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Evolution or Creation?
South Cheshire & North Staffordshire Humanists, [email protected]
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1859: Darwin’s “Origin” challenged
religious orthodoxy
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Creationism The Genesis Story (King James Version)
In the beginning God created heaven and earth.
Day 1: And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
Day 2: And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be
gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear:
and it was so.
Day 3: And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass and the
fruit tree yield fruit.
Day 4: And God created great whales, and every living
creature.
Day 5: And God said, Go forth and multiply each living creature
after his kind: and it was so.
Day 6: And God said, Let us make man in our image and let
them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl
of the air…
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The Genesis story implies…
• The creation events took place over six 24-hour
days, after which all creating ceased
• Life was created 6,000-8,000 years ago (not
enough time for evolution to occur).
– How realistic is this?
– How does scientific theory compare?
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Darwin’s “Laws of Evolution”…
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Reproduction leads to the inheritance of
characteristics
Variability in inherited traits (genetic mutation..)
Populations tend to outstrip the means of
subsistence causing a struggle for life (after
Thomas Malthus)
Natural selection of varieties and species better
fitted to the environment, and the extinction of
others.
“Thus, from the war of nature, from famine and
death…the production of higher animals directly
follows.” “p. 408 Conclusion of “The Origin”)
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Progress of evolution…
• From simple to more complex organisms
• Increasing diversity
• Able to adapt and survive in a greater
range of environmental settings
• Through natural selection – the strongest
or most adaptable species to its
environment survives
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World-view Implications…
• Creationism:
man is special, different from animals; put
here for a purpose; God is in control
• Evolution:
man is an advanced animal; man has
control and it is survival of the fittest
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Is teaching religion banned?
• First Amendment of the US Constitution
states, "Congress shall make no laws
regarding the establishment of religion, or
inhibiting the free exercise thereof.”
• public institutions must be religiouslyneutral: schools can neither promote nor
exclude religious expression.
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So what can teachers teach?
• It is legal for a teacher to teach about
religion, as long as one is not taking a
side.
• One can describe a religion, or religious
views, and can discuss controversies
involving religion, but it would not be
proper to take sides
-Originally published on PBS Online, May, 2000
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Evolution cartoons…
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More investigation
• http://law2.umkc.ed • http://ncse.com/ev
u/faculty/projects/ft
olution/education/c
rials/conlaw/evoluti
ans-cantson.htm
teaching-evolution
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