Separating Church and State in the Classroom
Many argue over whether our founding fathers believed in the separation of church and state. Let's set that aside. Let's just agree that churches should not direct affairs of state and that the government should not influence the free religious decisions of individuals. Fair enough? Good.
But what is the greatest religious decision anyone can make? Clearly, it comes in answering the question, "Is there a God (or gods)?" Answer yes, and you pursue one series of options. Answer no, and you pursue a different series altogether. It is the most important relgious decision we make, and government should not influence our answer.
This is why there is such debate over whether to teach evolution or creation in public schools. Understand, I'm discussing macro-evolution (evolution from species to species), not micro-evolution (which is simply the small changes of a species adapting to its environment). For purposes here, when I say "evolution," I mean the microbes-to-man, macro kind advocated in public schools. Understand also that I'm not saying evolution shouldn't be taught. But public schools receive tax dollars from people of all beliefs, so it is crucial that these state institutions avoid influencing religious decisions - especially the greatest religious decision. We must separate church and state.
Now, imagine a balancing scale where you can put weight on either side. This scale is in each one of us, adding evidence to each side as we consider the great question. Imagine one side to the be "Yes" side, where we place all arguments in favor of God's existence, and the other to be "No" where we add arguments against God.
Some argue that evolution can accommodate either side, in that it could remove the need for God or that God could have used it for creation. Perhaps, but look at that scale again. Teaching evolution adds no weight to the Yes side, since evolution is not necessary for believing in God. Even if one doesn't see evolution as an attack upon the Yes side, everyone would have to admit that it certainly doesn't add to it. Evolution is crucial, however, for the No side. After all, if things didn't evolve to where they are now - either gradually or through mutations - then they must have been created at a high level to begin with. Without evolution, you must have creation, so evolution is a massive, vital weight placed on the No side.
What happens when tax-funded education piles massive weight on one side and no weight on the other? Isn't it obvious? For the past several decades, evolutionary teaching has dominated public schools, and that inner scale within all of us was tilted in one direction. So, the state heavily influenced the greatest religious question - with our tax dollars. Tell me, do Americans believe more in God than they did 100 years ago, or less? Is it even close?
Conservatives come in all relgious stripes, including atheist, Christian, Jew, Muslim, Wiccan, etc. We feel all people have the right to decide for themselves what to believe, but that the state should stay out of this decision. We love the separation of church and state, and would like to see it revived.
Regarding the teaching of evolution in schools, there are several good options to revive church-state separation. Here are three:
We could (1) teach all theories, (2) teach straight science with no reference to origins (allowing students to draw their own conclusions), or (3) institute school vouchers, so families could freely choose which options they'd be taught. In each case, the state would no longer affect our inner scales.
The only bad option - the only one violating church-state separation - is what we currently have. Today, millions of kids are funneled through a choicelss system that teaches one side, thus heavily impacting the greatest religious decision with tax dollars.
Most liberals approve of the current option. Most conservatives don't. So, who really separates church and state? Who wants to keep tax dollars from influencing our beliefs?
Answer: Conservatives.
But what is the greatest religious decision anyone can make? Clearly, it comes in answering the question, "Is there a God (or gods)?" Answer yes, and you pursue one series of options. Answer no, and you pursue a different series altogether. It is the most important relgious decision we make, and government should not influence our answer.
This is why there is such debate over whether to teach evolution or creation in public schools. Understand, I'm discussing macro-evolution (evolution from species to species), not micro-evolution (which is simply the small changes of a species adapting to its environment). For purposes here, when I say "evolution," I mean the microbes-to-man, macro kind advocated in public schools. Understand also that I'm not saying evolution shouldn't be taught. But public schools receive tax dollars from people of all beliefs, so it is crucial that these state institutions avoid influencing religious decisions - especially the greatest religious decision. We must separate church and state.
Now, imagine a balancing scale where you can put weight on either side. This scale is in each one of us, adding evidence to each side as we consider the great question. Imagine one side to the be "Yes" side, where we place all arguments in favor of God's existence, and the other to be "No" where we add arguments against God.
Some argue that evolution can accommodate either side, in that it could remove the need for God or that God could have used it for creation. Perhaps, but look at that scale again. Teaching evolution adds no weight to the Yes side, since evolution is not necessary for believing in God. Even if one doesn't see evolution as an attack upon the Yes side, everyone would have to admit that it certainly doesn't add to it. Evolution is crucial, however, for the No side. After all, if things didn't evolve to where they are now - either gradually or through mutations - then they must have been created at a high level to begin with. Without evolution, you must have creation, so evolution is a massive, vital weight placed on the No side.
What happens when tax-funded education piles massive weight on one side and no weight on the other? Isn't it obvious? For the past several decades, evolutionary teaching has dominated public schools, and that inner scale within all of us was tilted in one direction. So, the state heavily influenced the greatest religious question - with our tax dollars. Tell me, do Americans believe more in God than they did 100 years ago, or less? Is it even close?
Conservatives come in all relgious stripes, including atheist, Christian, Jew, Muslim, Wiccan, etc. We feel all people have the right to decide for themselves what to believe, but that the state should stay out of this decision. We love the separation of church and state, and would like to see it revived.
Regarding the teaching of evolution in schools, there are several good options to revive church-state separation. Here are three:
We could (1) teach all theories, (2) teach straight science with no reference to origins (allowing students to draw their own conclusions), or (3) institute school vouchers, so families could freely choose which options they'd be taught. In each case, the state would no longer affect our inner scales.
The only bad option - the only one violating church-state separation - is what we currently have. Today, millions of kids are funneled through a choicelss system that teaches one side, thus heavily impacting the greatest religious decision with tax dollars.
Most liberals approve of the current option. Most conservatives don't. So, who really separates church and state? Who wants to keep tax dollars from influencing our beliefs?
Answer: Conservatives.