State Rep. Steve Hurst introduces bill to teach Biblical creationism alongside evolution

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Garden of Eden

Munford-Republican State Rep. Steve Hurst introduced a bill last month that would allow Alabama teachers to present “the theory of creation as presented in the Bible” alongside any discussion of evolution.

“This bill would enable public school teachers who teach kindergarten through 12th grade to include, as a portion of instruction regarding the scientific origins of man and the Earth, instruction regarding the Biblical theory of creation, so long as evolution is also taught,” reads the bill.

Under HB258, any teacher who desires to instruct students regarding the Biblical theory of creation is permitted to read passage from the Bible in class as deemed “necessary to propel the instruction forward.”

It also allow students the choice as to which understanding of Earth’s natural history they wish to accept: evolutionary theory or creationist theology. In doing so, the bill would ensure students accepting creationism, instead of evolution, would not be penalized for answering exam questions in their courses in a way that reflects their preference for creationism, “provided the response is correct according to the instruction received.”

The bill does however specify that teachers in public K-12 school may not stress any particular denominational religious belief.

ACLU Alabama opposes the legislation, as does several atheist blogs who have noted they believe the legislation is unconstitutional, citing the 1987 Supreme Court case of Edwards v. Aguillard.

In the case, the Supreme Court held unconstitutional Louisiana’s “Creationism Act.” Similar to Hurst’s bill, this statute prohibited the teaching of evolution in public schools, except when it was accompanied by instruction in “creation science.” The Court found that, by advancing the religious belief that a supernatural being created humankind, which is embraced by the term creation science, the act impermissibly endorses religion. In addition, the Court found that the provision of a comprehensive science education is undermined when it is forbidden to teach evolution except when creation science is also taught.

HB258 has been referred to the House committee on Education Policy.

5 COMMENTS

  1. I am a Southern Baptist christian. Creationism is NOT science. It has no place being taught or referenced in a science class. Teach it in a biblical or koranic studies class. The word “creationism”, should never be used in the same sentence as the word “science”. The two ARE NOT related.

    Cassandra Leigh Williamson
    Northport Alabama

    • if you believe that creation has no place in a classroom that is fine, you are entitled to your own opinion but you cannot honestly call yourself a christian creationism is science just like evolution is science they are both theories to try to explain the same thing the origin of the world, creationism is just another avenue of science they are both THEORIES not FACT, you cannot say that graviton theory can be discussed in a classroom while relativity theory cannot, you must be well rounded with everything including evolution and creation, what mr hurst has said is not one more step to bias arguments and the ‘killing’ of god but the fist step to equality and peace.:)

      • Your analogy is incorrect.

        Requiring biblical creation to be taught in a Science (biology) classroom (where evolution is taught) is not the same as “graviton” theory vs relativity. Both of *those* things are Science based.

        A better analogy would be something like modern geology/planetology/cosmology being taught but stopping biblical flat-earth/firmament/water-below/waters-above from being taught. See, one of those is a scientific endeavor. The other is religious dogma.

        Evolution through descent with modification through natural selection is a scientific theory (which means it’s the best, current explanation for things we see on this topic). Biblical creation is religious dogma and therefore not any sort of science anything.

        Biblical creation would be a great topic for a comparative religions class or a social history class. Pair it up with Marduk splitting open Tiamat’s belly and forming the earth and sky. Contrast Noah’s flood with the world-flood from the epic of Gilgamesh.

        And if you’re going to teach biblical creation as laid out by the Abrahamic religions, you also have to discuss ALL the other religious creation ideas and give them all equal weight… Greeks, Romans, Hindu, Chinese, Hawai’ian, Norse…

        The 1st Amendment precludes us (the government) from publicly (officially, in any of our places of government… like schools) holding one religion over any others.

        Science is not religion

        Religion is not science

        Separate the two

        For the good of all

  2. There are many problems that will need to be addressed by the silly froo froo proposed by Steve Hurst.

    The most obvious is the Constitution of the United States. Some of us still honor and respect it. Mr Hurst obviously does not.

    Another problem is that anti-reality creationism is not Christian. In fact there are creationists of all sorts who deny evolution, and all sciences. They just disagree over which gods they think ‘win’ if science is all wrong.

    Here are examples all opposed to science and all worshiping different gods.;

    Jewish
    Spetner, Lee
    1997 Not By Chance: Shattering the Modern Theory of Evolution. New York: The Judaica Press

    Muslim
    Harun Yahya (real name Adnan Okbar)
    2007 “Atlas Of Creation” Istanbul: Global Publishing

    Hindu
    Michael A Cremo, Richard L. Thompson
    1998 “Forbidden Archeology: The Hidden History of the Human Race” Bhaktivedanta Book Publishing

    Neo-pagan/Native American
    Deloria, Vine Jr.
    1997 “Red Earth, White Lies” Golden Colorado: Fulcrum Publishing

    They are all frauds just like the fake Christian creationists.

    • first of all I would enjoy hearing more about what the constitution has to do with creationism second Mr. Hurst was using the most common example that he could find since over half the us are professing christians I really hope you respect mr hurst because he obviously does his research unlike you.;)

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