The Florida Board of Education passed a new set of teaching standards that requires evolution to be taught in the classroom, but labeled as a scientific theory.
This is raising an uproar, widening the divide between creationists and scientist. And caught in the middle are the children who, I’m sure, are groaning not because they have to learn evolution but because it means extra homework.
Anti-evolution supporters don’t like this piece of legislation because they believe it will force their children to learn something that takes away from the image of God. Pro-evolution people hate the fact that evolution is being called a theory. So no one is ever going to be happy until one side bludgeons the other.
Speaking of that, how little faith do creationists have in their own religion that they are afraid of their children being taught an opposing view. Religion is a personal choice, one that people make when they are ready, the fact that a child knows about evolution doesn’t mean that they are going to reject God. And if they do, it is their choice and not ours to make. If God wanted mindless slaves, He wouldn’t have given us free will.
Furthermore, I think it breeds suspicion in young people, when they learn about evolution in college and are presented with so much proof after not being taught it in earlier grade levels. It is best to be honest, if science calls it a fact then present it as that and trust in your child’s own reasoning to make his or her own choice. Not to mention that these debates shift focus from the purpose of many religions, which is the betterment of mankind.
Either way, isn’t there such a thing as separation of church and state, I think that little thing called the Constitution mentions it briefly. Intelligent Design, Creationism, and all that don’t belong in the schools, teach this to your children at church.
I say let the schools teach evolution, and teach it as fact. The student can reject it or take it as truth, God knows that students don’t believe half of the things a teacher says. And before I’m stoned to death for blasphemy, I submit that God gave us a choice from the very beginning because it is of more worth to believe in Him after having seen and learned about everything else than it is to believe because that is the only thing you’ve ever known. -- Elvis Ramirez
