The $27 million Creation museum, a few miles south of Cinncinnati, tells a biblical version of the Earth's history. A museum exhibit where Adam and Eve share space with dinosaurs is drawing criticism by asserting that the planet is just a few thousand years old and man and the giant lizards once coexisted.
In an article on MSN.com http://travel.msn.com/Guides/article.aspx?cp-documentid=395367>1=10142 where educators criticize the new Creation museum, the founder of the group behind the museum, Ken Ham was quoted as saying "We use the same science they do," Ham said. "What they're really saying is they disagree with our beliefs about history, about the Bible, but we use the same science and genetics they do."
Let's examine this statement for a minute...disagree with their beliefs about history. Now if he thinks that it is a scientific fact that the Earth is only a few thousand years old and man and dinosaurs shared the planet, then he is delusional and needs to attend a very basic college level science biology course. One simply does not have beliefs about history. History is fact. It DOES NOT change...history is history. It is not in debate. What is that famous quote...you cannot change history (or the past)...there is a reason this quote has been around for so long...
IMHO, what is in debate is how they are creating history to support their beliefs. How can they do this? Well i guess if you call yourself a creationist you can create history if you want. I know with enough money in America you can pretty much do whatever you want...and thus we have a creation museum. Which i have no problem with a creation museum. As long as they stick with creation and leave science alone. A lot of people around the world work very hard and devote their lives to science and the pursuit of scientific truths...just as many people devote their lives to God and his beliefs. But what we really need to do is to separate beliefs from facts and NOT present beliefs as scientific facts.
Evolution is not a belief. It is a theory...a scientific theory is defined as "a proposed description, explanation or model of the manner of interaction of a set of natural phenomenon, capable of predicting future occurrences or observations of the same kind, and capable of being scientifically tested through experiments or otherwise falsified through empirical observation." The THEORY of evolution (not the belief of evolution) has been rigorously tested for decades and has yet to be falsified once...this is no longer up for debate people!! Evolution is!!!
Creationism is NOT a theory it is a belief system. Now for the definition of belief: a) something believed; an opinion or conviction b) confidence in the truth or existence of something not immediately susceptible to rigorous proof; c) confidence, faith, trust.
There is a big difference between a belief in God and a scientific theory. A belief has no business being taught in a science class b/c it is not susceptible to rigorous scientific experimentation. End of debate!!!
I respect everyone's beliefs and their right to believe what they choose...so I don't care about their religious beliefs...but i do have a problem with them posing those beliefs as science. There is a big difference and I wish the average american was educated enough to be able to tell the difference.
And on a final note, I do not think that believing in God and understanding and supporting the theory of Evolution are mutually exclusive. Remember Darwin was an extremely religous person. Many of my friends believe in God and still are able to reconcile their beliefs with the Theory of Evolution. "The true test of a first rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposing ideas in the head at the same time and still retain the ability to function." The Theory of Evolution and Creationism, to me, they are like apples and oranges and should not be compared. The Theory of Evoution does not say there is no God...no where in any biology book i have ever read does it denounce the existence of God.
Here is a great quote from the movie Dogma: I think it's better to have ideas. You can change an idea. Changing a belief is trickier. Life should malleable and progressive; working from idea to idea permits that. Beliefs anchor you to certain points and limit growth; new ideas can't generate. Life becomes stagnant.
ShrimpGirl
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2 comments:
First off, apples and oranges CAN be compared. They are both fruits, round, full of juices, made of water, sugars, and fibers, have a peel and seeds, etc etc etc. As a former English teacher, I hate it when people say they can't be compared. They can even be contrasted;)
Secondly, history CAN change to an extent. As new historical facts come to light, our preception of or belief in the events of history change. It's our understanding that truly changes. If it never changed, we'd only have to print new textbooks every 10 years or so.
As far as the people at the Creation Museum go, I ignore them because they will believe what they want and you cannot change their minds, so don't even worry yourself about it at all. Breathe, Jo, breathe...
You write very well.
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