Religious Doctrine in the Science Classroom;
Putting Education & Religious Freedom at Risk
Introduction

Creationism, creation science, and intelligent design are religious explanations for the origins of humankind and the universe. Recent efforts to teach these ideas in our public schools as science – either along side or in place of evolution – have sparked considerable controversy across our nation.

Americans have the absolute right to prefer religious explanations for creation. However, because such beliefs are not scientific theories based on observation, experiment, and evidence, they provide an inappropriate and legally impermissible foundation for science instruction in the public school classroom.

The First Amendment mandates the separation of church and state. This principle means that government institutions, including public schools, are prohibited from promoting religion or religious beliefs. For this reason, religious explanations of creation cannot be part of the public school science curriculum. But nor should these ideas be forever banned from the public school classroom. Provided that they are discussed in the proper context – i.e., as part of an objective survey of religious or philosophical views on creation – these explanations need not threaten the important distinction between matters of faith and matters of government.

In fact, this approach makes sense and is ultimately good for religion because it leaves religious instruction to parents and to properly trained clergy. It also keeps government out of religious controversies, preserves quality science education, and ensures that public school classrooms remain hospitable to an ethnically diverse and religiously pluralistic society.

Yet many proponents of religious explanations for creation vigorously oppose these well-balanced rules. Disregarding the potential harm to religious pluralism and public school science education, they have renewed their efforts to persuade our nation’s public schools to teach these ideas either along side or in place of evolution. This has triggered conflict within school boards, local communities, and state legislatures.

On the topic of religion and science... but allow me to step up to the microphone on a topic that seems touchy, but in the world of an "intelligent design" and microbiology I believe that GOD CAN CAUSE SICKNESS FOR OUR BENEFIT.... patience with me as I will get to the point....

Before the fall of man, we had all of our needs met. We worked but its wasn't backbreaking (Genesis 2:15) When we fell, we were in shame of our naked bodies (Genesis 3:17)...so God provided for them and provided skins (Gen 3:21)...

He provides for us...

Why do you suppose when we are sick we feel bad? Only 1% of the bacteria in the world are pathogenic..of that percent only a fraction are pathogenic (cause sickness) to humans the rest are pathogenic to plants and/or animals... What is it about this 1%? Are they microscopic enemies? No. This 1% wants iron. Where is iron found? In our blood. These bacteria are trying to get to our blood in order to retrieve iron. Bacteria gets to our blood through epithelial tissue (skin: cuts either on our body... or intestines that is intact). If I had to guess before the fall, bacteria did not need iron... but because of the fall hostility is occurring between man and "beast"

So when we are sick (say foodpoisoning shout out to MIKI) what symptoms do we have..

vomiting...
diarrhea..
fever...

When we are sick... the body is aware that something is there that isn't suppose to be...

When we vomit... our body is trying rid of the imparing agent.

When we have diarrhea... our body is trying to rid the intestine of imparing agents by flooding the intestines with fluids

When we have a fever.. our body temperature is raised above the optimum growth temperature for most all human bacterial pathogens of 35-37 degrees C (98.7 degrees F).. by raising the temperature a few degrees the bacteria cannot grow as well...

Our immune system....my goodness!! Scientists still don't fully understand the mechanisms. But components of our immune system (antibodies) have memory. These components (T cells and M cells) can recall when a pathogen (marked by the presence of antigens on the bacterial surface)...



Through our sickness defined by our symptoms...as awful as it seems, as awful as a person could feel when sick, but because of this...I am a scientist that believes in "intelligent design"... In our nakedness, God clothes us...

But there will be a day when there will be no sickness. Why? No more hostility between man and woman, man and earth, man and beast...

So the next time when you are sick...(like food poisoning)... and you think that God isn't there or God isn't working... He is...

Thanks for that Appy!! God created our bodies perfectly! I for one am not one to run for tylenol the second a fever hits me or one of my children. It only tricks the body into thinking that it does not need to raise the temp to fight the infection. Then when the tylenol wheres off the body raises the temp even higher to try and ward off whatever is causing it. I am sure you know this and could explain it better than I am I usually let my kids temps run the course. They may not feel good but their bodies know what it is doing Fighting the infection!

I'm not educated on that but it makes some sense, but common sense should kick in if the temperature goes above 103.. at that point medical attention should be sought...

My professor (a food microbiologist) told me not use immodium unless it was absolutely necessary because you're trying to get rid of the bug instead of "plugging it up"...

During my trip to Guatemala... one of my souveniers that i brought home was traveller's diarrhea (no other symptoms)... another professor (also a food microbiologist) told me to eat pro-biotic pills prior and during the trip.. And what they do is
1) replenish your intestine with good bacteria that inhibit bad bacteria (that was lost during diarrhea)

2) adding additional good bacteria to prevent the chance of infection...


I didn't do that ... But when I got back... I ate yogurt (which contains good bacteria) like a mad man...

acidophilus is something I give my kids if they have to have antibiotics for something. Helps replace the good bacteria that the antibiotics take away. And yes will also help when diarreah strikes! Glad you are feeling better

My kids dr. and also former pastor of our chuch says unless the person or child does not know who you are (mom, dad, sister, brother wife, ect...) let the fever go. I have 2 children that when they get sick they can run fevers up to 104 It is usually very short lived fever but that is how thier little bodies come against it. And yes once a fever starts getting up over 103 I start to get a bit nervous but the last time one of them had a 104.2 fever our dr. said unless they don't know who you are let it go....the fever broke within an hour and my daughter was ready to eat again!

Thanks Appy, and by the way I do not really think you will explode if you mix your bicarb with your balsamic, ....just my (and I think Marta's as well) sense of humour (for those who wonder....I said that in Miki's post about food poisoning )

I don't (if I can avoid them) take antibiotics. I try and educate myself as far as I can, re what my body needs and don't.
I try to buy organic food, raw milk,I make some of my own cheese, I partly ferment some food before cooking, like grains and cereals.
I replace probiotics, SBO's in my diet and eat yogurt, sour milk, Kefir,etc. No refined sugar, margarine, canola oils.
I believe if your gut is healthy, so you have a better chance of fighting off the bad bacteria.

OK I won't start

You remember the 80s? There was that urban legend (the fear of God and horrible gas prevents me from trying to this day) of not eating PopRocks and coke together....

Yes I do I did try them though(not with Coke) , but I always feared that one day I will loose my teeth in the process.
C