"…So what is the plan that Cameron, 38, has hatched to supposedly save the souls of freshmen around the country?

Ok. Clearly, there are quite a few potential things to rant about concerning this topic, but there’s one particular subject people don't usually include in the argument—a subject that drives me crazy about this whole creationism/evolution thing.

My biggest problem with this ongoing clash between of creationism and evolution is this: Creationists presume that only the Christian creation story is what matters. If you're going to teach creationism as an alternative to evolution then you have to cover EACH and EVERY creation story found in EACH and EVERY religion, or it simply is not a viable subject to teach in school. You can NOT just teach ONE religion's views and use that as the sole “creation” argument against science/evolution. It simply brings us back to Christians versus “everyone else,” namely the scientific community. (Exclusive religions love to play the “us versus them” card.) In school—which is supposed to be separate from singular religious views—you have to be inclusive in teachings and discussions, especially if you are discussing particularly subjective views (although subjectivity can be attributed to virtually every topic known to man).

Religion does NOT equal the Christian God and the Christian creation story. It never has and never will. Americans are often too ignorant to realize there are other religions besides Christianity (or at least, other religions that hold beliefs that matter at all). In fact, there are countless others. If you want to teach “creationism” in schools—meaning the idea that a god or larger force created this world, universe, or even just our species—go for it, but you MUST be inclusive across the board. This is about FREE thinking—about considering our creation from a variety of angles, theories, beliefs, etc. It should NOT be about teaching the Genesis in school, and definitely not about teaching anything as “fact.”

This dichotomy about the “fact” of Christian creationism versus the “fact” of evolution is maddening. It's ALL theory in the end. No one REALLY KNOWS ANYTHING as fact about virtually ANYTHING in our Universe. How can you presume to say you KNOW when you freaking don't? Doing so is pure arrogance, and it is unbelievably foolhardy. This is NOT about Christians vs Atheists. Or it shouldn't be. Such battles are presumptuous and futile as they only lead to more fighting and more hate.

All of this is why knowledge is imperative in all aspects of human existence. Humans must strive to learn everything we can from people who have already lived and experienced and thought and considered and felt and laughed and cried. It is how we grow. History is filled with people who all have a piece of truth to offer, and with those pieces of truth we can expand our horizons—as individuals, as societies, and as a species—and seek out new truths to add to our knowledge base. Without knowledge and learning we cannot advance as people or as social groups.