Their Own Version of a Big Bang
As a quick aside - I haven’t been posting because I’ve been in the middle of building another blog, or rather, blog network called Digital Photography Blogs. Check out my wife’s site, called Shooting the Kids.
That said, I still am addicted to Bloglines and during my “let’s clear out that Google News folder” offensive this morning, I ran across this story:
Their Own Version of a Big Bang - Los Angeles Times
What struck me about the story was how antagonistic both the speaker and the reporter were. I understand that for many fundamentalists within the Abrahamic family of faiths that a strictly religious cosmology has been touted as not only important, but essential to orthodoxy, but disrespect and antagonism is never the right response to a world that believes differently. I also understand that for many who want to see theism removed completely from society that the movement to include Intelligent Design in classrooms seems like a major attack on civilization, but does belittling those who have faith ever do any good?
First off - I do believe that God is the creator of everything. Second - I believe that the account of creation in the Bible represents a theology, not a cosmology or even a way to understand the origins of humans. I’ve always come at origins theory with that set of assumptions, and it’s allowed me to reconcile my faith and love for science. I can accept evolution and still see my fellow humans and being made in the image of God. And seeing other humans as being made in the image of God is the starting point for my response to both groups.
If God valued his creation enough to embue us with even a little bit of his identity, then we need to revisit our tactics when dealing with one another. Teaching Christian children to disrespect and mouth off in class is exactly the sort of behavior that tarnishes the very image of God in those children. It hardens their hearts toward humanity and devalues not just the teacher they are supposed to be questioning, but everyone they come in contact with.
And for those who want to see theism struck from the classroom - it’s good to remember the punchline to that joke about prayer in schools.
