“In the Beginning God ...”?

In December 2010, the Gallup Organization conducted its annual poll on American opinions regarding Creation and evolution. This poll, in varying forms and with multiple subsets of questions on the same topic, has been conducted annually since 1982. It charts by percentages people’s opinions regarding Creation, evolution, and intelligent design.

In the latest survey, the question was posed as follows: “Which of the following statements comes closest to your views on the origin and development of human beings?”

1. Human beings have developed over millions of years from less advanced forms of life, but God guided this process (intelligent design).

2. Human beings have developed over millions of years from less advanced forms of life, but God had no part in this process (evolution).

3. God created human beings pretty much in their present form at one time within the last 10,000 years or so (Creation). {Note that even this question is not firmly in support of the biblical account of Creation as it occurred about 6000 years ago. Ed.}

During the years that the poll has been conducted, the percentages on statement #1 have remained at 38%. In response to statement #2, the percentages have gone from 9% to 16%, and the response to statement #3 was that the percentages have gone from 44% to 40%. It is quite obvious from these numbers that the fact of Creation is losing followers and the theory of evolution is gaining adherents.

It is not possible in the purview of this short article to go into detail analyzing and reporting on all the questions which were asked in the survey. Some of the questions and responses regarding Creation and evolution in education, however, do deserve some further consideration. Sixty-three percent of respondents stated they would not be upset if evolution was taught in public schools, while only 34% would be upset. When the question was asked whether respondents would be upset if the story of Creation were taught in the public schools, 76% said no, and only 22% said yes. When these responses were combined, a very disturbing trend was observed. Forty-five percent of respondents would not be upset if either Creation or evolution were taught, 30% would be upset if evolution were taught but not Creation, and 18% would be upset if Creation were taught but not evolution.

An initial look at these numbers would appear to be somewhat encouraging, but a closer look at the numbers shows that close to 70% of all respondents would be upset if evolution is not taught, while only approximately 30% expressed being upset if evolution is taught. It appears that there is a large part of the population who is very ambivalent in their feelings regarding what is taught to the children regarding the origin of man. How strongly we are warned in God’s Word that we cannot serve God and mammon. In Revelation 3:15&16 we read that because the Laodiceans were lukewarm, God would “spue them out of His mouth.”

This survey was conducted in the United States, but when we read what is happening in education in other countries, the findings are not unique. It again enforces the value of our own Christian schools where the history of Creation is taught according to what we read in God’s Word. This should not make us complacent, however, regarding the attitudes of our citizens and what is being taught elsewhere. These voices are loud and persistent in pursuing their goals. Do we speak up to defend what is found in God’s Word when the opportunity presents itself, or do we keep silent? We cannot and may not remain neutral.

— ERN

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