Many Christian Australian schools have a noticeable absence in their curriculum with regards to the theories of the Big Bang, Red Shift and evolution. Children are told that these are ‘just theories’ despite the incontrovertible evidence that shows otherwise and explains how we came to be. Missing out on this aspect of education is the shocking reality that faces numerous Australians without them even realising it. It is important to discern what your children are being taught and to provide them with factual educational supplies if they are not being given all of the necessary information at school. Whilst I in no way question the value of religious morality, there is no doubt that numerous Australian children are being deprived of a basic understanding of evolution and our origins.
Evolution as a Theory
The idea that evolution is only a theory stems from deliberate lexical misinterpretation by Creationists. When a scientist comments on ‘the theory of evolution’ this pertains to the fact that everything within scientific discovery remains classified as a theory unless the theory can be undeniably proven as a law. Whilst this is practically the case, scientists follow strict guidelines which cannot be breached. In scientific terms, a good theory is a theory that could be disproven and yet has not been. If, for example, the fossil of a single mammal was found in the rock sediment which was formed during the Cambrian Era, no scientist would maintain that the ‘theory’ of evolution was correct; but there is no such fossil. The modern interpretation of theory, meaning ‘guess’ or ‘hunch’, does not apply to the well-documented and proven theory of evolution.
Theory or Law: What is the Difference?
We can use the theory of gravity and the law of gravity to explain this differentiation more closely. The theory and law of gravity are two distinct things: the law of gravity describes the observable fact that if you release an object it will fall to the floor, whereas the theory of gravity is an attempt to explain the magnetic field created by Earth’s molten core. The theory of evolution is an attempt to explain something and thus it will never become a law, just as the theory of relativity which explains gravity will never be a law, and yet it has been accepted as fact through observation and record.
Evolution as Fact
Evolution is a fact and it is observable. Google it, talk to a teacher, or look at non-religious education supplies if you do not accept this as fact, because all the information is there. The theory of evolution by natural selection is used as an attempt to explain the process of evolution and even this is well-documented, explained and demonstrable. Fossil records, dendrology, astronomy, what we understand of genetics, and radioactive dating all support this theory and a single shred of evidence to disprove it has not yet been found.
The Big Picture
The theory of evolution is merely the tip of the iceberg with regards to the science that young Australians are missing out on. Asking your child’s school if they teach evolution is a good benchmark, but if it is not taught then they will likely be missing out on other enormous scientific discoveries like Red Shift, an elaboration of the Doppler Effect which explains the expansion of the universe, and radioactive dating, which puts the age of the Earth closer to 4.6 billion years than the 6,000 years professed by Creationists. As a parent there is a duty to ensure that children are being provided with an accurate and up-to-date education within and without the schooling system.
