Communism and Capitalism both fear Creationism

by Emil Silvestru

Photo Wikipedia.org

Former Romanian communist dictator Nicolae Ceauşescu

Recently two biology textbooks (for grades 9 and 10) from a Christian-creationist perspective have been made available to the general public in my former homeland, Romania.^1,2 The subtitle is quite indicative of the content: ‘Divine craftsmanship and brilliance in the biosphere’.

Apart from scientific information, these textbooks contain segments with headings like, ‘Express your opinions’, ‘Analogies’, ‘Did you know?’, and ‘Things to ponder’, as well as 20 color plates. The textbooks are the result of the joint efforts of biologists and theologians from various denominations.

After 42 years of growing communist oppression, Romanians have embraced religion not just as an antidote to atheistic/Darwinian indoctrination but also as a way to reconnect to their nearly 2,000-year-old Christian traditions. Religion is taught today in public schools from grades 1 to 12 (unless explicit exemption requests are filed by parents).

Unfortunately, as Romania has joined the European Union, this may not last too long. There are already reports of pressure from the European Parliament to adjust the educational system to EU standards.

Many of the former communist countries that were not immediately embraced by European Union members (as were East Germany, The Czech Republic, Slovenia and Hungary) have followed the same path as Romania, towards tradition and away from Darwinism. In 2004, Ljljana Colic, the Minister of Education of Serbia, created quite a stir when requesting that Darwinian evolution be not taught in Serbia during that year, until an alternative would be available.^3,4

But that was too revolutionary even for a conflict-torn country like Serbia, so that decision was soon reversed following the pressures of the scientific community, whose views were clearly expressed by biologist Nikola Tučič: ‘We are slowly turning into a theocratic state and in the 21st Century we are going back to the Book of Revelations.’⁵

In Poland, long-time creation warrior Professor Maciej Giertych has triggered heated debates after having backed deputy education minister Miroslaw Orzechowski, who labeled the theory of evolution a lie.⁶

Giertych, who is also a founder of the ultra-right conservative party LPR, represented in the European Parliament, has taken the debate to that forum, triggering a very angry response from the EP members. The many accusations, answered by Giertych, revealed the inability of even such a high-level forum to approach this foundational topic in a democratic and rational manner.⁷

For Western Christians analyzing these developments, it confirms the profound need of most people (even after many decades of brutal atheistic indoctrination) for belief in God. It is also amazing to realize how issues that are considered politically incorrect, and even illegal, in the cradle of modern democracy—the West—can be and are being debated publicly and openly in former communist countries! For those who, like me, have experienced life under communism, it seems a bitter irony indeed to see how the way any alternative thinking like creationism is suppressed today in the so-called ‘free world’ is almost a carbon copy of the ‘one party—one idea’ mentality of communist regimes. It’s almost as if European communism has not died, it’s simply received a face-lift and crossed the oceans.

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References

1. www.ecasacartii.ro/index.php?getCmd=carte&getPid=193 Return to Text.
2. www.ecasacartii.ro/index.php?getCmd=carte&getPid=194 Return to Text.
3. Serbia vs. Darwin, www.bookcase.com/~claudia/mt/archives/000392.html Return to Text.
4. Serb schools told to drop Darwin, BBC News, 7 September 2004, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3635794.stm Return to Text.
5. Serbia reverses Darwin suspension, BBC News, 9 September 2004, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3642460.stm Return to Text.
6. Polish scientists fight creationism, lurena.vox.com/library/post
   /6a00d09e508d74be2b00d4142ee9c53c7f.html Return to Text.
7. Giertych, M., A Reply to Critics in Nature Magazine http://www.kolbecenter.org/Giertych_nature.htm Return to Text.

Published: 24 August 2007(GMT+10)