Posted on 10/23/2005 12:30:47 AM PDT by md2576
A majority of adults in the United States support the views of creationism, according to a poll by Gallup released by CNN and USA Today. 53 per cent of respondents say God created human beings in their present form at one time within the last 10,000 years or so.
Conversely, 31 per cent of respondents believe human beings have developed over millions of years from less advanced forms of life with God guiding this process, while 13 per cent think God had no part in the development of man.
Charles Darwin’s "The Origin of Species" was first published in 1859. The book details the British naturalist’s theory that all organisms gradually evolve through the process of natural selection. Darwin’s views were antagonistic to creationism, the belief that a more powerful being or a deity created life.
In the U.S., the debate on the topic accelerated after the 1925 Scopes trial, which tested a law that banned the teaching of evolution in Tennessee public schools. Last year, Georgia’s Cobb County was at the centre of a controversy on whether science textbooks that explain evolutionary theory should include disclaimer stickers.
The theory of intelligent design suggests certain biological mechanisms are too complex to have developed without the involvement of a powerful force or intelligent being. At least 20 American states are involved in court disputes over the teaching of intelligent design in schools.
On Oct. 6, White House spokesman Scott McClellan expressed the views of the U.S. president George W. Bush on the issue, saying, "He stands where he stood before, that he believes that students ought to be exposed to different theories."
On Oct. 21, Cornell University interim president Hunter Rawlings III called intelligent design "a religious belief masquerading as a secular idea," adding, "It has no ability to develop new knowledge."
Polling Data
Which of the following statements comes closest to your views on the origin and development of human beings: 1) Human beings have developed over millions of years from less advanced forms of life, but God guided this process; 2) Human beings have developed over millions of years from less advanced forms of life, but God had no part in this process; 3) God created human beings pretty much in their present form at one time within the last 10,000 years or so?
| Sept. 2005 | Nov. 2004 | |
| Man developed, with God guiding | 31% | 38% |
| Man developed, but God had no part in process | 12% | 13% |
| God created man in present form | 53% | 45% |
| Other / No opinion | 4% | 4% |
Source: Gallup / CNN / USA Today
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,005 American adults, conducted from Sept. 8 to Sept. 11, 2004. Margin of error is 3 per cent.
Nobody has any real answers, including the both of us.
But since you are a know it all, please proceed...
America is beginning to fall behind in science and science education. Since science and technology are the main reason for America's preeminence, it is just a matter of time until the next generation of world leading countries comes along and it won't be America leading the bunch. We're looking at third world status eventually.
Unless, of course, the next president recognises the problem and starts a national initiative to encourage more of our kids to pursue science/engineering degrees. It's happened before.
There are some 4,200 extant world religions. If you do 10 minutes each, that takes up half of the school year right there!
Is this what you want? (Or do you want only your brand taught in schools?)
The trend has been ongoing through several Admins. It's going to take more than a Pres with an interest in science. Kennedy was the last one of those and there aren't any others on the horizon. Algore is a hopeless parody of a scientist. All the others are even less adept. It doesn't look good, but a renewed interest in science and science education has to come from the people. We're #17 in science education.
At this point, none of the regular posters can claim ignorance, unless it's just willful. I mean, these people can obviously work a computer and can read and write, so I don't know what other conclusion you can draw besides either willful ignorance or mendacity. At least I haven' seen anyone trot out the 2nd Law of Thermondynamics in the past few days, unless I just missed it.
The latest theory (I just heard this on the radio) is that the theory of gravity is false and that actually there is no such thing as gravity but rather, "Intelligent Falling." The IF notion declares that an Intelligent being is pushing us and objects to the surface of the planet. Who among us can say this is not true?
It's pretty hard to get fresh discussion going this morning. The old dog seems to want to sleep in.
What symbol?
"I've read the bible once completely but need to read it again and again as it changes meanings to me as I get older and as I read it more and more. This is why I believe they call it The Great Book."
Super md2576...You'll find the more you read the Bible the more it will come "alive" for you. And if something stumps you just ask God to show you the answer.
I'd like to suggest you start with the book of John.
Best wishes on your adventure.
Excellent!
"From there I see the symbol next to Genesis 2:8 that lets me know I am missing something that used to be there but someone thought it no longer necessary to include because from 2:7 we go to the Lord planting a garden. So what am I missing here? It is hard to study anything that has missing parts God intended to be there. But I work with what I have."
Oh that little symbol thingie isn't that something is missing...it refers you to your foot notes where you can go to find more info on the subject.
Hope that helps you some. :)
The bad news for you geniuses is that in America we have this notion called one citizen, one vote. We also have this quaint notion of local autonomy and when you push against those big walls the walls push back.
I hope you also agree with the quaint notion that universities may refuse to accept diplomas from high schools that teach actual science.
Ah ... refuse to, maybe?
But being a conservative I would, of course, leave that up to the university where the university is a private school. Public universities would be a slightly different story since they exist at the taxpayers expense.
Only if we have Bible study instaed of Biology class.
It's a little black symbol at the start of the verse. I wish I knew what it meant or was. It's in my King James Version.
But there are no footnotes.
It will take more than encouragement. China graduates as many engineers in a month than we do in a year. Even allowing for a proportional difference in size, that is still going to lead to a massive difference in China's ability to build public works--including a space program.
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