and is science class the best place to do this?
Science is what scientists do. Faith is something else. (the substance of things hoped for, evidence of things not seen.)
Sabro, one of the points that I was trying to make in my post above is that science class is not the place for presenting a creation myth as an alternative viewpoint to scientific theory. Furthermore, I think that in doing so it would not be fair to either science or to matters of faith.
I recall when as a young teen, I was very interested in science, and particularly in the theories of the origin of the earth's life forms. At 14, I read Charles Darwin's "On the Origin of Species", and became fascinated by the observations of Mr. Darwin as recorded during the voyage of the HMS Beagle. That certainly propelled me to a position of stardom in my 9th grade biology class, but some classmates, who also attended the church that my parents required me to attend, felt uncomfortable with the whole subject of evolution.
I was often asked by them, "what about the Bible? why are you trying to disprove it?" Deep down inside me, I knew what I would like to say, but did not have the ability to articulate the essence of my thoughts on the matter, so I probably just growled a few cursewords at them. However, if I was asked the same question today, my response would be something on the order of ... "What about the Bible? ... as with any ancient myth attempting to explain our origin, Genesis is the best explanation whoever wrote it had at the time. The story establishes the basis for God as the omipotent, omnipresent creator, who can be both benevolent and vengeful, and establishes the cornerstone of the foundation of a religion based on a belief in that god. Whether or not one takes it literally is a matter of belief, and for belief, or faith, science will neither prove, nor disprove it."
Furthermore, I am not opposed to the teaching of religion in public schools, as long as it is not preached, and as long as there is no expectation of a student's believing the dogma of any religion. In fact I think that it would be a wonderful thing if a curriculum in compartative religion could be developed and executed in such a way that young people are educated in the major religions of the world without having the doctrine preached to them as gospel, and in a manner that does not present one religion as being better than the others. Religion has played and continues to play a key role in the evolution of humanity. It cannot, and should not be ignored. But, it would be as inappropriate within that curriculum for a teacher to present a scientific viewpoint as an alternative to religious myth as it is for a science teacher to present religious myth as an alternative to scientific theory.
I just want young people in school to have the opportunity to understand and appreciate both science and religion for what they are, so that as they mature, their lives will be enriched by the knowledge of both. On the other hand, faith and a personal declaration thereof, should remain a matter of personal choice.
