Wednesday, 15 July 2015

RELIGION VS SCIENCE


It has been a couple of times now that I have over the years written about how I managed to streamline the teachings of my school concerning the theory of evolution {Darwinism} and the biblical version of where we all came from {God}- Also taught in my school {thank you welholme infants and have grammar in Grimsby}. On reflection, this was quite a lot to make board for a child and often confusing seeing as, on the one hand the science teacher, Mr. meek was telling us that the world was billions of years old and we evolved by natural selection and on the other hand, sometimes only minutes later the RE {Religious Education} teacher was telling us that the world was 6,000 years old and that it, along with us human beings, were made by god in six days. In my childish simplicity decided that god must have created the world by causing a big bang and he must have made that first amoeba. That did very nicely for me, thank you I’d got my God and evolution on one page
At school, If you are wise, you simply listen and learn to pass exams. But sometime later, this paradox has to be sorted out in everyone’s mind, no matter what faith. We cannot ignore that fossils dating back far longer than 6,000 years have been found. This alone makes one stop and question what dear RE {Religious Education} teacher was trying to ding into us
And lam not alone in this line of thinking.
Indeed, there are those people who take the Bible as the written word of God and believed emphatically what is written in there-interpreted by themselves or a trusted pastor, vicar, priest, chaplain, etc despite all the evidence that the world has existed a lot longer than 6000years.
And there are those who disregard God, the Supreme Being and the teaching of his followers, just as emphatically.
 And so there we have it: science verse religion.
Presently, notably in the United state of America, there is a debate raging that is pitching science against religion. In 20 and more states moves are being made to include the concept of intelligent design, as it is called in science classes
Intelligent design is the idea that all living things we see around us, from humans down to bacteria, are too complicated to have been produced by natural processes. In stead, the theory maintains that some designer- most say it was God- produced the blueprint for all the cells and organism on Earth the overwhelming view of the scientific community is that evolution as first described by Charles Darwin, in indeed the route by which so many species came into existence. Evolution by natural selectction where the fittest individual, and those with qualities giving them an advantage, are best able to survive and pass their genes on to the next generation.
Scientists, it seems have no doubt that evolution is the driving force that, over time, changes simple organisms into more complex species for most of the time, people with both viewpoints- the Creation  and Darwinism-have coexisted quite happily side.
But things they are a changing
In the spring of 2005, the Kansas Board of Education insisted in the interests of ‘balance’ that intelligent design be taught in a science class alongside evolution scientists and teachers across the nation were incensed, claiming that since it should not be taught in a science class.
The argument raged. And in true American fashion, teacher threatened to resign, court cases were started. And the media moved in.
But wasn’t just in America that intelligent design was being talked about. God {your God that is} knows what problems Britain is having at the moment trying to incorporate various other religions into what was for hundreds of years a Christian society. And this a time when we Christians still haven’t irrevocably sorted out Adam and Eve versus apes and the natural selection.
In the school creationism-the literal interpretation of the biblical view of creation-hit the headlines in 2002 when it featured in an inspection of school in north of England. Three Emmanuel Foundation religions school in Gateshead, Middleborough and Thorne, near Doncaster, were said to afford equal importance to creationism and evolutionary theory
In response, the foundation said that the biblical view of creation is taught in religious education classes, and that the science curriculum follows national guidelines, personally, I can’t see what the fuss is about here, seeing as Havelock Grammar, a state school in Grimsby, was teaching these subjects- creationism and evolution quite happy even back then in 1965}.
But different teaching in different classes is now becoming points of argument in schools all over the world. Why? For pity’s sake! Do people labour under the premise that learning about evolution is sure to lessen your faith in your God?
In the past, the argument was between science and creationism-the strict view that the Bible is literally true. Now, the argument is that creationism is based on religious texts and assumption, while intelligent design is based on empirical data and the interpretation of scientific evidence.
Intelligent design does not defend any religious beliefs, nor is it based on religious assumptions, therefore it is scientific. The debate is not of theology any more. But of science
Nothing in science can be written in stone. And even now there is a feeling of unease developing among scientists with Darwinian evolution.
Intelligent design is the theory that all life forms were designed by a greater intelligence than ours. Intelligent design adopts the language of science. Intelligent design theory is definitely a science, says many scientists and therefore, should be taught in the science classes in schools.
Okay. I can live with that. A Supreme Being creating us all and the Earth and Everything that is in it is a lot easier to grasp than quantum physics, that’s for sure. Ah yes the paths to God are long and winding and very, very many it seems.
And here’s a little story of intelligent design to boggle your mind:
A man heard on the radio that his village was about to be hit by a terrible storm and all residents were advised to leave the area as soon as possible. But the man was a man of faith and said,’ God loves me. He will provide. I will be Safe.’ The storm came bringing with it torrential floods. The man climbed onto the roof of his house to avoid drowning. Shortly thereafter a boat came along come with us in our boat. We will save you’ But the man said, ‘No thank. God will provide’. And he stayed on the roof, watching the waters rising. Some time later a helicopter came along. ‘We have come to rescue   you’, called the pilot. ‘No thanks,’ said the man ‘God will provide’. And so the helicopter flew away. Eventually, the man died in the flood.
As he walked into heaven he saw God and he said to him, ‘what happened? You said you would provide for me. And now I am dead!’God looked at him in astonishment and cried, ‘What are you doing here? I sent you a message on the radio, a boat and a helicopter……?’
One last thought: perhaps our existence can be designed the designer and why?
God bless.

-ASSENMBOH HARUNA JOSHUA
KUW/U14/SLG/2007

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