http://boingboing.net/2015/03/28/what-its-like-to-teach-evolu.html
"Krupa's essay on his decades of experience with these students talks about three groups: students who believe in evolution but have never studied it in detail because the conflict-averse teachers they've had until then have avoided the subject; students whose religious beliefs are so firmly seated that they won't listen to his arguments, and students who are in the middle, minds open, but unconvinced either way. He says that it's this last group he tries hardest to reach, but one of his most inspiring triumphs comes from the second group, a fervent evangelical who was infuriated by Krupa's patient teaching, but found the rebuttals offered by his evangelical teachers so unconvincing that he threw over his belief in Biblical creation and became an MD."
I found this to be an interesting (albeit partly anecdotal) read. Having grown up in Europe, I was about 25 when I first heard of creationism. There's never really been a serious debate about teaching creationism rather than evolution theory at schools here as far as I'm aware of but I'm pretty sure lots of people here, too, believe that evolution theory is just that - a theory among many.
For me, creationism is just another example of taking myth for fact. The catholic pope seems to think the same way. What's interesting about the article above, however, isn't the fact that some people believe this while others believe that. What I find more interesting (and disturbing) is how myth has a tendency to become fact in the minds of many if enough people claim it is. Kentucky seems to have turned into some sort of social bubble - with a belief system that's dramatically different from that in most other parts of the world. Yet, that bubble seems to have been consistent over centuries and still remains unchallenged. I find that fascinating (and a little bit disturbing).
Do not look for happiness outside yourself. The awakened seek happiness inside.
Topic Author
