A while back someone subscribed me to an email newsletter from an outfit called "tothesource.org". The views expressed tended to be outside of those I normally choose to be exposed to so I kept the subscription so that I would possibly understand something of what others were saying. I know it's an odd concept in America today to listen to others but I am becoming increasingly aware of the idea that it is THE central issue making this country at risk today. I have covered this in maybe too much detail in previous posts so I'll try not to be redundant and do it again today.
Today's "tothesource" email had to do with that old favorite "Darwinism" vs Creationism or it's current cover-name "Intelligent Design." Well he author was aflame with the idea that there is a conspiracy afoot to keep God away from our children. I contended the following in my reply to the email ...
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There is was again. The statement that "exclusion of religion from politics and the intellectual exclusion of intelligent design from biology are part of a larger, more comprehensive, well-planned secularizing project." Can we step back from the paranoia ledge just a bit. Let's do some simple math here. Evolution is NOT taught every single waking moment in schools. It it probably taught as part of a unit which might be taught for a period of a week or two as part of a plethora of other subjects in the school year. That means that, assuming a 50 minute class period, in an entire school year a student might be "subjected" to ten lessons or a total of 8 and one third hours of "indoctrination" - that's 8 and one third hours PER YEAR. This assumes also that the students are paying "focused attention" to the teacher. Check with any teacher and you will hear how unlikely that is. Let's say for instance "radical secularists" were totally successful at getting ONLY Darwin taught. Oh no - All is Lost?! Certainly not, not if parents do what they are responsible for doing - parenting. If they are concerned parents, parenting should include some form of religious training. In my church that means church and Sunday school. Let's say that you go to a fairly speedy church service, you may hear about God for an hour. Speedy Sunday school would add another hour. Chat about anything important with your child like God, your faith, your theology? Add another half hour minimum per week. Multiplied by 52 weeks that adds up to 130 hours. OK, now you as a parent have added 130 hours of balance to the 8 and one third hours of other opinions your child heard this year. Unless someone is knocking on your door or your church's door to ask you to stop educating your child I don't see the danger here. Are we afraid of the opinions of others? If what my faith teaches me is as real as I believe it to be, I can reconcile Darwin as another example of God's beautiful creation, accept him with Christ's love and move on. I think the debate is in no danger of being dominated by the secularists if we would all just pipe down and LIVE our faith.
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