Evolution: Science and Religion Essay Example
Evolution: Science and Religion
In 1895 Charles Darwin published a book describing his theory of evolution, and his theory of the natural selection process. This theory caused much uproar in the religious community because Darwin's theory went against the story of creation portrayed in the Holy Bible. His theory claimed that all life currently in place had evolved and adapted from a single organism in the beginning. Over time and by process of natural selection only the dominant species were left over while the other, less dominant species, went extinct. His theory, backed by scientific analysis, had dismissed the idea of a single deity creating all life on Earth. It is not like Darwin had a personal agenda against religion or anything, but he did create what would become the main evidence used by atheists to disprove the Bible. Now his theory is still theory, and is yet to be proven as a fact, but is still believed by much of the scientific society as a fact. The struggle between the religious and the atheistic will rage for many years, but where the battle will cause the most damage is in the American school system. The thesis of this paper is, teachers must be required to teach evolution; which is already in place in the American school system, but teachers cannot be allowed to teach evolution as a fact, or evidence disproving the existence of a god. On top of all of that, they must as well allow the expression of opposing viewpoints.
In the American school system there is a constant separation of Church and State. This separation is undisputedly good for keeping the civil rights of students in order. By not allowing the pressures of church in schools, people of power cannot abuse their power for religious preferences. Richard W. Garnett wrote in an article, " the separation of church and state' is crucial to any attractive vision of religious freedom (Garnett)". Teaching children unproven belief as a fact is just as bad as the forcing of religious beliefs
In 1895 Charles Darwin published a book describing his theory of evolution, and his theory of the natural selection process. This theory caused much uproar in the religious community because Darwin's theory went against the story of creation portrayed in the Holy Bible. His theory claimed that all life currently in place had evolved and adapted from a single organism in the beginning. Over time and by process of natural selection only the dominant species were left over while the other, less dominant species, went extinct. His theory, backed by scientific analysis, had dismissed the idea of a single deity creating all life on Earth. It is not like Darwin had a personal agenda against religion or anything, but he did create what would become the main evidence used by atheists to disprove the Bible. Now his theory is still theory, and is yet to be proven as a fact, but is still believed by much of the scientific society as a fact. The struggle between the religious and the atheistic will rage for many years, but where the battle will cause the most damage is in the American school system. The thesis of this paper is, teachers must be required to teach evolution; which is already in place in the American school system, but teachers cannot be allowed to teach evolution as a fact, or evidence disproving the existence of a god. On top of all of that, they must as well allow the expression of opposing viewpoints.
In the American school system there is a constant separation of Church and State. This separation is undisputedly good for keeping the civil rights of students in order. By not allowing the pressures of church in schools, people of power cannot abuse their power for religious preferences. Richard W. Garnett wrote in an article, " the separation of church and state' is crucial to any attractive vision of religious freedom (Garnett)". Teaching children unproven belief as a fact is just as bad as the forcing of religious beliefs