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America's Belief in Evolution and Creationism |
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Prayer-Soldier writes "
On 11 Feb 09, the Gallup organization reported that only 39% of Americans believe in evolution. The poll also noted that when asked if they believe in Darwin's theory of natural selection, the numbers fall to only 14% . The gallop report also opines that, “it is perhaps dismaying to scientists who study and respect his [Darwin's] work to see that well less than half of Americans today say they believe in the theory of evolution.”
According to a summary of Gallup polls conducted on the subject from 1982 to 2008, the American public remains divided on the form of man's creation, but an overwhelming majority believe that God played a role. The results of the 2008 survey indicated that only 14% indicated that man was created without any involvement by God. The survey reported that 36% believe that “man developed with God guiding,” and 44% believe that “God created man in present form.”
The results perhaps explain the continuing controversy as to what theories should be taught in public schools. The genesis of the controversy came from a general acceptance of evolution by the scientific community in the mid-1800s. Despite the progression of evolution within the scientific community, creationism was largely taught in public schools through the first half of the 20th Century. In some cases, states established laws prohibiting the teaching of evolution. The first legal challenge of such laws came in the form of the Scopes trial of 1925.
While the appeals upheld that, “The Butler Act does not violate church and state or state religion laws but instead, merely prohibits the teaching of evolution on the grounds of intellectual disagreement, and leaves the only non-religion specific option as creationism,” the trial set in motion a controversy that would eventually challenge the teaching of creationism as a violation of the Constitution.
In the 1960's, states began to back away from laws prohibiting the teaching of evolution in the face of supreme court decisions that held that “the Establishment Clause prohibits the state from advancing any religion.” In the 1968 case of Epperson v. Arkansas, the court held that laws which prohibit the teaching of evolution while protecting the teaching of creation in effect advanced a religion which the court considered to be a violation of the Establishment clause of the First Amendment.
Since that time, proponents of creationism have sought means to at least have creationism taught along side evolution. Proponents of evolution seek to prohibit the teaching of creationism in science classes, proffering that there is no scientific support for creationism. Proponents of intelligent design, however, proffer that there are too many gaps in evolutionary theory for evolution to be a credible enough that it should be taught in our schools as if it was the only possible scientific explanation.
Proponents of creation science point to alternative interpretations of scientific evidence that are incompatible with the theory of evolution and supports creationism as it is literally stated in the Bible. Scientists such as Dr. Kent Hovin and organizations such as the Orion Foundation challenge the prevailing acceptance by the scientific community of evolution. Such creation science proponents present alternative explanations of the scientific evidence that they believe reveal the secrets of our creation consistent with creationist theory.
It is likely the controversy will continue as various proponents attempt to advance their views in a struggle between law, theory, and values. For parents, the concern is their objective to obtain an education for their children while also seeking to pass to their children a fundamental foundation of religious beliefs and values. "
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Posted on Thursday, September 24 @ 22:11:10 MDT by admin
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