Warning: Thread Now Contains Irresponsible Content

[cricket]

Eighty percent of all Americans believe that God created the universe. (Newsweek, 28 November 2005) What say you?

Apparently, you cannot edit the words inside a poll after posting. Option number 5 should read, "Teach evolution and intelligent design; leave out creationism."

[Bravus]

Can't answer it definitively in the form it's stated: I'd say something like 'teach evolution - as an explanatory mechanism, not a metaphysical belief - in science class, teach creation in religion class, teach intelligent design in social studies (science and society) class'.

[Neil D]

Quote:

---

Bravus said:

Can't answer it definitively in the form it's stated: I'd say something like 'teach evolution - as an explanatory mechanism, not a metaphysical belief - in science class, teach creation in religion class, teach intelligent design in social studies (science and society) class'.

---

Well, the question does say "Should evolution, creationism and ID be taught (not necessarily in science class) in the public school system?

But to me, I dont think the class room wants to teach creation nor intelligent design. That is why I think that OUR schools should teach it and evolution. I also think that we can market our schools that way. Public school has to teach at the lowest common denominator in knowledge when it comes to teaching everyone. Whereas Christian schools can teach to creationism, Intelligent Design and as well as evolution.

[Dr. Shane]

I couldn't agree with Brother Neil more. Our schools, the Adventist ones, should teach all three prespectives.

In regard to the public schools, the local school board should have discreation to decide what is taught. If the elitest judges say something cannot be taught in science class, local school boards can have it taught in history, social science or cultural diversity and make it optional.

However the solution to the entire debate is school vouchers. Give parents an educational voucher and let the parents decide if they want to send their children to a school that teaches [sex education in ways that would be considered inappropriate by many Christians (edit by Bravus with Shane's agreement)] and that man came from apes or to a school that teaches us to respect one another and question what science may declare to be a sound theory.

[cricket]

Why did sex have to come into play in this thread?

[Gail]

Hmm... good question!

[Dr. Shane]

Do we want to talk about the real reasons why should send our children to Adventist schools or do we want to sugarcoat the reality of what is taking place in the public school system?

Public schools have 3 major issues for Adventists to consider before sending (or sentencing) their children there.

• Evolution
• Sex education
• Increase drug use and violence

[cricket]

Actually, I intended this thread to be about whether or not evolution, creation and/or intelligent design theories should be taught in the public school system.

If you'd like to start another thread that would include discussion of the issues you've brought forth, you may.

[Dr. Shane]

There are certain topics that Adventists get excited about.

• Prophecy
• Health Reform
• The Sabbath
• State of the Dead
• Education

Whenever these issues come up in conversation, one can expect Adventists to become vocal about thier beliefs. We witnessed this with Brother Neil's reaction. We can talk about what we think the public schools should or shouldn't do all day long BUT we really need to be more concerned about our own schools and why so many of our members are not sending their children to them.

The title of this thread started out as "Eighty Percent", which was related to a statistic derived from a poll which stated that 80% of Americans claim to believe in God. OK, that is good. So why do so many of them send their children to public school which teaches evolution and sexual morals which are against religion (Christian or other)?

[cricket]

I'm not interested in the other things you wish to discuss right now. My interest is about creation, evolution and intelligent design.

I put the warning label on the thread title so that others (specifically those that don't want to read another query as to why so many people are interested in sex, and what levels of indecency are acceptable or not) who aren't interested might close their eyes and not have to be thrust into another topic they consider indecent.

So, again, I put it to you to start another topic if you want to address these things, and please, leave the warning label on this thread. I started the thread and I don't want others to think I am acting irresponsibly in opening another public discussion of lewdness.

[Clio]

Quote:

---

Christine Wall said:

I'm not interested in the other things you wish to discuss right now. My interest is about creation, evolution and intelligent design.

I put the warning label on the thread title so that others (specifically those that don't want to read another query as to why so many people are interested in sex, and what levels of indecency are acceptable or not) who aren't interested might close their eyes and not have to be thrust into another topic they consider indecent.

So, again, I put it to you to start another topic if you want to address these things, and please, leave the warning label on this thread. I started the thread and I don't want others to think I am acting irresponsibly in opening another public discussion of lewdness.

---

Thank you Christine.

I'm still chewing on what I think about teaching Creationism, ID, and Evolution. I voted, but having read other responses, now I'm wondering. It's almost like I'd like a "before discussion" and "after discussion" poll!

I'm sure I'll have more to say... just...later

Clio

[cricket]

Dear Reader,

The content of this thread has now been revised so that the reader need not be wary of reading objectionable material. Publicly, I wish to thank Shane for allowing the modification of his post. Thank you, also, Bravus for moderating in a responsible fashion.

The topic is Creationsim, Evolution and Intelligent Design: Should Any of These Be Taught in the Public School System?

Currently the United States is dealing with this very issue. Public school systems have been struggling with the notion of letting our teachers teach the theory of Intelligent Design. At the very core of the discussion is the idea that Intelligent Design is religion disguised as science.

The past 100 years have seen drastic changes in the way people believe how the earth was formed. The United States has gone from 1) allowing no evolution to be taught in the public school systems, to 2) allowing evolution to be taught, and finally to 3) a 1987 ruling mandating that evolution be taught and creationism be forbidden.

Although 80 percent of Americans do not believe in evolution, the struggle to get anything other than evolution taught in the schools is painstaking.

The results of this poll today show that the majority of those voting here would like to see all three theories taught in the public school setting. Dear reader, do you feel that this sampling is indicative of the opinion of the average American Christian--or is there something greater going on here?

Chrys