Bill Nye: creationism is bad for children

Bill Nye speaks the truth.

[Video credit: Big Think]

In science, it's rare that you can actually state with certainty that something is wrong. Young-Earth creationism is wrong. The Universe is old.

However, I'll disagree with Bill over one thing, and I'll throw Neil Tyson into the mix too. First, here's something Neil said about adults, children, and nonsense (from an image that's gone around the web a few times):

Funny, Neil and Bill are saying the same thing, essentially, but Neil is saying he doesn't worry about the kids, while Bill is saying he doesn't worry about the adults.

I worry about both, for, oddly enough, the reasons Bill and Neil both give. We have entrenched adults teaching things to their kids that are clearly wrong, and will be damaging to them and others. Creationism, global warming denial, antivaccination, ridiculous ideas about women and their bodies... it's a cycle from adults to kids who then grow up to teach more kids.

We need to break this cycle. Make sure the education kids get in school is reality-based. Keep religion (or the lack thereof) out of schools. Vote fundamentalists out of office. And keep making sure the facts are out there and our voices are heard. Facts aren't enough. Science has facts on its side, but they're simply not enough. We need to make our stories personal, emotional, and make sure they stick.

And I'd love to agree with Bill when he says that in the future creationism will go away. I sure hope so. But YEC's been around for a while now, and is as strong as ever - after all, there are creationists on the US House of Representatives' Committee on Science! Still, maybe Bill's right. But it's up to us to make sure his prediction comes true.

Related Posts:

- Akin breakinâ science
- Texas creationist McLeroy spins the educational disaster he created
- Jindal dooms Louisiana