So what do they teach kids these days in Catholic schools?

[Edi Gammon]

When I went to catholic grade school, from '83 to '91, we had both religion class and science class. In religion, one of the things we learned was that Jesus died for our sins, past and future, but also to atone for the original sin of Adam and Eve. This is why we are baptized too. To wash away the original sin.

In science back then, we never talked about evolution as it applies to man, only other creatures.

But since John Paul 2 publicly further recognized the validity of evolution being 'more than a hypothesis' where does this leave the teaching of Adam and Eve and original sin? If there was no Adam and Eve, there was no Original sin... No 'first evil' that led to all others, nothing to wash away with baptism, and one more nail in the coffin of Jesus.

How to they reconcile this to kids today? They're going to have a problem if they don't have some other theological razzle dazzle to distract kids from thinking about it too much. I can imagine young adults growing up with the Catholic strain of mind virus are going to run into this glaring inconsistency eventually.

If anyone has any insight into this, I'd love to know!  

[Retarted Musician]

My family isn't, and I wasn't raised Catholic, but my grandfather is a Presberterian (spell check) pastor, and when my family found out that someday I wanted to be a scientist, boy did they frown upon it. 'Specially when they found out how intrested in evolution I was. I think the teh church does seriously frown upon the thought of their people thinkning of evolutionand other possible ways that mankind was created. And recently I think they have been reall trying to, and I know it's bad to say, but they've been really pushing to 'brainwash' people. Basically what I mean by that is that they've kept pushing it and pushing it until they just kinda sit there and repeat it. 'Cause, incase you haven't noticed, teh Church is losing people fast because of these big commerical, non-demoninational churchs., which are a big more light hearted on then whole evolution theory.

I think I've pretty much rambled here... but what ever... I may come back and edit later...  

[Arios V]

I myself didn't go to a Catholic School (or any religious school). However, from the information I've overheard and pieced together from my classmates who went to such schools (which was quite a lot actually), I really don't think it's a whole lot different from your time Edi.

Then again, my words here aren't really valid as I never went to a religious school. Hopefully someone who did go will come along and recount their experience.  

[Sex! at the Disco]

I had a hippie teacher for science/religion class when I was locked up in Catholic School.

He say it was A-okay to be gay, but not to have gay sex, and that Darwin was emotionally disturbed when he wrote his "Origin Of The Species."  

[Maryhl]

I went to Catholic schools exclusively until college (2000). I remember people asking about evolution in High School Biology... which was taught by a Benedictine nun. She basically shrugged and said it was up to your own beliefs as to how to rationalize it.

Though I remember the textbooks approaching the topic more as the "survival of the fittest" Darwin theory than as a fundamental basis for life.  

[Edi Gammon]

Very interesting

Thanks for the input all!