Creationism for Kids on the Web :: Religious Issues Internet Science Essays

Creationism for Kids on the Web How is it that this age old question of evolution versus creation can turn otherwise friends and colleagues against one another? Much of it has to do with the very fact that we are discussing the matter and how it relates to children. It seems that much of the controversy that is stirred up by this issue revolves around how children will perceive Darwinian â€Å"social teachings† or social Darwinism. Will studying evolution corrupt the morals of school-aged children? I began my research pondering the following: Can children that look at website-based material learn the latest material from both a scientific and biblical perspective? Some sub-questions that emerged are Can students learn about both sides in order to form their own opinions? Are creation-based websites dangerous because they make students believe that in order to be good â€Å"Christians† it is their duty to turn only towards â€Å"the truth† and away from science or anything that might shed doubts upon their beliefs? After researching three main websites and speaking to two of the three website originators I’ve become convinced that teaching children to stop questioning once they’ve been taught the answer is a dangerous position. In no other subject in life do we encourage children to stop their minds from growing once they have attained a certain belief of the way things ought to be. Why is it that we often teach religion without question? This paper seeks to examine two main themes. The first is a brief history of how creationism became so critical an issue for debate, especially in terms of children. Why are most Christian (evangelists) so particular about what their children learn in school about evolution, even to the extent that some send their children to home school or private institutions? Secondly, I look at three main websites that are dedicated in full or in part to educating young minds about creationism or creation-science. The sites www.kids4truth.com, answersingensis.org, and drdino.com all have similar ideas about what is appropriate for school-aged youth to be learning about creationism. After talking to two of the website creators/maintainers, I was able to try to understand more fully the philosophy behind educating children on the principles of Creationism. Part I. Literature and Website Review: Creationist Views Creation ,Creationism, Creation –science: A brief History Creationism is defined by the American Heritage Dictionary as the â€Å"belief in the literal interpretation of the account of the creation of the universe and of all living things related in the Bible.