mandatory creationism

OK as I think I've mentioned I'm attending a University which was founded by a major Evangelist.  Until now I've really only had good things to say about most of the classes.  Every time I was sure that I was going to have to put up my dukes in a class, I was greatly surprised by the lack of bias.  There have been a few minor instances but overall I've had a positive experience and believe God led me there for more than the cheap tuition and the valid credits.  That said....

I'm now changing schools because I do not want to be associated with a college that makes in mandatory that all students take a class called The Origins of Life.  It is not a science class, though it's almost presented that way.  It's not a philosophy class nor could it be called a theology class.  I honestly felt as if I was sitting in a brainwashing class.

There were diagrams of the Ark with dinosaurs walking onto it next to humans and animals.  I was told that the belief in the Theory of Evolution was, logically, the root of racism.  I was told that the earth is less than 7,000 years old.  And this is all in just the first two weeks.

Now, I'm a science nerd and a Christian.  I don't know when it was decided that one was the polar opposite of the other.  Why can't I believe in God and believe that even now when we feel so technologically advanced, we really know very little.  I believe in the Big Bang Theory.  I'm no physicist but I've read enough and asked enough to understand the basic theory and the fact is that we have proof of the Big Bang but when we trace it back we hit a wall we cannot see beyond. For some scientists, that is just another challenge.  For me?  That is God.  Maybe someday we will see back beyond that point somehow.  However, Scripture tells me that there was nothing before that point but God.  I believe that.

I believe in scripture but I do not believe that it was intended to be a history or science text book!  And I think to try to make it that is to completely miss the point.  I believe God speaks to us through Holy Scripture and through our advances in Science.  I believe there are deep universal truths about who we are and where we come from that can be found in both.  I do not believe that either has all of the answers.

I hope to never be a member of the kind of Christianity that sticks its head in the sand and ignores scientific knowledge because it doesn't mesh with our current understanding of scripture.  God does not want us to live in the 1st century understanding of what God is or who we are in relation to the universe that was created for us.

peace.