One of the most difficult things about being a parent is the way in which our children squabble with each other. At some points in their lives it seems it is all they can do together. In some cases they are vying for our attention and in others they are sorting out their pecking order, and learning how to deal with disagreement. Arguing is a natural, and inevitable part of being human. We can only hope that the children will eventually grow into adults who can tolerate differences of opinion with respect.

The debate between Creationists and evolutionists may never end. Neither theory, so far, can be definitely proved. Let's imagine we have two bickering children in the back seat of our car, while we try to listen in and negotiate Central London traffic at the same time.

Creationism is the eldest (E), so we'll let that one start:

God created the world and everything in it. It says so in the Bible.

The younger (Y): But the Bible is just a book of stories. It was people who wrote it, a long time ago. They didn't know as much then.

E: Yeah, but, God was telling them what to write.

Y: Was not.

E: Was so.

Y: Prove it

. E: You can't prove that he didn't.

Y: You can't prove that he did.

(At this point they start elbowing each other. 'Cut it out!' we snap at them)

Y: Anyway, what about all those fossils. What about all those old bones and stuff. They can tell how we evolved from looking at them.

E: Can they? How?

Y: Well they keep changing, and they can age them and put them on a time line. We used to be fishes.

E: No, we didn't. They just talk like that because they already believe in evolution. They haven't really got enough fossils, they're just guessing.

Y: Yes they have so, you're just being silly.

E: Am not

(If you two can't keep it down, I'm going to stop the car and you'll have to get out and stand in the cold for five minutes!)

E: (whispering loudly) Anyway, all those old bones were left there from everything that died in the Flood.

Y: Oh, you're on about Noah again.

E: Yes, and he took all the animals and plants that we have today on his Ark so that's why we still have them.

Y: But they can date them, they died at different times. Some of them are kzillions of years old and some of them are nearly new.

E: But they keep making mistakes. Do you remember that story about the dead guy that they thought was 10,000 years old and turned out to be only about 100? And, like how can they tell how old something is?

Y: They have lots of ways. They have new ways and they get better at it all the time.

E: The world is only about 6,000 years old. They are just stretching it, like everything happened over millions of years but it actually happened really quickly because God did it.

Y: They know how long a year is.

E: But they don't know how quick God can do stuff.

Y: You're just making it up.

E: No, it says so in the Bible

T: But the Bible is just a book.

At this point, mercifully, you arrive home and put the telly on for them.

It's a never-ending circular argument. The only way it might end is if enough evidence is put forward on either side to clinch it. Probably not possible. The Creationists will find it hard to bring any new information to the table, and DNA studies might remain inconclusive as to who might have descended from who.

Even if there were overwhelming evidence in favor of one side, the other would almost certainly not believe it anyway. We need to bicker. As long as it doesn't escalate into violence, it is just part of the experience of growing up.

Learn more about this author, Briar Shaw.
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