“As a science teacher, I often find myself defending evolution to both students and adults. Most of the religious creationists I have talked with are not stupid or thoughtless. The do however, seem to have a different way of defining “Truth” than I do. First, they are insulted that the school system and the scientific establishment seem to insult their faith, they take it personally! This sets up a BIG roadblock. Second, they feel that evolution takes away the “meaning” of human life, the idea that man was created by God for a given purpose rather than evolving through random events over time. Third, they have a warped idea of how science works, usually equating the scientific process with the way religious groups discuss beliefs and moral concepts. Trying to sell evolution to these people without taking into account their mindset is doomed to failure, and worse, to anger. I have had some (limited) success by explaining evolution in a non threatening way and trying to explain how science and religion approach things in a different way. It ain’t easy ……..”
