greymule Loc: Colorado

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Scientist and children's television personality Bill Nye, in a newly released online video, panned biblical creationism and implored American parents who reject the scientific theory of evolution not to teach their beliefs to their youngsters.

"I say to the grownups, 'If you want to deny evolution and live in your world that's completely inconsistent with everything we've observed in the universe that's fine. But don't make your kids do it,'" said Nye, best known as host of the educational TV series "Bill Nye the Science Guy."

The video, titled "Creationism Is Not Appropriate for Children," was posted on Thursday by the online knowledge forum Big Think to YouTube and had netted more than 1.3 million views as of Monday.

In it Nye said widespread public doubt in the scientific concept of evolution -- which holds that human beings and all other forms of life developed from a process of random genetic mutation and natural selection -- would hinder a country long renowned for its innovation, intellectual capital and a general grasp of science.

"When you have a portion of the population that doesn't believe in (evolution) it holds everybody back, really," he said.

According to a Gallup poll that surveyed 1,012 adults in May, 46 percent of Americans can be described as creationists for believing that God created humans in their present form at some point within the last 10,000 years.

Education advocates have argued for decades over what children should be taught in public schools in regard to the formation of the universe, life and humans.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1987 that requiring biblical creation to be taught in public schools alongside evolution was unconstitutional as a violation of the First Amendment separation between church and state.

In April, a law was passed that protects teachers in Tennessee who wish to critique or analyze what they view as the scientific weaknesses of evolution, making it the second state, after Louisiana, to enable teachers to more easily espouse alternatives to evolution in the classroom.

Nye said that while many adults may believe in creationism, children should be taught evolution in order to understand science. Absent a grasp of evolution, he said, "You're just not going to get the right answers." And he called evolution the "fundamental idea in all of life science, in all of biology."

Teaching children the building blocks of science is essential for the country's future, he added, saying, "We need them. We need scientifically literate voters and taxpayers for the future."

Nye's popular show, produced by Disney's Buena Vista Television, aired from September 1993 to June 1998 on PBS and was also syndicated to local television stations.

emrob62 Loc: NEPA

So are you advocating this point of view also, or just pointing it out?

donrent Loc: Punta Gorda , Fl

To teach Bibical Thoughts as factual happenings is absolutly assinine... A scientific proven fact overules ANY belief thought that there is......

Blurryeyed Loc: NC Mountains.

Irrelevant Post... I know plenty of religious people, and I have actually discussed this topic with them, I don't remember even one who did not believe in evolution...

greymule Loc: Colorado

I'm just pointing it out, although it seems to make sense teaching scientific facts, in lieu of religious myths.

Adults can believe what ever they want; children need to educated using scientific facts and truth to develop fully their logic and reasoning skills that are so necessary in today's world. IMHO.

greymule Loc: Colorado

Well, perhaps others have not. It might be relevant to others perhaps, Blurry.

ngc1514 Loc: Atlanta, Ga., Lancaster, Oh. and Stuart, Fl.

We have several on this forum who do exactly that - deny evolution.

Blurryeyed Loc: NC Mountains.

Kinda like saying that OWS and more specifically the far left anarchists are aligned with the democratic party and it can be plainly argued that their beliefs are destructive to the well being of the country.... So we should just not allow the Democratic party to teach its principles to our youth.. Because in the end that is the point that you are trying to make is it not???? That religion has no place in our society as it is a barrier to the advancement of science? Is that not the larger point that you would like to make but you have chosen a more sensitive and politically correct path to make that point?

Much of the left hate religion because they see it as a hindrance to faith in the state... it has always been the case, be it Cuba, the former Soviet Union, China, or even current events in Venezuela, a leftist state has little tolerance for religion as their supremacy requires the allegiance that was formerly reserved for god... It is never been about intellectual thought, Stalin, Mao, Castro, Chavez and the like were never intellectuals, they were murderous despots...

sinatraman Loc: Vero Beach Florida, Earth,alpha quaudrant

How sad and totally wrong! I was raised an atheist by my folks and was denied a relationship with Jesus for 38 years, That was a very costly form of child abuse. I don't think that God's word is true, I don't believe that God's word is true,I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT EVERYTHING IN THE BIBLE IS 100% TRUE.

I have felt the presence of Jesus both inside my soul as well as at church and as well as looking out at the ocean or looking at a magnificent florida sunset. I have seen miracles happen, had both my knees cartilage healed and arthritis in my left knee disappear. I have felt the Holy Ghost and have spoken in an unknown tongue. atheism is evil and leads down the road to Hitler, Stalin, pol pot, idi Armin and Mao. Bill Nye is heading for a very rude awakening when he dies and is face to face with Jesus who tells him " I did not come from an ape" of course by then it will be too late.

Had I been raised to know Jesus and to understand that He has my back, my life would have turned out much differently. I would not have made allot of my mistakes would have finished law school and gone on to be a prosecutor. By denying me a relationship with the Lord, my parents deprived me of a very valuable resource for dealing with the problems of life. If I knew at 18 that Jesus was real and thus Adam and Eve were real, i would have avoided harmful behaviors such as fornication, adultery, drunkenness, drug use, theft, and other sins I am guilty of committing.

Thankfully Jesus never gave up on me, and eventually I heard his call and responded positively. Having a relationship with Jesus and making Him number one in my life has allowed me to escape the prison of materialism, I focus on what's most important A strong relationship with God, which gives me the self confidence, patience and discipline to face boldly whatever life throws at me. In addition, I have no doubts that when the rapture of the church occurs (much sooner then people think) I Will be with my Lord and Saviour in Heaven and not on earth when all hell breaks loose literally.

Trusting in God and his word in the bible also has allowed me to overcome despair, depression and suicidal thoughts. You may choose to think your ancestors were primates, I choose to believe that my ancestor was made of the dust of the earth in God's own image. Man is not an animal, he was created to have dominion over the animals.

I realize that nothing I write will change your mind, so this answer and my testimony are for those who are honestly seeking to know if God exists and what is he like. My heart is troubled and burdened for atheists as I know where they WILL be spending eternity if they don't get right with Jesus. If anyone has serious questions ( not just looking for an argument) send me a pm. would be more then happy to share more of my testimony with anyone. God bless you all and God bless America

RTR Loc: West Central Alabama

What is the proof man evolved from another organism?

ngc1514 Loc: Atlanta, Ga., Lancaster, Oh. and Stuart, Fl.

What proof would you consider sufficient to show man has, in fact, evolved?

RTR Loc: West Central Alabama

The 'scientific proven fact' that Donrent mentioned will do. He said 'proven' which means there must be proof. I would like to know what it is.

tschmath Loc: Los Angeles

Please don't go here again. There was another thread about this topic several months ago and it devolved into a two-person thread that was utterly pointless. No one who denies evolution is ever going to accept it, so just leave it alone.

RTR Loc: West Central Alabama

I don't deny it, or accept it. I am looking for proof one way or another.

ngc1514 Loc: Atlanta, Ga., Lancaster, Oh. and Stuart, Fl.

The evolutionary change of 2 chimp chromosomes into a single human chromosome. The placement of the the telomeres both at the end of the chromosome (as expected), but also in the middle of the joined chromosomes is strong evidence we, and chimps, share a common ancestor.