Let Them Hear the Other Side

THERE are often two sides to a matter. While you may agree with one side, are you willing to hear the other?

Hearing the other side of a matter is the wise course. For one thing, it increases knowledge of the subject under discussion. It also helps one to understand the other person’s viewpoint. And even more important, it is often a good way to arrive at basic truths.

One of the many areas where there is a need to hear the other side is in the field of science. It would be naive to think that today no scientific theory needs further examination. Why, there were theories accepted just a few years ago that are today discarded.

This willingness to hear the other side is very much needed regarding the theory of evolution. In American schools, for example, evolution is usually taught without any mention of other possible explanations for man’s arrival on earth. As C. P. Martin, an evolutionist from McGill University, said of the many students he observed: “It is not that they are aware of the difficulties [of the evolution theory] . . . and esteem them of little weight or importance; they never heard of them and are amazed at the bare possibility of the accepted theory being criticized.”

Imbalance on Subject

At one time various laws forbade the teaching of evolution in schools. But many educators regarded this as tyrannical. They felt they should be allowed to present the evidence for evolution. Hence, legal actions were taken to repeal such laws. Now evolution can be taught in schools.

However, in large measure the situation is the same​—tyrannical. How so? In that the evolution promoters now often try to forbid any other teaching on the subject of man’s origin.

Is such an attitude really scientific? Is it fair? Does it promote true education to saturate students with only one idea as to man’s origin when many scientists admit that the evidence is not conclusive at all, but is primarily conjectural? Why not let students hear scientific evidence for the creation of man as being separate and distinct from animals? Investigation of the facts on both sides is true education on such a subject.

How needed this kind of balance is can be seen from the remarks of one school principal who said: “You know, we have a library of over 10,000 books but not one of them gives the other side of the evolution theory.” Seeing this imbalance, he accepted information that gave the other side.

Others Concerned

Many parents and educators are concerned about this imbalance. They regard it as educational tyranny to teach unproved theories against which no other ideas are tolerated.

Nor is this a matter of advocating a certain religion in the classroom. If presenting scientific evidence for evolution is not considered objectionable, then why should presenting scientific evidence against it be considered so?

Some educators are taking steps to bring this matter into better balance. For example, two members of a California state board appointed to overhaul education protested when they noted that only evolutionary teaching was recommended regarding man’s origin. Drs. John R. Ford and Thomas G. Harward stated that the teaching of evolution should be presented only as one theory, noting that there are others such as creation. They proposed that both sides of the matter should be presented so that students could make up their own minds.

In its decision, the ten-member California board voted unanimously to amend the public school’s scientific framework to show that “all scientific evidence to date concerning the origin of life implies a dualism, or the necessity to use several theories to fully explain relationships between established data points.” The board added: “Science has independently postulated various theories of creation.”

Max Rafferty, state superintendent of schools in California, said that both sides of the matter concerning man’s origin should be presented to the students.

Welcomed to Discuss Other Side

In this regard, a number of educators have welcomed guest lecturers of Jehovah’s witnesses into their classrooms to discuss the other side. Local representatives, or students who are themselves Jehovah’s witnesses, are invited to discuss the matter with students. These discussions have proved very educational and have been enjoyed by both teachers and students.

At a Pueblo, Colorado, school the teacher allowed a student who is one of Jehovah’s witnesses to discuss evolution for an entire class period. Every student participated. At a Catholic school in College Point, New York, a guest lecturer, one of Jehovah’s witnesses, was given several class periods to discuss the other side of evolution. Afterward, groups of students gathered around for further questions. It was obvious from their many sincere inquiries that hearing the other side had stimulated their thinking on the subject.

A teacher at the University of California at Santa Cruz said: “I’m a science teacher. I teach the science concerned with the principles of valid reasoning or logic. We have gone through Darwin’s theory of evolution, one by Ingersoll, and two or three other publications on evolution, and in them we have found absolutely no shred of evidence or logical reasoning.” He asked that Jehovah’s witnesses speak to his class and also accepted for his students’ use the publication Did Man Get Here by Evolution or by Creation?, a 192-page documented discussion of scientific information on evolution that also gives the other side.

In asking for the same publication for his students, an associate professor from the biology department at a college in Fredonia, New York, said: “I like to give my students a chance of evaluating both sides of an issue.” Another teacher from a junior college in Chicago who did the same stated: “I am expected to teach the art of logical argumentation and to make the students aware that many seemingly logical arguments are quite often based upon prejudice. Feeling that truth is unobtainable unless both sides of the argument are heard, I mentioned this book to my classes and recommended it for those who are concerned with truth. To my surprise, the response was overwhelming.”

If you are an educator, Jehovah’s witnesses will be happy to arrange for a guest lecturer or make available to you printed information showing, from the scientific viewpoint, what the other side is concerning the theory of evolution. Truth is often made more evident when both sides of the argument are heard. So why not let students hear the other side?