Creationism Essay, Research Paper

In a typical American high school, Mr. Doe, the science teacher begins his discussion on the theory of evolution. John, a student opposes the idea the humans came from apes and evolved. John believes that men came from God and that man was created in 6 days. Jane hears this and argues against John, How could anything possibly be created in 6 days? This sort of project would take millions of years! By using up all 45 minutes of class time discussing creationism and evolution, this is a metaphor to the eternal debate as to the origin of the human species. The question of how man came into existence is one of the great debates of this century. There is not enough evidence to support creationism, yet there is even less to support evolution.

The controversy on the origins of life is still hotly debated to this day. The origins of life can be conceived from the theory of evolution or the theory of creationism. The argument is old earth [evolution] versus young earth [creationism] (Seely 2). An astounding 95% of Americans believe in God or a universal spirit, as compared to the 9% who conclude not to have a religion at all (Sheler 2). People have geared towards a more eclectic background on their spiritual journey to meet our own personal need (Sheler 2). Throughout history, humans have been through a gradual accretion rather than one sporadic event after another (Tattersal 58). It is only in the United States that this debate is such a conflict. Humans have an impulse to look unto a higher being rather than a human leader who has faults similar to their own. The higher being [God] should be one of pure perfection. It is the development or creation of man which is what is so intriguing, it is the mystery of man. As individuals and as a whole, people tend to get uneasy between their religious compulses and our [their] unwavering commitment to a

secular society (Sheler 1). As a contradiction within itself, we [humans] profess fidelity to traditional morality yet champion individual freedom and resist religious authoritarianism (Sheler 1). Our own manifestations of how we originated and where we came from, the debate of the chicken or the egg is just blurred by the ambiguities between creationism and evolution. Was it the egg? If so, where did the egg come from? Eggs come from chickens, but then where did the chicken come from? Human beings are constantly searching for answers that they cannot find or in fact not comprehend. Maybe it was that the egg was conceived and gradually came about through carbon molecules millions of years ago. Perhaps, the egg just suddenly appeared! This metaphor of the egg and the chicken does not have an answer just as the question of how humans originated. Only destiny waits our answer. The choice is ours (Graham 2).

The theory of evolution is still a theory, yet some believe it to be fact. First introduced in 1858, Charles Darwin, the father of evolution introduced the idea that a species changes through inherited characteristics over a period of time (Evolution 1128). During the early 19th century is when this threat to religion began to circulate (Marlantes 1). Gradual change is what evolution is about, no sudden event could occur. Some may wonder, if the Creator uses physics and chemistry to run the universe of life, why wouldn t He have used physics and chemistry to produce it, too (Marlantes 2). Though evolution is one of gradual change, it is sporadic in those changes, whereas creationism is based on a design rather than chance (Seely 6). Evidence proves that man has the power to redefine the boundaries while on the contrary, other species are trapped by their biological nature in their way of life (Sabath 1). Darwin and his theory are the

beginnings of the pre-evolutionary trend toward natural philosophy. There is hard evidence, fossils that prove that we came from something. Some people look towards science and observation describe and [to] measure the multiple manifestations of life (Gould 6). We are under humanistic thinking because we are but a small thing in this biosphere. Natural selection or mutation is where the majority of change comes from. Though, now because of vaccines, hospitals and such, the idea of natural selection no longer applies.

Creationism is another side of the debate on the origins of man. In 1630, John Winthrop and his fellow Puritans came to the Promised Land in hopes of modeling out a nation where God would be exalted and flourish (Sheler 1). Perhaps this is where the preconceived notion of our rooted manifestations of the confirmation of a higher being. One cannot undermine a higher being if in fact there is one, but evolutionists would just like some evidence as to the human existence on this planet. During the 1650 s, an archbishop of Ireland, James Ussher was the one whom the modern creationists derived their ideals from (Creationism 1123). Creationists believe that because the evolutionists have no spiritual background, that they must look at God through their intellect. Those that oppose evolution aren t misinformed; it s just that they don t like the implications (Marlantes 2). The world is run by energy, and the Laws of Thermodynamics apply only to energy. The second Law of Thermodynamics states the energy will eventually become useless (Onken 1). This means that the Universe couldn t have created itself and that it couldn t have always been here. The only other possible option is that the Universe was created by a supernatural being (Onken 1). Here, the stereotype of science applying only

to evolution doesn t apply. Science here supports the fact that there has to be a higher being.

There is much more evidence against evolution that could make it possible. God perhaps is the guiding light in our life during the duration of our time on this planet. Such examples include, any slight movement in the earth s rotation that could make the days scorching and the nights freezing, while any closer movement of the moon could cause the continents to sink. There are complex forms on this planet that are too complex for it to have ever evolved. Just as there is a species of humans and species of apes, there are also species of cats and dogs, yet one does not ever see them breeding with each other or becoming each other. One other thing is the evolutionary missing link, there is no evidence, there aren t any creatures with half-grown noses, one eye, or no lips. This so-called conclusive evidence just isn t so. Our society today is also very secular, where Christianity has the power (Sullivan 63). One great example of this would be the Scopes Monkey Trial, in Dayton, Tennessee where in 1952, a man was found guilty and fined for teaching evolution (Sullivan 63). Just as there is a ban on school prayer, the teaching of evolution is just in fact a theory, which means it isn t exactly a law therefore it isn t something set in stone that should be allowed to be taught in the public school system. There are many that are followers of Jesus, but don t find a need to be members of traditional churches (Sullivan 66). There would not have been a civil rights movement had it not been for the Christian foundation to support it (Sullivan 68). Our hierarchical behavior is just for philosophical justifications; our divine right of kings (Sagan 80). One hallmark of the human species is the urge to solve problems and curiosity (Sagan 81).

Man may be manifesting his own higher being but there are just too many possibilities that say it isn t so. On the intellectual side, one wants to conjure up scientific reasons as to our being here on earth. There are in fact times when it is impossible to have a significant reason for everything that we all do. Man may be conjuring scientific findings and a theory to hide the fact that there is a higher being that controls one s life.

There are too many intellectuals within the human arena to sit and philosophize about this debate. There are just too many arguments to say that the earth came up thousands of years ago. If in fact the earth were to come up thousands of years ago, then wouldn t there in fact be more people than there actually are? If we evolved from apes, where is the missing link? Where is the link that connects us to apes? Some evolutionists believe that natural selection or mutation brought about the majority of change; but in fact mutation is just a change in what is already there and could not lead to a complete transformation of a species (Evolution 437). Then comes the theory that everything had gone through a gradual change over time and would not be necessary for survival and reproduction (Evolution 438). Perhaps God was our creator and allowed us to evolve into what we are today, which is more conceivable to the average person. Perhaps we were all just suddenly put onto this earth and then God decided to make some intelligent and allow them the freedom to question where humans came from. Just as a child would ask, where do babies come from , humans are asking the same question, but rather, where do we all come from . The origins of life are not known, and may not be. There is just too much controversy between this group and that group, just as there are religious battles that have been ravaging the country for years. People today need to be

even more aware of their surroundings. To be an individual and stand on your own is a good thing, but not at the expense of others. There are many Americans who are confused of what to believe, they hold religion as something important in their life, but it is more of a surface religion (Sheler 4). Perhaps it isn t even the fact that we come from something and somewhere, it s just the fact that we are searching for answers.

Works Cited

Creationism. World Book Encyclopedia. Vol. 4, 1994:1123.

Evolution. World Book Encyclopedia. Vol. 6, 1994:436-443.

Graham, Charlotte. The Eternal Debate. SIRS.

http://sks.sirs.com/cgi-bin/hst- ar &type=ART&sound=no&key=CREATIONISM. 22 Oct. 1994:1-3.

Gould, Stephan Jay. Nonoverlapping Magistera. SIRS.

http://sks.sirs.com/cgi-bin/hst- ar &type=ART&sound=no&key=CREATIONISM. March 1997:1-8.

Marlantes, Liz. The evolution of a controversy. ProQuest.

http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?TS= &sid=1&1dx=25&Deli=1&RQT=309&Dtp=1 23 Dec. 1999:1-2.

Onken, Michael. Physics. Microsoft Explorer.

http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/dec96/835000890.Phr.html.

18 June 1996:1.

Sagan, Carl. The Dragons of Eden : Ballantine Books, 1997.

Sheler, Jeffrey L. Spiritual America. SIRS.

http://sks.sirs.com/cgi-bin/hst- ar &type=ART&sound=no&key=CREATIONISM. 4 April 1994:1-10.

Sullivan, Robert. 2000 Years of Christianity. Life. December 1999:50-68.

Tattersal, Ian. Once We Were Not Alone. Scientific American. Jan. 2000:56-62.