Alternative Views to Evolution Gaining Support in Public Education
by Jim Brown
September 6, 2005
(AgapePress) - The head of a creation apologetics ministry is reacting to a new public opinion poll regarding the origin of life.A poll conducted by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life found about half the public says that humans and other living things have evolved over time, while 42 percent say that living things have existed in their present form since the beginning of time. Answers in Genesis CEO Ken Ham believes the survey question was probably not detailed enough because creationists like himself do believe that living things have changed over time.
Regardless, Ham says he is not surprised that such a large number of people believe in creationist views. "The creation movement has over the years put out a lot of information," Ham offers. "I think a lot more people are becoming aware of the arguments and the information in books and DVDs and through websites like Answers In Genesis and so on -- and I believe a lot more people are educated on this issue."
The poll also found that just 6 percent of parents with children in school say their child has mentioned feeling uncomfortable when the subject of evolution comes up at school. "There's a lot more people out there who hold to creationist views than what the elite secular humanists have been really letting on," Ham points out.
In fact, the poll found that 64 percent of Americans say they are open to the idea of teaching creationism along with evolution in public schools. And 38 percent favor replacing evolution with creationism in public school curricula. Ham contends that most people realize education involves looking at alternative views.
"If the evolutionists are so convinced that evolution is true, why would they even be worried about including creationist views?" the apologist wonders -- then answers his own question: "Because then they could be looked at carefully; and if they're obviously not true from their perspective, then science should show that -- which, of course, it doesn't."
Ham offers this observation. "I think what's really happened is, a lot of the elite secular humanists who really have an atheistic agenda have really taken over the education system," he says. "But the majority of people are quite willing to consider all views -- and that includes the secularists as well as the Christians."
Ham notes that many secularists approve the teaching of creationism in public school social science classes, but not in science class.
Jim Brown, a regular contributor to AgapePress, is a reporter for American Family Radio News, which can be heard online.
