Creationism

As someone that formerly taught creationism over a period of several decades, this is a humbling post to make, but a necessary one.

Creationism comes in numerous forms, even within a single belief system like Christianity, and therein lies a valuable key to understanding the phenomena, as, simply put, “They can’t all be right.”

If you are a creationist, though, I suspect you are quietly confident in your own particular brand, just as I was for so many years. But it should bother you that there are so many other variations, that they cannot all be correct and that it is rather coincidental and fortuitous that you’ve stumbled upon the correct interpretation.

Let’s look at this with the utmost of honesty… beliefs are irrelevant.

I’ll explain what I mean. For thousands of years, mankind believed the Earth was flat and that the sun orbited the Earth. As sincere, well-meaning and prevalent as that belief was, it was wrong. Not only that, but that belief made no difference to reality; the Earth spun on its axis as it orbited the Sun, just the same.

And this raises another important point… Facts are irrelevant to the debate.

If you want to understand the facts about creationism you can visit brilliant websites like TalkOrigins and learn about the observable, testable facts supporting our modern understanding of how life arose in this vast universe. But, equally, if you feel threatened by science and would like those facts refuted, you can visit creationism.org and find all manner of wild, speculative rationalisations to soothe your irrational beliefs.

According to creationism.org…

• radiometric carbon dating is not testable, repeatable science
• fossils preserve the record of Noah’s flood
• evolution is “still lacking any evidence”
• the grand canyon was carved out in less than a year
• there are no vestigial organs, they all have a “distinct purpose” (appendix? wisdom teeth? male nipples?)

Looking back now, I am deeply ashamed to have been lured into such intellectual fraud.

Throughout the creationism site one word abounds, “belief.” It is used of creationist beliefs and scientific beliefs, even though the phrase “scientific beliefs” is a contradiction in terms. Beliefs are irrelevant to science.

It is sad, disappointing and, honestly, quite upsetting, that the facts are irrelevant in this debate. Beliefs reign supreme and unchallenged when it comes to creationism. It is as though we have been transported back in time to the days when everyone knew the Sun moved around the Earth (Ecclesiastes 1).

In reality, the real issue is the agenda… Creationists cannot accept science, but not because it’s wrong, because it undermines their position.

Sorry, that’s just not honest.

If you enjoyed this post, check out the post on vestigial relics, those parts of our bodies that reveal our evolutionary past.

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