education to write standards mandating the teaching of the non-existent "controversy".  See the links below for more detail.

wl

Answer 6

Thats just makes me feel sick. How can you stop students from learning about evolution. If you have a strong faith and you truly believe that God created the universe then thats your choice, your free to do that. .Just for a second all those who do not believe evolution should be taught. Answer this. Don't you want know anything about the planet you live on? Can you answer this without learning about earths evolution.  How come South America fits perfectly with Africa, Australia  fits perfect with India, the Hawaii's island fit perfectly with the southern side of California,  etc...? Do you believe these land masses have always been in the same place? What about all the fossils we find? Don't you want to know anything about them? What they were? What animal or creature walked the earth? How they changed, or if they even change?What about why they don't exist anymore.  Check this one out, I have a theory why they don't exist BECAUSE ITS EVOLUTION, THINGS NEVER STAY THE SAME THEY ALWAYS CHANGE.  Evolution is just not about creatures evolving into different species but also about the earth itself. As humans we most have questions, we have the gift and ability to learn and understand things.  We should not limit that ability. You have the freedom to pick and choose your beliefs but do not stop others from trying to find out about the planet they live on. Let people learn about evolution if they want too.

Answer 7

Yes, it's sad, but true!

Fortunately for those States, Gravity & the Speed of Light (Theory of Relativeity) are also prohibited!

This leads young, would-be, scientists with a penchant to explore, to jump off buildings, with their last words often being, "But I thought Gravity was only a theoryyyyyyyyy", before they go SPLAT, on the ground!

Unfortunately, the scientific usage of the word THEORY, as in Geometry, means a PROVEN theory, and not just a theoretical idea!

So, as these misfortunate souls, lacking a thorough scientific background, are scraped up from the pavement, and returned to their often highly-religious parents, they can usually be overheard saying, "I guess it was his time to go!".....

Answer 8

Link please...

You chose to study both? Why do you choose to study both when one has not a single shred of evidence to back it up?

Answer 9

Well what you heard was outdated and for the most part untrue.

In 1996, the Alabama State Board of Education adopted a textbook sticker that was a disclaimer about evolution. It has since been revised and moderated.

On August 11, 1999, by a 6–4 vote the Kansas State Board of Education changed their science education standards to remove any mention of "biological macroevolution, the age of the Earth, or the origin and early development of the Universe", so that evolutionary theory no longer appeared in state-wide standardized tests and "it was left to the 305 local school districts in Kansas whether or not to teach it." This decision was hailed by creationists, and sparked a statewide and nationwide controversy with scientists condemning the change. Challengers in the state's Republican primary who made opposition to the anti-evolution standards their focus were voted in on August 1, 2000, so on February 14, 2001, the Board voted 7–3 to reinstate the teaching of biological evolution and the origin of the earth into the state's science education standards.

In October 1999, the Kentucky Department of Education replaced the word "evolution" with "change over time" in state school standards.

Most attempts since to remove evolution and replace it with intelligent design and/or creationism have been shot down because they violate the establishment clause of the First Amendment of the US Constitution.

The most common arguement used for removing evolution from educational programs is that it is just a theory. Geometry is also full of theories and no one challenges the teaching of geometry (except those students that do not do well at it).

Answer 10

Evolution IS NOT FACT.  It is garbage that is tantamount to organized religion. The Study of evolution is like the study of Harry Potter,  It is all Fantasy.

Darwin spent two years in medical school and never finished.

He dropped out and relative got him a job on the Beagle. He mentioned but  never clearly cited any other sources.

No formal training+living in moms basement= Evolution

1. Mutations are the only proposed mechanism by which new genetic material becomes available for evolution. Almost all observable mutations are harmful; many are fatal.

No known mutation has ever produced a form of life having both  greater complexity and greater viability than its ancestors.

There have been many imaginative attempts to explain how just one single protein could form from any of the assumed conditions of the early earth. The necessary chemical reactions all tend   to move in the direction opposite from that required.  Each  possible energy source, whether the earth's heat, electrical discharges, or the sun's radiation, would destroy the protein products millions of  times faster than they could be formed.

  If, despite the virtually impossible odds, proteins arose by chance processes, there is absolutely no reason to believe that they could ever form a self-reproducing, membrane-encased, living cell.  

There is no  evidence that there are any stable states between the assumed naturalistic formation of proteins and the formation of the first living cells.  No scientist has ever advanced a testable procedure whereby this   fantastic jump in complexity could have occurred.

There is only one conclusion.

Answer 11

Yes, well I live in Australia and I myself have been amazed at some of the stuff I have heard re what you are asking in your Question.  It makes me think that certain hard core religious views are seeping through to Government and certain Governments in certain States are being clever in going along with certain religious ideas so as not to rock the boat with what are becoming powerful forces.  Well that is how it looks to me from various things I have read on this forum alone!!!!   Now this observation does not mean I am not religious.   If anything I tend to believe in both God and a gradual evolution to what we see and what we are today and I do get worried when I hear stories about creationist museums with images of little children riding dinosaurs and stuff like that.  It is like Science doesn't matter.

For a so called "first world country" I am hoping a "blinkered approach" to life's big questions isn't the order of the day????

Answer 12

Yes, you make perfect sense. To say that evolution should be banned from educational facilities is backward, close minded and downright insulting to intelligent people.

Answer 13

School systems are afraid of being put through massive court cases via the churches, so they just don't teach evolution at all, completely ignoring the fact that Intelligent Design folks haven't won a single court case.

Answer 14

It is disappointing. Why shelter young adults from a scientific FACT. I could understand not teaching HUMAN evolution, but evolution itself is a proven fact, so why prohibit it?

I think people are just afraid of the truth.

Answer 15

I've never understood how evolution contradicts creationism, since God can create through any means he wants, and people do change extremly,extremely slowly to adapt to their situations.  The Sun changed our skin tones, for example, since different locations have different solar exposures.  I agree that everyone should be able to learn the theories, and especially those other ones that you mentioned that have nothing to do with anything anti-religious.

Answer 16

I believe you heard wrong.  The education in this country is the responsibility of the states. Yet it is in indirect control by the federal government with money.  If the federal doesn't like what is going on it can withhold money.  Before the 60's what you said was true, many states taugth creation but with the space program idea the federal realized that this country was being held back in the sciences.  Also, there were court cases that threw out such activities as prayer in schools.

These days any attempts by local school boards are halted by court cases.  In my area we had one of those sticker disclaimers mentioned previous and it thrown out.  I feel for the woman who attempted to do this because she was trying to make everyone happy and only ended up with a money ending lawsuit. Oh, man my property tax money probably paid for that lawsuit. @*#@*

In response to above: evolution has probably been commom knowledge since prehistory.  It doesn't take a brain to figure it out. St. Augustine wrote about having problems of being laughed at. I'm a Christian but I research and I have no problem with evolution.