osuche, i think this is a fascinating topic, hence the following treatise
imo, world religion classes should be offered in high school with at least three credits required for graduation. it should be taught in the most factual way it can be. even…
especially… the major modern religions should be taught with the same adherence to strict fact. there should never be any judgement attached…ever; any information we have or have surmised should be taught with the ultimate goal of enlightenment in intellectual, historic and world cultural capacities. the same goes for science.
should creationism be taught in a science class? no. should intelligent design? yes… however small the difference twixt the two.
creationism needs to be kept with religions. it is defined, basically, as the book of genesis and, to my mind, only applies when discussing christanity..
intelligent design is a budding idea, and ,yes, scientific in nature, which hypothesizes that someone/thing/things have manipulated—in some way, at some time—our journey from the primordial ooze to space. whether they be gods, aliens or our own future selves is a missing piece that some supply according to their own faith base and, i believe, has sparked the controversy that unnecessarily clouds this hypothesis. but it is undeniable that many scientists have wondered, for millennia they have wondered, at the essential coincidence of it all and are seeking to explain it. as many scientists will tell you they believe: there is no such thing as coincidence.
and if you think i implied that the whole of science is lumped in with faith-based belief systems in that previous paragraph, you’re right. i am neither a scientist nor a religionist but i look at it this way: all individual beliefs are centered on information that, for them at least, is considered to be true but in reality has always eluded true comprehension. for those who believe in a higher power worthy of their worship and love, their data is books, songs, and fables. their hypotheses are laws, practices and rituals. their theory is faith. for those who cannot give their faith or love to an intangible god, their scripture is also much that cannot be proved beyond doubt or even understood completely. their commandments are that which they can see, touch or measure. their rituals are to record it all for future generations—much as religions have a guide book, so does science.
to be a scientist requires faith in the natural order of things; there are always surprises yet they do not give up.
to be one of the faithful requires an on-going examination of the most complicated things known to man—the mind, or at least the part of it we refer to as sentience or self awareness…the soul.
furthermore, for all that history has taught us regarding the censure, ridicule and even execution of our free-thinking ancestors (many of whom were later proved to be exactly right or at least on the right track), we certainly haven’t altered our approach to accommodate the evidence. perhaps that is why this issue is such a dilemma…as a whole, we are not a very scientifically minded society; we are so much more geared toward emotion and gut—so hard to remain scientifically curious and open, and still stay deeply rooted by the important traditions and the (mostly)universal and totally essential morality that keeps us from devolving into cave men with the capacity for nuclear war.
what has been done in the name of science and what has been done in the name of religion do not differ much. whether it was the doctors of nazi medicine and their demented experiments or the insane horror of the rwandan massacre; the invention of something as simple as plastic which has improved countless lives, or as simple as a woman like mother theresa who cared for even more.
do not lower a man for his beliefs, do lower a belief for its men.
now that i’m feeling maudlin…on a personal level, i have not ruled out anything. nor have i prepared for anything—i do not own a foil hat or a ray gun. although i could make the hat, the ray gun is completely beyond my capabilities. nor do i go to any church. although i do invoke the lord’s name quite often…especially during sex so perhaps i’m covered in that regard after all. if it is our future selves i must worry about, then i shall have to rent timecop again but i’m pretty sure the good guys won.
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