The other day I asked the students in one of my classes if anyone believed that the Earth is about 6,000 years old. I usually get around to asking this question during the term. This time I had a record number of students saying that they believe this. Six students shot up their hands acknowledging that they believed that the Earth is about 6,000 years old. Usually, I might get two.
I don't ask the question to start up some debate. In my experience, that would be a very harsh experience for many of them. I just bring it up for my own information and to let other students in the class know about the extreme views that other people can have. Many are astonished to find out that anyone believes this, let alone fellow college students.
About all I do is mention that if you believe this, then you have a lot of counter evidence to explain away. For instance, you have to explain the fossil record and the geological record. Just mentioning this prompts a heated defense from some of the believers. I just leave it at that, because it all turns into a hopeless debate that leaves students with bad feelings. But I might respond a little bit to their defense. I might point out that their view implies that most of science has to be tossed out. In the end, I just teach the class and hope that it opens their minds up enough to get them to think critically about their views and maybe change them later.
This indicates what an odd situation I'm in -- we are all in.
