'Evolution' Study Implies U.S. Science Education Lagging Behind Europe
by Mary Rettig
August 21, 2006
(AgapePress) - - The president and CEO of a creation apologetics group says the U.S. is ahead, not behind, in science, as claimed by a recent worldwide study on belief in evolution.A researcher from Michigan State University studied beliefs about evolution in 34 countries, including the United States. The study found that in most European countries, at least 80 percent of adults believe in evolution. However, in the U.S. only about 40 percent were whole-hearted believers in Darwin's theory -- and 39 percent called it "absolutely false."
Jon Miller, the MSU researcher who conducted the study, attributes his findings, in part, to the influence of what he calls "fundamentalist religious beliefs on attitude toward evolution [and] pro-life attitudes" as well as the politicization of the evolution issue in America. Miller observes that "... individuals who hold a strong belief in a personal God -- and who pray frequently -- were significantly less likely to view evolution as probably or definitely true than adults with less conservative religious views." He also blames a "lack of genetic literacy" among American adults.
The team conducting the study indicates that overall, this is a bad sign for American science education, suggesting it indicates current science instruction is not "effective." But Ken Ham of Answers in Genesis sees it differently. Ham says it is really a sign of good things in the U.S.
"[Americans are] actually ahead of the curve because they're really taking real observational science into account and understanding that the science of genetics does not confirm that man evolved from ape-like creatures," explains the Christian apologist.
And as to the implication that American science education is lagging? "One of my interpretations of this particular study is this," say Ham. "In America, people have been exposed to different views and exposed to the observational science -- real science that you can observe in the present."
Ham says people in the U.S. have been exposed to more critical thinking about evolution and are no longer just believing in it without question. "They've been exposed to that to see that there is evidence that confirms the Bible's history is true," he says.
In addition, Ham says the U.S. should be encouraged that people are thinking critically about evolution because that encourages more study that will likely continue to cast doubt on the theory of evolution.
Mary Rettig, a regular contributor to AgapePress, is a reporter for American Family Radio News, which can be heard online.
