Over the last three Sundays my 20x class at church watched the movie "Expelled" with Ben Stein acting as the sort of narrator/interviewer of scientists on both sides of the evolution vs. intelligent design theory to the origin of life. In the midst of those three Sundays PBS ran a documentary entitle "Intelligent Design (ID) on Trial".....a court case against the Dover School Board by the ACLU over the introduction of religion into the classroom by the school board who purchased ID material to be taught.
In the movie Ben Stein paints a pretty clear picture that the scientists who believe in the intelligent design theory of the origin of man/life are being blacklisted from the academic world at large because of their pursuit, or even the introduction, of the idea that it is possible a higher, more intelligent being, designed the construct of life as we know it.
The PBS special presented a court case that argued intelligent design was merely "Creationism" repackaged to introduce religion into the classroom.
Stein proposed that blocking the pursuit of the intelligent design theory is counter-scientific since the pursuit of science is the trying and proving of theories. He also compared this block of ideas to the destruction of certain art, literature and execution of scientists during fascist regimes. Even more disturbing was the parallels of comments from pro-evolutionist theorists that describes man as evolving to the best of our own species and the practices of Hitler euthanizing a race to achieve what he felt was the superior race.
The court case was able to prove that a movement during the 1980's to promote Creationism, a world created by God, was revamped to remove the religious connotation of God from creation, merely referring to Him now as an "Intelligent Designer". The way they proved it was because in a substantial paper defining ID, Creationism was literally typed-over and therefor was written as "cintelligent designm"....no kidding, they actually found this!
But as crazy as that sounds, even more crazy was the comment by one of the leading evolutionists who, when pressed for an answer on how exactly life began, stammered out this answer........"possibly by some other more advanced, intelligent life form placing it here on Earth". What? Did you catch that? Stein sure did......he asked "God?" And the scientist said no, certainly not God and laughed.
So. It was disturbing to hear how much pleasure pro-evolutionary theorists and atheists derived from the court case being won in their favor. You know that feeling you get in a horror film when someone is about to get it? But it was also a little disturbing to me to hear how subversive we think we need to be as Christians to get creation taught in schools. Both are legitimate theories (scientifically speaking) and it seems that even the theory of evolution can be traced to intelligent design........of course for them, it would be anybody BUT God. Given that, I don't see what it hurts to teach both in our schools as theories.
I, myself, don't believe in the purist form of evolution. I don't deny my belief that God created life as indicated in Genesis, and don't need to call it ID to make it acceptable either. Some species may have evolved within limits, but I don't believe I came from an ape, although sometimes I wonder. What do you think, allow ID to be taught as a theory in school?
12 comments:
I sure don't see what the problem is in allowing another theory to be presented. Isn't that what science is about?
As an aside, we live 20-30 minutes from Dover. It's definitely a hot topic aroound here.
HR, do you believe in a literal interpretation of the creation story? Seven Days? I believe in evolution and that God planned the whole thing.
Natalie,
You were practically at ground zero! I have to admit, I don't remember hearing about the case. It is what science is about.
Anon,
Loaded question. And since I teach a class at our church, I'm going to keep my mouth shut. I do believe that within the 7 days, there may have been a whole lot of room for evolution.
Saw the PBS special....was turned off by the deception of the ID folk. It seems they were driven by fear?
I believe that we evolved and that God is the author. In His wisdom, God gave us rational minds - we do not dishonor Him by examining scientific facts.
1 day equals 1000 years? so how old is man today?
I believe we evolved because that's what the science strongly points toward. Beyond that, I have no idea. I see no conflict between evolution and belief in God. I don't believe Genesis tells us anything about the scientific origins of man and don't worry about what it might say about God if man evolved. God is soveriegn. I have no problem with ID being taught as part of a humanities class until the "science", if there is any, goes through the academic paces and earns a place in legitimate science.
Jeff,
I think my biggest concern is that a lock-out of opinion (or theory) happens in the classroom. I think introducing ID as a theory is acceptable in science class, particularly if the teacher/prof believes in Creation. While I think there is evidence of some form of evolution...it still boils down to theory as well.
This is a tough one!
Ish,
You made an important comment-we don't dishonor God by engaging in science. Unfortunately I think many evolutionists seek to disprove God.
Anon,
Not sure...what is 40 x 365 x 1000? Man, I'm old!
Isn't it interesting that we live in a time in which we take people with whom we disagree to court to shut their mouths?
When did it become wrong to have a civil exchange of differing ideas?
Just wondering.
If we should expect a Creationist-believing science teacher (how many could there possibly be) to teach ID, should we also expect a Scientologist science teacher to teach a Scientology perspective on the origin of species? They have a theory, too.
I'd be curious to know if the Ben Stein program featured Francis Collins, a world-renouned geneticist, director of the Human Genome Project and outspoken Evangelical Christian. There is no one more qualified on the subject. Though gracious in his choice of words, he does not believe ID has contributed (or will contribute) anything of scientific value to the question of the origin of species. In fact, his primary concern is that the so-called "debate" will accomplish nothing but damage and undermine faith in God.
Another problem here, I think, is the layman's understanding of what a scientific theory is. A "theory" in science does not mean we aren't sure of the validity of it and, thus, there must be competing theories. A theory is merely a unifying principle that explains a body of facts and laws that is subject to observation and experimentation. Gravity, for example, is a theory. Even though evolution is refered to as a theory does not mean the science is insufficient for us to make conclusions about whether it's true. People seem to make the assumption that since it's just a "theory" other theories can be just as valid.
I watched the documentary on PBS, and it really suprised me that some Christans could be so "unchristiany". one of the pro ID people called the judge a "jackass" and "disgusting".
mekatep
Jeff,
so you've gotten me thinking. Maybe we shouldn't present evolution in the classroom at all. Let's just present facts. Or we allow for a variety of origin theories to be taught, presenting them all as theories. Regardless, I do appreciate your comment concerning the "debate" and how it actually do more to harm faith. Faith cannot be proved scientifically, so it lends itself to ridicule by those without faith. The Bible says that "faith is the substance of things hoped for, things unseen". The scientific process cannot be applied to that. However, to simply say that "some believe the origin of life on earth was by a more advance, intelligent being, doesn't seem to necessarily infuse religion.
Anon-jackass is a Biblical term. LOL.
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