"Denial of evolution is unique to the United States," Bill Nye claims in a video posted on the Big Think channel at YouTube on Friday. The scientist and former TV personality had harsh words for the creationist theory, saying it could have a negative effect if it is taught to children.

In the embedded video at the bottom of this page, the "Science Guy" asserts that the issue of creationism goes beyond personal belief and that those who accept the religious theory are "hold[ing] everybody back" in America.

"[America is] the world's most advanced technological [country] ... Generally, the United States is where most of the innovations still happens." Nye says in the video. "When you have a portion of the population that doesn't believe in that [science], it holds everybody back, really."

Nye spent five years of his scientific career -- from 1993 to 1998 -- working on the program "Bill Nye the Science Guy," which aired on PBS. The 100-episode educational show covered topics aimed to teach varying scientific topics to young audiences.

The series won a total of 19 Emmy Awards.

Nye's focus in this video is children once again, because he believes that evolution is too important to the foundation of science to be ignored. "We need scientifically literate voters and taxpayers for the future. We need people that can -- we need engineers that can build stuff, solve problems," Nye says.

"If you want to deny evolution and live in your world, in your world that's completely inconsistent with everything we observe in the universe, that's fine" for adults, according to the scientist/comedic actor. "Don't make your kids do it because we need them."

Creationism.org writes, "Each new false religion of the post-Flood period has sought to detract from our Creator and from our responsibilities in this life; evolution's effect is no different and it (macro-evolution) continues to lack any scientific substance." The site then adds, "Pray about this!"

"You know, in another couple of centuries, that world view, I'm sure, will be, it just won't exist," Nye says definitively, speaking about creationism and how it is an impractical theory. "There's no evidence for it."

The confidence in Nye's statements doesn't change the fact that the debate over teaching evolution or creationism, or both, is still going on throughout the U.S. The Advertiser in Lafayette, La., reported last week that there are still curricula causing controversy about what they teach on the subject of origins of man and the universe.

"Some schools teach a combination of creationism and evolution. Others may only teach creationism, or cast evolutionary theory in a poor light," the Advertiser reported, citing unnamed textbook publishing companies.

Religion Bill nye Religion Religion