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Should creationism be taught in schools? Here is how one science teacher answered that question:
“In the Western tradition there are two competing explanations for the origin of species: Darwinian evolution and Biblical creationism. One of those is literally, verifiably true, and the other is not. In teaching evolution, to do right by the students, you cannot equivocate on this point. And to do justice to the subject, to bring home its true meaning, it is necessary to be absolutely clear that the science refutes the mythology. To do that, you have to tell both stories, hold them up next to one another, so that you can see their relative strengths and weaknesses. It does not take long to tell the religious tale; since there is no evidence to back it up, it really only takes up a small fraction of the instructional time. Then you can move on to a deeper, reality-based understanding of nature."

Flyingsaucesir 8 Jan 6
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39 comments

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1

I find it mildly disturbing that no one mentions this difference :
origin of species -- that is evolution (settled science)
origin of life -- that is creationism (mythology) or abiogenesis (still unknown by science)

It is generally understood so no need to mention.

9

Biblical creation should be taught alongside greek, norse and hindu creation stories in comparitive religion classes. Evolution should be taught in science class.

If you consider astronomer Carl Sagen, he explains "the big bang, our modern scientific creation myth" as stated by Carl Sagan in connection to his discussion about Hinduism. So, really, all these so called early "religious " attempts at creation explination should be taught in science classes and the big bang myth told in mythology classes.

See video at time 2 minutes 49 seconds, Carl Sagan clearly says big bang is scientific myth.

@Word you see that's root of the biggest problem with religion, there's people out there who don't understand nuance.

@MattHardy would it be some languages are not as developed as modern American English. With these earlier languages, there was not as many words to articulate understanding in a more detailed way. So i am thinking, this nuance you speak of maybe that when using other languages, one word my have different senses or the nuance of the word is slightly different based on the context of what is being said. I am by no means a language expert, but this would be something I think I see. I think this can still be seen to some extent if comparing other languages to modern American English.

@Word In your opinion did Carl Sagan think that the Big Bang theory was Imaginary or fictitious?

@MattHardy imaginary could be said because it is not readily provable to reproduce the big bang and the theory is said to break down at the singularity, or something along those lines.

So other wise, imaginary in the use of mathematics to imagine what the numbers are pointing to but nothing physical to reproduce.

@Word that sounds like you're describing your opinion. What do you think Carl's opinion was?

@MattHardy I haven't watched all of the Carl Sagan video in a while, but I do not recall it so much as him making a statement of his opinion. Carl stated that the big bang is our current scientific creation myth. This is not opinion but rather a correct observation making a statement of what is objectively observed. Subjective comments would be his opinion moreso, which he doesn't make the comments subjectively as I recall.

@Word and that is how people listen to statements, ignore nuance and hear only their own opinions reflected back at them. Agreeing with what are after all their own opinions they lend that voice as much authority as it will bear. Bad enough that such people would twist the words of an astronomer, but they do the same with the supposed words of gods.

7

Geez,I dunno, how about classes on turning water into wine, or feeding thousands with 5 fish? Maybe the poor ignorant bastards wouldn't need to work 3 jobs if they could do that!

7

Having been an English teacher, I would have enjoyed teaching a course on creation myths. That would have made a wonderful look at the imaginations of humans and how they explained what we now know as science. Technically, I did some of that in teaching Greek myths and when I taught American literature I always included Native American stories.

7

There is no genuine reason to teach creationism. It is not only a waste of time, but also not accurate to suggest there are only 2 explanations. One is based on observable date, the many others are not. Teachers are already limited in time, thus teaching something that is patently absurd minimizes the time to instruct in what is necessary.

7

You can teach a handful of creation myths, why use the YHWH one? Why not the many native american or african tales that are also part of the culture? Celtic, greek, roman (just to stay on western civilizations).
The problem here is to give special treatment to one religion. In a one hour class you could tell 10 or more of those tales or 2 or 3 and show the symbols behind them and make kids understand that the tales are not supposed to be accurate accounts of reality, but to teach useful lessons for the time they were created.
Don't lie, don't kill, protect the tribe, keep the tribe united.
But one thing they are not is science. In this same way of thinking you should tell a pre-scientific history for any scientific concept you will teach.

Yes it is fun to destroy old mysticism but you should do it a few times and then kids will already understand that scientific method works and you don't need to justify every piece of knowledge (we don't have time for that)

6

"In the Western tradition ?. Maybe in the US tradition. Teaching of creationism has no place in schools unless in a lesson on mythology along with other myths.

@Allamanda Yes, us non Americans are a tiny minority here so I suppose we should expect a US bias, but it still grates at times.

@Allamanda Do they teach Creationism at all in other countries besides the U.S.? Is this as much a debate in any other places as it is in the U.S.?

6

You should teach science in science class and teach fables and mythology in fables and mythology class (such as church). "Holding them up next to one another," or "teaching the controversy," is giving the fable a scientific credibility that it doesn't merit.

5

No, I don’t believe it has any place being taught alongside evolution as that somehow elevates it’s status and implies a kind of equivalence that it doesn’t merit. The only place on the school curriculum for any biblical study, including the creation story in Genesis, is in the study of Comparative Religions, which should be a stand alone subject.

There is no thing in the world that can be described or explained without reference to other things. Mentioning creationism in a biology class simply lends important context to the central subject, i.e. the science. To not acknowledge that there still exists (in some people's minds) doubt as to the veracity of Darwin's theory seems a bit like denial, or even cowardice.

@Flyingsaucesir We will just have to differ on this one I’m afraid. I stand by my reason why I believe that creationism has no place in a science class. If, a pupil does raise the question of doubting Darwin’s theory, then it would indeed be proper for the teacher to compare the science to the myth of creationism, but not to routinely discuss it as If it were an alternative to the science and therefore worthy of consideration as fact.

5

There's Darwinism, and then there's everything else. Similarly, there's "2+2=4" and then there's every other answer.

Creationism is a pseudo-scientific scam which only serves to put money in the pockets of charlatans.

5

Creationism or Intelligent Design should be taught as what some people believe, but not taught as reality. Better a science teacher discusses these issues than a preacher. It's called teaching critical thought.

Yes! Thank you!

5

As a former high school biology teacher many years ago, I say that there is no way in hell that creationism should be taught in schools. It is demented theology, not science

4

We need everyone to become unpaid science teachers. See my group mentioning science teachers on this site - although you do not have to be a paid science teacher to join!

4

I mean...it's wrong so...don't teach it? As far as I know we don't teach any flat earth or non-heliocentric theories.

Actually, geocentrism, its history and proponents, is commonly mentioned in lessons on heliocentrism. It's a natural starting place...

@LimitedLight
...were not helpful in getting to the truth.

@LimitedLight
Actually, Aristarchus of Samos proposed a heliocentric model in the 5th century BCE. Unfortunately, it was eclipsed by Aristotle's deeply flawed model.

@LimitedLight
I am not saying Ptolemy's solution wasn't ingenious.

@LimitedLight
Ptolemy was just working off Aristotle's model. The Catholic church had interpreted it to signify confirmation that man (not woman!) was God's favorite creature. Ptolemy performed what could be called scientific contortionism, twisting Aristotle's model to fit observation. But it did not work. Copernicus was not convinced. Nor were Galileo or keppler. Ptolemy tried to draw inside the lines of religious dogma, and earned himself a footnote in the history books.

@LimitedLight
Geology major, 20 years teaching biology and Earth science.

@LimitedLight
????

4

Teaching that creationism exists but is debunked is not the same as teaching creationism. Of course creationism should not be taught in schools. On the other hand i still can't say mentioning creationism is a necessary part of teaching about evolution. You would really have to teach about every creation myth ever to do it right, and when would you have time to teach anything else? And evolution isn't even ABOUT creation. Evolution isn't about how the universe came to be. Darwin never mentioned the big bang or singularity as far as i know. The purpose of teaching about evolution is not to refute anyone's religion, though it may well do that.

g

4

I agree with this post but it does not mean I think creation should be taught in the classroom. I'm speaking here in a similar way as to what would happen if you teach religion in the classroom. Evangelicals want religion taught their way in claiming we are a Christian Nation. The reality of teaching religion in the classroom would be a brief mention of all religions. Being educated is not a religious matter.

3

You can't just teach one religions origin story. if you are going to teach one fairy tale then you will need to teach them all. Creationism and any other form of unverifiable belief would also need to be taught in comparison, including those no longer practiced. This would take entirely too much time and should be set aside for specialty studies.

You are right about one thing: there are hundreds (maybe thousands) of creation myths. You can't teach them all in a biology class.

@Flyingsaucesir Yes, 1,000's, I believe.

3

I remember learning in the first lessons of Microbiology 101 that scientists used to believe in something called Spontaneous Generation and this theory was overturned when science came to understand the existence of microorganisms. I found it instructional that we could give up old theories as new ones came about that provided a better understanding of our reality.
Creationism is just a theory that was put forth by bronze age men to try and make sense of their reality. Holding Creationism up to inspection is a good idea but only if the science professor moves on and explains the modern theory of Darwinism.

Spontaneous Generation was debunked when cheesecloth was laid over the top of a jar of rotting meat, and the eggs that flies had previously been able to lay directly on the meat, were, instead, laid on the cheesecloth. This involved an hypothesis, (no S.G) and a way of testing it. I believe that this was a birthplace of modern, evidence based, science.

@BirdMan1 I was taught that a glass dome was placed over one piece of meat and the other left in the open air, maggots occurred in only one piece of meat but it's the same concept.

@Surfpirate Indeed!

3

Sure, tell kids that there is a rational explanation for life on earth and there is a fairy tale. Let them choose.

3

LMFAO!!!!!!

That's a joke, right?
I mean, it has to be. You can't possibly be serious.
Creationism? What "creator"????
There's no "creator" to have "created" anything. So there's NOTHING
to teach.

Thanks for the laugh. That's the funniest thing I've read all day.
Seriously. Thank you!
LMFAO!!!

Yes! You get it!

@Flyingsaucesir I have a ex classmate / friend who teaches religion as comparative literature. Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hindu, Buddhism, Greek, Roman.

Science it is not, literature or Philosophy ok.

@Dougl35534 Science it is not, literature or Philosophy ok. But science and philiosphy are necessary to get things changed.

3

Why pick just the Judeo Christian creation story. There are many others that could be taught as well.

Mention of mythology does not have to be limited to just creationism. I think the original question (which by the way, I found on okcupid), focusses only on the one myth because it is the dominant one in the USA.

3

I expect that a god lesson could be made out of explaining that there are a plethora of creation stories, all over the world, and have been there all through recorded history, but they are composed of fantasy, while evolution is a scientifically founded explanation for the development of life on the planet, and the scientific method is not a religion. The creation myths do serve, and have served social and psychological purposes, but these do not make the myths reality.

3

Creationism should not be taught, but it would be good to contrast science and evolution to Creationism and discuss why science should be accepted over it. But there are many people who have God and religion implanted in their brains, who will be unwilling or perhaps unable to get themselves to seriously consider the scientific account of evolution.

3

I love it. Reality must be taught as reality, and mythology must be taught as mythology. That's the problem with churches. They teach mythology as if it were reality, and vice versa.

2

Creationism properly belongs in a class on World Folklore.

2

Uh, no, it's not necessary to tell ANY story, just relate the facts we have, the current theory that embraces and explains the facts, and not go down any mythological rabbit hole.

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