Can't Someone Take A Stand for Him Who Is He Who Is And Always Was What It Is?!
The Saturday 10/22 edition of the Harrisburg Patriot News featured an article which gives a great deal of hope that the Dover School District Intelligent Design trial will end with a win for science and rational thought.
The article explains that the lawyer for the defense has previously stated that "it would be difficult to successfully defend a policy on intelligent design because of the perception it was initiated for religious reasons."
Apparently schoolboard members had publicly said such things as, "Two thousand years ago, someone died on a cross" and "can't someone take a stand for Him," and that creationism [should] be taught "50-50" with evolution and prayer [ought] to be brought into school.
The article is enlightening to the mindset of the Dover Schoolboard and a recommended read.
More info on what's coming this 5th week of the trial is here.
posted by Tim @ 10/24/2005 01:17:00 AM
5 Comments:
That's to bad. If they would have been able to present just the basics of the statement that they felt since Darwin did not answer all questions that providing basic information that some do believe in ID was going to be viewed as more reasonable. Only providing that information and not advocating teaching ID with evolution they might have won this. I personally didn't see anything wrong with the jist of the original statement though I think they could have reworded that as a compromise. There's a big difference between acknowledging to children that not everyone agrees with Darwin's theory as the "answer" and here is a way to get more answers if you are curious than advocating teaching Id side by side with the theory of evolution.
A couple of things keep me on the offensive about this case.
First, it is clear that the ID people were looking to put a little of "that old time religion" back into the schools. Evolution conflicts with their personal beliefs, so they feel it should not be taught. Of course by that logic, I don't believe in Health class because it goes against my belief that every kid has a right to be a fat-ass. Should I get MY day in court?
Second, the entire concept of ID as an "alternative" to evolution is flawed. Why do we need an alternative when there is overwhelming evidence that evolution is correct? Yes there are gaps in some specifics due to the fossile record being based on random deaths rather than some intelligent being placing them in order for us (somehow that did not happen). Also life has been such an overwhelmingly diverse group (way too many creatures to be paired up and put on Noah's Ark, by the way), that it will continue to take eons of study to refine the specifics. Somehow this does not make it less scientific than nuclear physics. Just because there are some gaps in the record, doesn't mean we throw it out. There are gaps in all kinds of science, but we don't revert to an Amish way of life because we can't completely explain electricity.
ID is not an "alternative," it is not even as much of a theory. ID is just an excuse to try to keep some sense of the Book of Genesis as relevant in school. Again, if we are allowed to add these "alternatives" to school curriculum, then I suggest Michael Moore's Farenheit 9/11 added to History Class. Hey, it could have happened that way!
Oops, I spelled fossil with an "e". It must be the French spelling!
By the way, thanks LR & JB for continuing this discussion with me. It's been a focus of my writing lately, but I love the discussion.
Many thanks to everyone who has something to say about this topic!
I really look like that picture now that I have a week off from work. I've really let myself go.
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