Religion Versus Science in The Scopes Trial - 1089 Words

This trial took place in Dayton, Tennessee in 1925, and the central figure was a twenty five-year-old science teacher named John Scopes. Scopes was under the umbrella of advancing America, and the trial was dubbed The Scopes â€Å"Monkey† Trial. In 1925, John Scopes was encouraged to challenge the Butler Law. This law was passed in the state of Tennessee to bar teachings contrary to those in the Bible. Teachings from an evolutionary text, Scopes broke the law and drew the attention of the media. The focus of the media on the Scopes trial clearly presented the difference in the ideas of a religious town and an evolving country. Dayton, Tennessee was a stable and religious town. According to Jeffery P. Moran, Attorney. General. Tom Stewart was quoted having said that, â€Å"The state makes no contention, as stated by counsel for the defense, that this is a conflict between science and religion insofar as the merits are concerned† ( Moran 95 ). This conflict was the major focus of the trial as people in the town were displaying banners with the sign ‘Read Your Bible’. The people living here had taken up the Bible teachings so they could feel a sense of security within a time of change. â€Å"Evolution disputes the Bible record of man’s creation, and the logic of the evolution eliminates as false the miracles of the Bible, including the virgin birth and the bodily resurrection of Christ† ( Moran 191 ). This madeShow MoreRelatedEdward Larsons Work Summer For The Gods1199 Words   |  5 PagesThroughout United States history, Americans have always remain separated on certain issues. Edward Larson’s work Summer for the Gods exemplifies just how issues split the population. Larson uses the Scopes Trial of 1925 to demonstrate to the rivalry between modernists and traditionalists in the early 20th century. Charles Dawson discovered fossilized human bones known as the â€Å"Piltdown skull† and bridged a gap in history that seemed to confirm Darwin’s theory of evolution. Darwin s account of randomRead More Individual Liberty Versus Majoritarian Democracy in Edward Larson’s Summer For the Gods878 Words   |  4 Pages Individual Liberty Versus Majoritarian Democracy in Edward Larson’s Summer For the Gods The Scopes trial, writes Edward Larson, to most Americans embodies â€Å"the timeless debate over science and religion.† (265) Written by historians, judges, and playwrights, the history of the Scopes trial has caused Americans to perceive â€Å"the relationship between science and religion in . . . simple terms: either Darwin or the Bible was true.† (265) The road to the trial began when Tennessee passed the ButlerRead MoreScopes Trial Essay1167 Words   |  5 PagesThe twentieth century Scopes trial may have started out as a simple debate between evolutionists and creationists, but quickly escalated to a debate of historic proportions. The 1920s were times of change in the United States, from women getting the right to vote to prohibition to changes in education, such as the Butler Act, which created unease and animosity throughout the country. The Butler Act of 1925 prohibited the teaching of evolution and any other theories that deny the story of the divineRead Mor eScience And Religion : A Very Short Introduction1198 Words   |  5 Pages â€Å"Darwin and Evolution† and â€Å"Creationism and Intelligent Design,† Science and Religion: A Very Short Introduction (pp. 58-103) by Thomas Dixon The author, Thomas Dixon explains Evolution and creationism in separate chapters in his book, â€Å"Science and Religion: A Very Short Introduction.† The evolution chapter talks about the history of Charles Darwin’s evolution, its challenges of the root of all living creatures as started in the Bible and it effect it has brought in American society. In the chapterRead MoreDracula and Science, Superstition, Religion, and Xenophobia1602 Words   |  7 Pagesin relation to science, religion, and some are even a combination of the two. Film and other media outlets have commonly been used to address these types of issues ever since these outlets were started. In the film Dracula, directed by Tod Browning in 1931, many controversial issues of the 1920s and 1930s including science, superstition, religion, and xenophobia are addressed. An argument that has been extremely controversial and debated for centuries is science versus religion. Dracula takesRead MoreThe Controversy Between Science And Religion1377 Words   |  6 PagesSummer for the Gods concentrates on the Dayton, Tennessee Scopes trial, or Monkey Trial, of 1925. The trial was over a Tennessee law that banned teaching evolution in public schools. The American Civil Liberties Union protested the law with teacher, John Scopes, who agreed to help. Thetrial of the century brought together two famous political enemies, William Jennings Bryan, who led the anti-evolution crusade, and Clarence Darrow, who was known as the best criminal defense lawyer and evolutionRead MoreEssay about The Influence of Religion on Scientific Advancement1737 Words   |  7 PagesReligion is an intricate part of society. It has existed since the beginning of civilization and continues expanding today. This physical organization of personal beliefs has created wars and revolution s; nations and constitutions. In a subject as controversial as that of faith, it is often difficult to discern if it has benefitted humanity. One especially relevant issue today is religion’s influence on science. Throughout history, it is evident that religious movements have occasionally impededRead MoreConflicts Between Science and Religion1662 Words   |  7 Pagesï » ¿Introduction - In science, evolution is one of the basic templates for understanding the biology of an organism or ecological unit. Essentially, it is the change in inherited traits of a population through a process called natural selection in which only the strongest traits are appropriately adapted to the environment in question. Those traits from parents who are healthier and live longer are then passed down to future generations where the traits are amplified if the organism thrives. EvolutionRead More Creationism vs. Evolution Essays1663 Words   |  7 Pagessignificant because it requires billions of years for evolution to happen. Creationists claim that the earth is six to ten thousand years old, if this is so, then evolution is not true. This is one of the most important topics in the Creationism versus Evolution debate (Young World, 1996). Apparently, the earth cannot be billions of years old. Helium-4 for example is created by radioactive decomposition and is continuously put into the atmosphere. Helium cannot escape the earth’s gravityRead MoreStem Cells Essay1699 Words   |  7 PagesAfter many decades of successful and unsuccessful trials to find a cure for diseases and disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, Huntington’s disease, and/or Parkinson’s disease, it seems like scientific research has provided us with a hope for these diseases. This essay will address the issue of controversial research in stem cells. This technology offers hope to millions who are victims of a multitude of diseases and disorders. It can be used to regrow limbs, create organs, attack genetic diseases