First of all I do agree that evolution should be taught -- completely. Right now it is taught as fact in secular schools and a total lie in Christian schools and, given the various definitions of 'evolution', neither is true! Evolutionists generally point to speciation as proof of evolution, but that is false. A species is generally defined as a population with interbreeds and refuses to interbreed with other, similar, populations and/or is separated geographically so as to appear to be a different population. First of all, speciation depends on the mating cues of animals! If the mating cues are olfactory, such as with dogs and horses, they don't care what the potential mate looks like -- it just has to smell right! But if the mating cues are visual, such as with hummingbirds, the slightest difference in appearance can make all the difference in mating choice. Thus we have ONE species of domestic dog that ranges from chihuahua to St. Bernard and zillions of species of hummingbirds, some so close in appearance that it takes an expert to tell the difference!
Second, species is often confused with the biblical 'kind'. Wrong. The biblical 'kind' or 'baramin' is a much broader group, often more closely associated with the family or sub-family taxonomic group -- such as canine, feline, bovine, equine, etc.
Evolutionists challenge us to define 'kind' and give it some kind of test. This when they cannot define ANY of their taxonomic classifications, such as kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, or, often, species. However one useful test for kind is whether or not the animals can hybridize, such as the horse and zebra can (thus showing they were originally from one kind).
THAT needs to be taught truthfully by evolutionists, and it is not. It also needs to be taught truthfully by creationists, and it often is not.
Speciation exists, but it is NOT the same as changing from one kind of organism to another and it is NOT a precursor to that sort of change. Variation exists naturally, as you can see looking at anyone's family. The fact that some groups of animals get separated geographically has nothing to do with genetics. The fact that some animals prefer olfactory cues and some auditory or visual (or both) cues only says that animals are different. It would be interesting to hear some kind of fact-based evolutionary explanation about how the visual cues of the fish, for example, changed to the olfactory cues of the horse!
To get back more closely to the subject of the thread (with apologies to Phillip), the teaching of evolution is violently disruptive to the Christian faith, for it teaches that Genesis cannot be taken at face value. If Genesis, which is the foundation of the entire Bible, cannot be taken at face value, which part of the Bible can, and where does this change start?
All of which ends up depending on man's brains instead of God's Word in the long run -- and THAT is what is so entirely dangerous to any Christian, young or old. Using our brains is NOT a bad thing and is to be commended. However when we are encouraged, as Satan encouraged Eve, to 'think for yourself' when God's Word CLEARLY states the truth about something, then we are being invited to doubt and to sin against God.
Actual scientific data is showing that the Bible knows what it is talking about regarding creation not long ago in six literal, 24 hour days. It is not a matter of faith, although it probably should be for most of us (and I have apologized to God and to people many times for NOT believing Him for so long). But there is a tremendous amount of evidence regarding the truth of the Bible in creation itself.
Finally, in regard to TalkOrigin's quote from Gold Dragon, it is fallacious from the start. Genesis does NOT have a 'general theme'. It is a series of eyewitness reports of historical events. There is a vast difference between the two things. Then TO goes on to compare the creation account in Genesis with the story of the Prodigal Son. That is also fallacious, for the parable Jesus told was clearly a parable and treated in that way. Genesis presents itself as an historical narrative and should be accepted or rejected on its own account, and not on the premises thrust upon it by those who start out by disagreeing with it!
Treating Genesis as allegory, or myth, is necessary when presenting evolution as true. THAT is damaging to the faith of any Christian. Any time we have to depend on a man's brains when the man disagrees with God, we are in trouble.
