Why Is Creationism Still an Issue?
I'm not sure why we continue to have this debate about creationism versus evolution? Is it because there are those people in the class that just refuse to listen to reason, refuse to observe and accept the tremendous body of scientific knowledge that has utterly disproved creationism and, while not completely "proving" evolution, it has been backed up by so much scientific discourse that it is all but proof of evolution.

Why do I care? What brought this up today?
Yesterday's instant survey on iWon (yeah, yeah, I go to iWon in the vain hope that maybe I'll win a couple of million bucks from them someday, sue me) was titled Creationism vs. Evolution and the results are just a little bit unsettling.

To the first question of which is believed in, 32% believe in creationism, 16% in evolution and 46% believe in a combination of the two.
Okay, that's twice as many people adhering to creationism in spite of the vast body of knowledge refuting it. And almost half of people believe in some freakish combo plate of Creationism and Evolution, how can the two co-exist and still make any sense? Its just stupid to think that we both evolved and were put here by some higher being. If anyone can rationally and reasonably explain this rather stupid point of view then please do.

By the way, 1% didn't believe in either, 4% weren't sure and another 1% just didn't care (which, of course, begs the question as to why they were taking the survey in the first place).

The second question was: Do you think evolution should be taught in our nation's public schools?
Thankfully 67% of respondents said yes, a good sign. 20% said no, 12% weren't sure and 2% didn't care.

The scary third question was: Do you think creationism should be taught in our nation's public schools?
More than 3 in 5, 61% said that creationism should be taught in schools. To which I say to them, should we also be teaching that the earth is flat, that the universe revolves around the earth, that thunder is god on a bad day, that maybe we should be teaching voodoo as well?
Anyway, 23% said no, creationism shouldn't be taught in schools. 14% weren't sure and 2% didn't care (which continues to beg the question as to why they were bothering to take the survey in the first place).

The final question was: Do you believe in a higher power?
A whopping 86% said yes they do which could go to explain the dogged adherence to an outmoded and discredited theory such as creationism, held onto for sentimental and theological reasons. Only 5% said that they do not believe in a higher power, but still 1 in 20 being atheist is a very high number when carried out across the nation. 8% weren't sure and only 1% didn't care this time around.

There are lots of inherent mistakes in this sort of survey process and the fact that iWon doesn't post the number of participants just adds to the muddying of the waters. But the findings are still significant because they illustrate the basic fact that people believe in a false theory. And worse, a wholly theologically based theory that cannot be proven but can only be disproven, a theory held in faith in spite of the facts, a sentimental opinion based on hope and Sabbath brainwashings.

Creationism isn't a theory, its a nice concept from a fairy tale book and religion. Its got no basis in fact, its got no basis in reality, its an abstract fleece throw intended to keep you warm at night secure in the false knowledge that you are not related to monkeys, that all life didn't evolve from simple organisms over millennia, that life isn't a progression, that humans are not the reason for life on this planet, that we have the capacity to evolve into something more, something better than we are now.

Creationism is bullshit and anyone who holds it as fact is a fool. If you refuse to accept the facts then you are regressionist and stupid. The groups trying to force schools to teach an obviously false and unscientific theory in a school's classroom are only attempting to push their theology on others under the guise of instruction. Creationism has as much place in a school classroom as do hoaxes like Piltdown Man or other anthropological farces intended to discredit evolution. They should be taught but they should be taught as they really are, false and discarded theories. Anything else is like trying to tell kids that 2 plus 2 equals 5 or, worse, 2 plus 2 equals chair.

[Update: Final tallies.
33% believe in creationism, 15% in evolution and 46% in a combo. 1% believe in neither, 4% weren't sure and 1% didn't care.
66% thought evolution should be taught in schools, 20% thought not, 12% weren't sure and 2% didn't care.
61% thought creationism should be taught in schools, 23% thought not (good work people!), 14% weren't sure and 2% didn't care.
86% believe in a higher powere, 5% don't, 8% weren't sure and 1% were too cool to care.]