Evolution should be taught to all whether you believe it or not Unfortunately too many home educating families do not teach it except in a negative light which does not allow for proper exploration and for the kids to discover, through scientific discovery, the truth. Many great Xians over the centuries have believed in a longer creation narrative and they are some of the great minds and hearts of the faith. True education is seeing all the evidence and finding the truth, not being spoon-fed one side and ignoring evidence that you or I may not like.

The issue is whether God has given His word and what kind of God is God. The Bible says it is God's word. It says that it is true. Repeatedly, throughout the entirety of Scriptures, those who are God's people are called to believe what God has said. Wrath and judgment comes upon His people when they do not believe what He said. The church is full of division hatred divorce immorality and all kinds of sin. Have you ever stopped to wonder why? Your children are becoming unfaithful leaving the church. Do you wonder why? I would venture to say that I have more scientific background then almost anyone reading this statement. I have put evolution to the test and find that observation is not consistent with evolution . You believe the blind assertion of fools rather than believing God himself. There is nothing in His word that speaks of an old earth. That makes you fools. It is consistent with the great falling away foretold for the end of time. You believe man's word rather than God's word. You fear men rather than God

Tom,

What are your credentials, since you claim " ...that I have more scientific background then almost anyone reading this statement."?

And specifically what is it that your discovered which is contrary to evolutionary theory?

Lastly, as a man of science I assume that you realize that believe in the supernatural or God, is not falsifiable and therefore any theory which has the supernatural as an underlying premise is, by definition, not scientific.

I apologize for the grammar/spelling mistakes above, I thought I would be able to edit after I posted.

The ignorance of church leaders about the nature of knowledge and science is appalling. The issue of origins is OUTSIDE the realm of science. You have been duped if you think science can have ANY say about how the world came to be.
The myth of evolution is the origins story of non-theists. It is contrary to everything taught in the Scriptures. If a professing Christian continues to believe in evolution after the Biblical Doctrine of Creation has been expounded for them, I begin to wonder whether that person has comprehended the Gospel message or understood who Jesus Christ is.

Evolution is a false conclusion of the fossil record. The correct opposing view is the "Observations of Moses". It is the ONLY true rendition of Genesis chapter one.

Herman Cummings

Human biological evolution and "science" is an obvious oxymoron. I will never understand why otherwise intelligent people are so intent on insisting that their nearest relatives were hairy, grunting, slobbering, stinky, knuckle-dragging, cootie-picking primates. But, if they insist, who am I to question their self-image?

@TomE, I think you and others, like Ken Ham, mistake differing hermeneutics for doubting the veracity of Scripture. There are a wide variety of valid interpretations on the Bible concerning a number of issues. Because someone does not interpret the text the same as you or I does not mean they love God or value the Written Word (or Word made flesh, for that matter) any less than another believer. Does believing in evolution really cause us to have less standing in God's eyes? If we are saved by Christ alone, then our views on evolution seem to be a sideline topic. Attacking fellow believers (calling them fools) seems akin to saying, "Raca." While saying nothing about evolution, I do know that Jesus has an opinion about that. The topic is relevant, and I'd certainly like to hear your redemptive words on how the Body of Christ can engage this subject in a fashion that honors Christ from both sides of the discussion.

And here we have what is wrong with this whole issue...

1. God's word does rule. God's word does NOT say creation was started and completed in 6 24/7 days. The Hebrew is quite flexible since it has no tenses and the differences between Genesis 1 & 2 are more than enough to see how they are unable to be reconciled without making one or both creation accounts non-literal.
2. Science is not naturalism. Never has been and never will be. Science is the study of what we can study (not just prove) using the scientific method. Neither Creationism or Naturalism is falsifiable because neither can be duplicated or studied directly.

The issue is far more about those who stake a claim that is not falsifiable because they are slaves to a model instead of allowing all the evidence to speak and following the evidence to its logical conclusion.

Ben Masters,

Odd how you excoriate 'church leaders' for thinking science has any bearing on origins but much of the scientists (well over 80%) believe it does (we see this by their statements about origins and how science informs their opinions) so why not include them as well?

Jim Ricker
They are greatly deceived who believe that science can "inform" us about the issue of origins. Science CANNOT deal with unique events.
Church leaders who continue to profess Christ and then stab their congregations in the back by polluting the Scriptures with man-made myths, must be pointed out for what they really are, traitors to the cause of Christ.
Non-Christian scientists are at least honest enough not to blame God for their beliefs, they are utterly blind to the truth.
The former, who have seen the light and are willingly ignorant, are the most dangerous enemies of Christ and His Church.

First, amen to Derek's thoughts on this. No one is saved based on their theory of origins or speciation. There are inevitable consequents to either YEC or naturalistic evolution which are rarely appreciated by either camp, and both will be saved by Christ on his cross, not by holding to the appropriate theology.

I am a homeschooling father with a biosciences background who has looked in vain for a curriculum that "fits." We are currently using a supplemented public school text (extra materials about ID and YEC/OEC and theistic evolution thrown in), and have used Apologia curriculum in the past, though even my 8th grader thought it was "too preachy." To lead kids into awe of their Creator from teaching them science is wonderful. To tell them they should be awed is painful. Good science speaks for itself, as many Christian scientists over the last 1000 years can attest.

We shouldn't forget that YEC is also tied up with the teaching of history. Noah's Flood is very important in YEC teachings, which presents problems, such as when did it happen. Genesis, with the verse on Tubal Cain, would seem to place Noah's Flood in the Iron Age, which doesn't make much sense historically, though it would metaphorically, I think.

A Beka's 'Old World History & Geography' (2008) teaches that the descendents of Ham migrated to Africa. It presumes that Africans are the descendants of Ham, though that is a traditional, and much abused, belief and not strictly Biblical that I know of. There is little reason to think that there was a time, let alone in historical times, when there were humans AND an uninhabited Africa.

One of the test questions is suppose to be answered as "Evolution is a false idea of how man began." But of course, the science discipline of Evolution is much more than just that.

The entire idea of teaching evolution in homeschool curriculum seems a bit odd to me. We have seen a whole lot of genetic manipulation through both genetic modification and selective breeding. (Really, who would have thought chiuahas could be bred from wolves?) However, we have never observed the origin of a new gene. The natural selection we have observed has all been either a change in population statistics or gene expression.
Until there there is an observation of a new gene arising, we really shouldn't teach children how new genes arise. The field of biology is big enough and deep enough that we can keep children captivated with new things well beyond 12th grade without ever touching evolution.