Science....bleh

An article in the online version of the New York Times caught my eye this week. The article was about Florida's requirement that evolution be taught in schools as 'the organizing principle' of modern science. It seems silly to me that this has to be a state law, but of course it plays right into the headline worthy "Evolution vs. Creation" debate. The focus of this article was a teacher by the name of David Campbell who sees teaching evolution as his mission. While he teaches, he is worried about the backwoods, religious fundamentalism of many of his students. He is concerned that he say just the right things so that he doesn't lose the captain of the football team who also happens to be a member of Fellowship of Christian Athletes. It would appear that Mr. Campbell is an evolution missionary bent on making sure all of his students think and believe like he does. Very strange, really, as he has the benefit many of us pastors would kill for: a captive audience.

I jest. I am not for or against the teaching of evolution. Science was terribly boring, ahem...is terribly boring to me. I barely made it through chemistry in high school. When Mrs. Hughes excitedly promoted Physics by saying 'its only applied math' that was a double strike for me! So with apologies to Uncle Sam for not becoming an engineer and designing missles or something, I checked out of science mentally and phyisically. I wonder how ANYONE things that teaching a scientific theory can be exciting. Which is why I think this whole religion vs. science debate is simply overblown and terribly boring.

As a complete 'hater of science' in the mode of Homer Simpson (Did he say science?! No dad, he said...uh...'Pie Pants'! Mmmmm....pie pants!), I have to ask the question: Is it necessary to teach 'evolution'? I mean, can you be a chemist without being subject to boring lectures about natural selection? Can you be a physicist and not read 'The Descent of Man'? Heck, do you really need to understand the fossil record to make a better tasting steak? After reading this article I imagine Mr. Campbell's elite stormtroopers forcing students to study evolution ala Clockword Orange. Seriously...is it that important to focus on evolution specifically? Can't you just teach science?

Let me take the flip side. I am a pastor. My job is to teach people about the Bible. Do I start with an all-encompassing lecture on the Reformed Tradition before I preach every sermon? Of course not! After years of hearing me preach, I would hope that if you sat down my congregants with a list of things Reformed preachers preach about, they would realize I was Reformed. But I don't feel the need to have all of my parishoners universally accept all the points of Reformed Calvinism before I move on. I am not naive enough to think I am preaching to a bunch of Calvinists. In fact, I know two or three who would probably jump right out the stained glass windows if they knew what Calvinists actually believed! Is it important to me as a minister to know it? Yes, of course! Is it important for my congregation to know it? Yes, I think so! Can they still be Christians...can they still be Calvinists...if they don't accept every last point of Reformed theology? Sure, you bet.

I know the evolution thing makes for a sexy debate. Personally, I have only cared about it when the teachers are arrogant jerks. That does happen sometimes and sadly, it doesn't do much to help anyone's openness to scientific theory. However, all being equal, our country is in deperate need of scientists. I hate science. And there are probably quite a few others like me who choose some other sort of career. But, in an age where you NEED scientists, and CRAVE scientists, why start by pissing off a good half of your students with this? Why not just teach science, math, computers...and when it crops up...mention it and move along? Makes sense to me. Ever read this sign: "Don't pee in our pool. We don't swim in your toliet." That's all I have to say about that.