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Creation theory gets boost (Australia)
The Age (Melbourne) ^ | 18th November 2004 | Misha Schubert

Posted on 11/17/2004 7:13:45 PM PST by naturalman1975

Schools should teach the biblical creation story alongside evolutionary theory, Family First chairman Peter Harris said yesterday.

While his fledgling party - arising out of the Assemblies of God church - had no formal policy on school curriculums, Mr Harris said his personal view was that children should be taught both perspectives.

Asked at the National Press Club in Canberra whether he supported both perspectives being taught, he said: "Of course we'd like to see a balanced approach to education, and... all options and all viewpoints, world viewpoints, should be put forward and people should be entitled to make their own decisions," he said.

Mr Harris said his party had raised $1.2 million in donations for the federal election, but had none from the United States, where the religious right has become a political force.

There was diverse support for Mr Harris' views on teaching creationism alongside evolution.

Australian National University anthropologist Alan Thorne said there was nothing wrong with putting both views to students.

"A balanced view is better than an extreme view in education," he said. "From a scientific perspective, it would be very silly indeed to claim God went around poking fossils into rocks, (but) the two can be quite compatible. There's no reasons why they can't address different aspects of our development."

Labor's federal education spokeswoman Jenny Macklin said: "All young people should have an understanding of a range of religious beliefs."

But acting Australian Education Union Victorian president Ann Taylor warned schools should distinguish between established scientific fact and philosophical or religious belief.


TOPICS: Australia/New Zealand
KEYWORDS: crevolist
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To: narby
I'm confused.

Good night, narby.

41 posted on 11/17/2004 9:54:26 PM PST by Dataman
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To: Dataman
You apparently did not read the post. Rather than reproduce it here, I suggest you read the original.

No No No. I'm the one who makes the ad hominem attacks about your reading skills. That's my line!

42 posted on 11/17/2004 9:55:52 PM PST by narby
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To: Dataman
Good night, narby.

See what I mean? Changed the subject again.

43 posted on 11/17/2004 9:56:42 PM PST by narby
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To: narby
So why push the either/or situation?

So how does a label in a book in one case, or the concurrent teaching of an opposing viewpoint in another case, cause such a crisis in your mind? You are required to make a conscious decision in any case.

Jos 24:15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that [were] on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

44 posted on 11/17/2004 9:59:01 PM PST by AndrewC (New Senate rule -- Must vote on all Presidential appointments period certain.)
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To: naturalman1975
Schools should teach the biblical creation story alongside evolutionary theory, Family First chairman Peter Harris said yesterday.

Schools should teach the biblical creation story in the religious study classes. They should teach evolution in the science classes. And in the philosophy classes, they can then teach why the two accounts are mutually compatible.

45 posted on 11/17/2004 9:59:55 PM PST by John Locke
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To: narby
I just listed the three items that should be taught in school today.

Have I missed one of that major distortions?

46 posted on 11/17/2004 10:00:33 PM PST by Hunble
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To: AndrewC
My religion of choice is Wicca. I am both Christian and Pagan, since I believe in the reality of multiple gods and goddesses.

Jos 24:15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that [were] on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

Question: Did this not just support my religious views?

47 posted on 11/17/2004 10:06:48 PM PST by Hunble
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To: Hunble
I am both Christian and Pagan, since I believe in the reality of multiple gods and goddesses.

You can call yourself whatever you wish, however, you are not a Christian if you are a pagan. And, yes, in a perverse way the scripture verse does "support" other "religious" views, however, the consequences are not enumerated.

48 posted on 11/17/2004 10:12:53 PM PST by AndrewC (New Senate rule -- Must vote on all Presidential appointments period certain.)
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To: AndrewC
Your opinion only. However, the Biblical scriptures do support my beliefs.

The same thing holds with our current topic today. I have just listed three ways that some people may teach our youth about biological development on Earth.

I have absolutly no problem with these theories being taught to our children.

49 posted on 11/17/2004 10:18:45 PM PST by Hunble
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To: AndrewC
So how does a label in a book in one case, or the concurrent teaching of an opposing viewpoint in another case, cause such a crisis in your mind?

It's not a crisis in my mind. It's in my experience. I've watched many of these crevo threads over the years descend into arguments about proving there is a creator, and arguing about who created the creator. Inevitably, the very existence of God is questioned.

These same arguments are certainly repeated in classrooms full of children not sure of their faith, every time the discussion of Creationism/ID vs. Evolution comes up. For certain, some of these children will accept the overwhelming evidence of Evolution presented, and will believe they have no choice but to reject God as a consequence.

Certainly, the worst thing that could happen is to have a public school "present both sides" and force this choice in an environment away from church and family. I believe that the church should prepare young people for such issues by teaching them that we are imperfect humans, and have an imperfect understanding of what Genesis means. They should be taught that there is no conflict, because then the issue of Evolution is not an artificial stumbling block.

Someone in an earlier post wisely said that we tend to believe what we were taught when we were young and reject evidence against it. I was taught in a church youth camp by a deacon in the church who was also a science professor, that there was no conflict between Evolution and Genesis. He went over Genesis, verse by verse, and pointed out the sequences that were identical to scientific understanding.

Like Revelation, on the other end of the Bible, Genesis is quite confusing on it's own. It is difficult for a mere human like me to comprehend exactly what it means. Keeping in mind that confusion, it's not hard to conclude that there just isn't a real conflict here.

50 posted on 11/17/2004 10:20:51 PM PST by narby
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To: Hunble
Your opinion only.

Nope. You keep being incorrect in many things.

pa·gan   Audio pronunciation of "pagan" ( P )  Pronunciation Key  (pgn)
n.

  1. One who is not a Christian, Muslim, or Jew, especially a worshiper of a polytheistic religion.
  2. One who has no religion.
  3. A non-Christian.
  4. A hedonist.
  5. A Neo-Pagan.

51 posted on 11/17/2004 10:21:20 PM PST by AndrewC (New Senate rule -- Must vote on all Presidential appointments period certain.)
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To: narby
Inevitably, the very existence of God is questioned.

That's a fact of life and the reason for the statement, "I believe in God". And the argument also involves the mere use of a label in a book. Even that is rejected.

52 posted on 11/17/2004 10:27:50 PM PST by AndrewC (New Senate rule -- Must vote on all Presidential appointments period certain.)
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To: narby
I believe that the church should prepare young people for such issues by teaching them that we are imperfect humans, and have an imperfect understanding of what Genesis means. They should be taught that there is no conflict, because then the issue of Evolution is not an artificial stumbling block.

As a witch for over 30 years, I have learned how to use my own mental abilities to influence nature by using the mind.

Because of this education, I have no problems with the basic concept of God creating the Universe.

If I had my wish, I would teach this to each and every student around the world.

It is possible for God to make a new creature by going "poof" and it suddenly exist!

wink

53 posted on 11/17/2004 10:32:16 PM PST by Hunble
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To: AndrewC
Keep it up dude, you are proving my point tonight!

LOL

54 posted on 11/17/2004 10:35:08 PM PST by Hunble
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To: Hunble

Is it possible to spontaneously generate matter and energy in the witchery?


55 posted on 11/17/2004 10:37:12 PM PST by jwalsh07
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To: Hunble
Keep it up dude, you are proving my point tonight!

Well, you are being played with. That is what you wanted.

56 posted on 11/17/2004 10:41:06 PM PST by AndrewC (New Senate rule -- Must vote on all Presidential appointments period certain.)
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To: jwalsh07
To be honest, I have no idea.

"And it harm none.." is a LAW that I will never violate.

I can only use my education and abilities to heal others. Even within that restriction, they must give me full permission after being told what I will attempt.

However, of the people who have given me permission to heal them, they have all recovered.

I must give a portion of my own life-force when I perform a healing spell. Each and every one of these, is very dangerous to my own life.

So far, I have survived these healing spells and was willing to sacrifice my own life for them.

I always knew that Jesus and God was doing the healing!

I was just the method that they used.

57 posted on 11/17/2004 10:45:52 PM PST by Hunble
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To: AndrewC
I was just the method that they used.

Did I just answer your next question?

58 posted on 11/17/2004 10:48:20 PM PST by Hunble
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To: Hunble
Did I just answer your next question?

What question? :^)

59 posted on 11/17/2004 10:51:55 PM PST by AndrewC (New Senate rule -- Must vote on all Presidential appointments period certain.)
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To: narby
You do understand the event that caused some schools to throw evolution, as presented, in the trash bin, where Darwin himself said it belonged if no supporting evidence was forth coming.

Yes, a species will adapt to it's environment, but not all species derived from the same basic organism.
60 posted on 11/17/2004 10:56:55 PM PST by MissAmericanPie
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