Bill Nye and Ken Ham Creation/Evolution Debate

[argypargy]

I learned about evolution in a private Catholic school, not all Christian religions are believers in a literal interpretation of Genesis. I could possibly go, but I probably won't.

Me too! Me too! Private, all girls, catholic HS. What's even more funny is that my teacher (who taught us about evolutionary theory) was a nun! She was really into it, too.

[BoomerLynn]

I grew up (Dad still lives in the house) about 4 miles away from the Creation Museum. I would love to see this, but I think it would be frustrating. It's not the most liberal area and I'm sure the crowd will be biased towards Ham.

I don't live far from there either but I refuse to give a dime of my money to that place, even for snark. You are absolutely right about It not being the most liberal area lol. The debate would be amusing to watch but I am sure Ken Ham's side is going to be mostly circular logic and blaming Satan.

[charmedjenny]

never mind..someone beat me to it!!!

[Librul]

Me too! Me too! Private, all girls, catholic HS. What's even more funny is that my teacher (who taught us about evolutionary theory) was a nun! She was really into it, too.

And of course, de Chardin (paleontologist) was a Jesuit! Catholics have no problem reconciling faith and evolution.

[miffy]

We learned about evolution at the Anglican school I went to. I can remember studying Genesis, but it was never implied that it happened recently. I didn't even know that there was still a differing opinion about evolution until very recently. I thought it was the same as general relativity, Ie an unquestionable truth.

I'd love to see Ken Ham Vs Ian Plimer (google him).

[feministxtian]

I did 12 years of Catholic schools and Genesis was seen as a "creation myth"...that is, an attempt by an ancient people to explain how they got here. The historical stuff didn't start being taken seriously until Noah. Considering almost every ancient culture has a flood myth, it's worth thinking about (at least to me).

[flojo]

I grew up (Dad still lives in the house) about 4 miles away from the Creation Museum. I would love to see this, but I think it would be frustrating. It's not the most liberal area and I'm sure the crowd will be biased towards Ham.

DH and I are considering it.

[fullmetalheart]

We did not learn about evolution at the Christian school I went to, but our textbooks were BJU Press and when I was homeschooled, we used Switched on Schoolhouse. So. Um. Nope. I see no reason why creation and evolution cannot coexist but that's a very controversial view among Christians.

[gardenvarietycitizen]

Ken Ham is a loon. He's got a series of lectures up about how supposedly Chinese characters illustrate the Genesis story, except if you went through elementary third grade in any "Chinese character region" country (and so learned to read for real) you'd know it's 100% completely not anything to do with the real etymology of characters.

[PennySycamore]

And of course, de Chardin (paleontologist) was a Jesuit! Catholics have no problem reconciling faith and evolution.

I was hoping that someone would bring up Teilhard de Chardin. He was one of the scientists responsible for the discovery of Peking Man, Homo erectus pekinensis.

[doggie]

this might actually encourage creationists as they will feel attacked and even more justified in their beliefs. every time someone tries to prove them wrong they get worse.

[Stephanie66]

Evolution couldn't be taught in PUBLIC schools when my kids were in school in Kansas. However, since they were in a religious private school, they learned it. They also read all the banned books. It was a crazy time.

[maybeizfundie]

I love Bill Nye! His kid's show was amazing and my children learned so much from him.

I'm a Christian, but Ken Ham would probably question that, as I don't believe the word "day" necessarily means one 24 hour period in that context.

would love to see this debate and will be cheering for Nye.

[Terrie]

We did not learn about evolution at the Christian school I went to, but our textbooks were BJU Press and when I was homeschooled, we used Switched on Schoolhouse. So. Um. Nope. I see no reason why creation and evolution cannot coexist but that's a very controversial view among Christians.

Only fundie Christians. I asked my pastor about it once, and he pointed out that the Bible says that to God "A day is as a thousand years and a thousand years is as a day" so the seven days? Totally metaphorical.

[August]

We learned about evolution at the Anglican school I went to. I can remember studying Genesis, but it was never implied that it happened recently. I didn't even know that there was still a differing opinion about evolution until very recently. I thought it was the same as general relativity, Ie an unquestionable truth.

I'd love to see Ken Ham Vs Ian Plimer (google him).

I don't understand why the fundies don't pick on physics more. Evolution is pretyy simple to understand, and you canintuitively understand it. But the math behind relativity and quantum mechanics is so hard, and the concepts just don't compute in human brains. They'd have 95% of people converted if they chose physics as their thing instead of biology.

[fullmetalheart]

Only fundie Christians. I asked my pastor about it once, and he pointed out that the Bible says that to God "A day is as a thousand years and a thousand years is as a day" so the seven days? Totally metaphorical.

And I think more conservative but not fundie. I attend a conservative Christian college (two actually, I transferred. One was non denom but with strong Calvinist leanings and the current one that I GRADUATE FROM IN DECEMBER!!! is Lutheran) and took a science class at the former. Yeah, no evolution. However, this school also has mandatory chapel and has had speakers like Mark Driscoll and John Piper (John Piper isn't shocking, considering where I live) so while not fundie, I think still the more conservative ones are anti-Evolution. :pull-hair:

Dude, he's God. If he wanted to use evolution to create the world? He could. There's scentific proof for it. Just because it wasn't all BOOM! SPARKLES! A WILD WORLD APPEARS!

[Terrie]

Well, for what it's worth, I attended a conservative Christian private high school and we were taught evolution in biology, so I thin there's a lot more variation in even conservative Christians. I admit, I don't have much experience with the evangelical movement, though, so it might be different there.

Also, what kind of Lutheran? They range for liberal to super-fundie, depending on the denomination.

[Avalondaughter]

Well, for what it's worth, I attended a conservative Christian private high school and we were taught evolution in biology, so I thin there's a lot more variation in even conservative Christians. I admit, I don't have much experience with the evangelical movement, though, so it might be different there.

Also, what kind of Lutheran? They range for liberal to super-fundie, depending on the denomination.

I have a Lutheran friend who borders on fundie lite and is very anti-evolution. She sends her kids to public school, but she tells them to give the answers the teachers want on the tests, but they are to no means believe it.

[Terrie]

I have Lutheran relatives who aren't even fundie-lite, but full-on fundie. Their branch of Lutheranism sends their kids to church-run schools and, at least in the US, runs a boarding school for high school and a college where you can get two degrees, one to be a minister in their church and one to teach in their schools.

[Talitha Cumi]

I'm hearing on another one of my communities that this will be livestreamed. I'll post the link when and if I get it.

[yewnique]

Ken Ham is a loon. He's got a series of lectures up about how supposedly Chinese characters illustrate the Genesis story, except if you went through elementary third grade in any "Chinese character region" country (and so learned to read for real) you'd know it's 100% completely not anything to do with the real etymology of characters.

Ken Ham is not the only one peddling this teaching. I have a book about how the Chinese characters tell not only the Genesis story, but also the Gospel. I know a bit of Chinese, so I do recognise some of the characters in the book and understand what the author is trying to convey.

My mother, who holds a PhD in Chinese Studies didn't think much of the book.

However, I know at least one Chinese Christian (Chinese is their first language) who, after listening to people like Ken Ham or reading such books, think that the Chinese language characters really do convey Bible truths.

As for me, I think many of the arguments of Chinese characters telling the Bible stories are a stretch and making things fit.

[docmom]

As for me, I think many of the arguments of Chinese characters telling the Bible stories are a stretch and making things fit.

I think you just summed up fundieism in general...

[Anise]

Ken Ham is not the only one peddling this teaching. I have a book about how the Chinese characters tell not only the Genesis story, but also the Gospel. I know a bit of Chinese, so I do recognise some of the characters in the book and understand what the author is trying to convey.

My mother, who holds a PhD in Chinese Studies didn't think much of the book.

However, I know at least one Chinese Christian (Chinese is their first language) who, after listening to people like Ken Ham or reading such books, think that the Chinese language characters really do convey Bible truths.

As for me, I think many of the arguments of Chinese characters telling the Bible stories are a stretch and making things fit.

Oh god. My father tried to get my Chinese partner to read that book. Partner was not impressed and kept saying things like "well, it doesn't really mean that or isn't used in that way. . ."

[fullmetalheart]

Well, for what it's worth, I attended a conservative Christian private high school and we were taught evolution in biology, so I thin there's a lot more variation in even conservative Christians. I admit, I don't have much experience with the evangelical movement, though, so it might be different there.

Also, what kind of Lutheran? They range for liberal to super-fundie, depending on the denomination.

This one is LCMS but is actually extremely good about giving a balanced education. I have to take biology this semester and either Earth or Environmental Science in the fall and we don't use Christian textbooks and are actually encouraged to think for ourselves. Which is impressive, as LCMS as that's one of the more conservative ones.

[boxedin]

A few years ago, when my daughter was 7 or 8 years old. she was invited to attend a week of Bible school. She was all excited to contribute to the mission project. She gave $20.00 of her own savings. I went to the program, and I discovered that the mission project was the Creation Museum! She's now 11, and when the intro to "The Big Bang" show comes on the TV, she says, "I do not believe in the big bang!" She knows that the rest of us do not believe literally in the Bible story. Someday she may want her money back.