I've watched quite a few debates regarding evolution and ID or creationism. It's very very clear that ID or creationism isn't science, but it does point out gaps in our understanding. Some gaps are misunderstood, some misused and some are truly gaps.
The other thing I notice is that evolution isn't a godless belief. There are many Christians, and I would bet other religious people, who agree on evolutionary theory. It's also striking that people who believe the earth is six to ten thousand years old also make the leap that their particular god or religious text is the correct explanation of God vs. any other. They take a very literal view.
If we teach ID in public schools, wouldn't our religious biases influence which god, or which religious text children are supposed to adopt? Would it be ok for Muslims, Hindus or the Church of Satan to teach religious origins of life in the classroom? Would literalist Christians be ok with this? If it's just about alternatives then logically any religious believer could teach about the gaps in evolution or the possibility of a god thing creating us. Where would this lead?
Looking at the Bible, for instance, one can see arbitrary and horrific acts committed by religious people and their god as well as foolish laws and beliefs. Now, to trust that this collection of writings is accurate or absolutely true is obviously not possble to anyone not taught to believe it as such. In my mind, the average person, who has no understanding of the Bible, would not assume it is absolutely perfect and true unless indoctrinated so.
It's also obvious that no person was present at the start of earth and life, but religious people are taught to believe that somehow their god revealed this to Moses and he wrote it all down correctly. No explanation is required. We are just taught to assume it happened in some mystical manner.
I've heard the debates by young earth scientists, I was taught by them in college, but I also notice how easy it is to believe anything and even support it with apparent facts or missing data. Just think of all the people who believe the government initiated 911. They will point to experts, video, engineering facts and so on to support their theory. Some good people have fallen for this stuff. It happens all the time. We believe for reasons other than reason. It's just the way we are as a species. We are both rational and irrational.
This is why scientific process is so important as to remove our biases and beliefs to get to the actual facts not our imagined or hopeful thoughts. We can test only what we can observe and/or repeat. Religious beliefs about the origin of life are just not something we can test or repeat. For that matter, science is limited in this too, but the connection between species, life and development of life and diversification of species is supported by evidence that science can look into and experiment with and test. Science is about dealing with our natural world not our supernatural views. That is why some people can believe in God and accept evolution. But you won't find literal Bible believers accepting evolutionary theory about the origin of the species.
For all the good ID or creationists claim, what is the eventual outcome of believing in a supernatural creation or a personal god? It's already true that about 84% of people in the U.S. believe in a god. Has it helped? Not according to certain religious groups. They are very clear that we are all supposed to believe their religious views or at the least, their basic concept of God. It's clear to me, if not anyone else, that teaching alternatives to the most accepted and critiqued scientific theory is purely a religious goal to convert people if nothing else. Why, because it is a command from Jesus, written in the NT, and accepted by literalist Christians as fact. It is not a choice according to these NT believers. They have to do this if they love their god. On a kinder and more human level, I believe many literalist xtians also believe they are fighting this fight out of love and compassion to help people know God and escape Hell.
If one adds up all the personality traits and actions of all the gods ever written about I'd have to pass on respecting any of them. I can think up a much better god, but it wouldn't be real because my god, wouldn't be invisible, wouldn't hide, and wouldn't allow such terrible suffering in life, or send people to Hell for not believing. If there is a god..... We surely don't know it very well, if at all, and why hide if you want praise and worship as so many religions claim? Maybe God is just a force, or like the Greek gods of old, more human in personality, but god-like in power. Who the heck knows? Not me! I quit speculating out of thin air, or relying on ancient man's texts about mythical beings. I just go with what exits in the world we live in today.
Bill J.
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