Anthropology

Essay by vinni119 March 2003

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For centuries man has questioned his existence. To determine his identity and place in nature, more specifically, man has continually attempted to uncover his past in the hopes of tracing his origins. Although these attempts resulted in the formation of numerous hypotheses, our inability to physically prove what truly happened has produced conflict between the supporters of these various beliefs. With theories involving everything from extraterrestrials (colonialism) to colossal animals (Iroquois legends), the debate of human origins may seem too extensive to handle. Yet despite this factor, only one battle truly stands out in the midst of this issue: the conflict created between scientific reasoning and religious values. A conflict that has affected not only scientists and religious individuals alike, but has even influenced public education through the use of censorship (numerous anti-evolution laws). A conflict that may never be resolved: Creationism Vs. Evolution.

Creationism is based on religious faith.

More specifically, creationists base their understanding of mankind's origins on their literal interpretation of a sacred text referred to as "The Holy Bible". According to the first chapters of the Bible, the entire universe came into existence by the action of an almighty being named "God". Between 5,000 to 10,000 years ago (as described in the Old Testament), this almighty being conceived the earth from nothing in a time-ordered sequence. In a total of six days, God proceeded to create night, day, heaven and earth. He added water to the earth, grass and trees to the land, stars to the sky, and living creatures to the combination. He finished by creating man in his image, and allowed him dominance over all other creatures. From this perspective, Creationists see God as an absolute power, and consider him the only force responsible for man's existence. Although it may seem irrational of them...