Religious right wrong on push for creationism

by: Sam Bailey
Staff Writer

Recently, the school board in the small Pennsylvania town of Dover mandated that ninth grade science teachers present the theory of intelligent design (ID) as a factual alternative to Darwin’s theory of evolution. 

All eight school board members who supported the ID decision were later voted out of office, leading Pat Robertson to once again act as the Don King of organized religion, telling the citizens of Dover to not expect God’s help if a disaster befalls their city. 

Until yesterday, I hadn’t really thought too much about this issue…but then I began work on fulfilling my general education science requirement.

After sitting through the first of 46 installments of Human Genetics with Dr. Matt Halfhill, I had a revelation.

An hour’s worth of complicated scientific talk about genomes and alleles has convinced me that it is imperative that we teach creationism in our schools.
          Far be it for me to force my religion down anyone’s throat. I’m not saying public schools should be required to teach the concept of intelligent design in a science course exclusively. 

But as a private Catholic institution, I think it would be great if St. Ambrose could offer an alternative to the heathen blasphemy of modern science.

For example, along with the usual compliment of biology, chemistry, physics and astrology, how
about a 3 credit-hour course entitled, “The Way It Really Happened”? 

I think the reduced cost of textbooks alone would greatly increase enrollment, since all we would need is the Bible.
       I’m going to get serious for a moment here. While the prospect of spending the next semester trying to wrap my brain around the concept of genetics is enough to make me wish for an alternative, I don’t believe that a class dealing with creationism, intelligent design, or any other religion-based “science” is the answer.

The current debate over the teaching of these theories in public schools has, in my opinion, gotten out of hand.
         As a person who believes in God, lower taxes and less governmental regulation, I probably automatically qualify as a member of the “Religious Right”. If that’s true, I suppose I’m resigning my membership when I say that I’m not bothered in the least bit by scientific teaching that in some way contradicts what I learned in Sunday school. 

Setting aside the fact that science is hard, I see no reason that anyone with religious beliefs should feel the need to be taught the concept of creationism, intelligent design, or any other religion-based theory in a science classroom. From a scientific standpoint, very little of any religion’s teachings make sense.

Yet I cannot recall one instance growing up when a science teacher, discussing the theory of evolution, destroyed my belief in God.

This is the very essence of faith. We are not offered evidence or proof in religion.  You cannot prove or disprove God’s existence using a control group and the scientific method. This is as it should be. 

Science and religion are necessarily two separate entities, meant to operate in entirely different spheres. Those who require the word of a science professor to believe that God created the world have missed the point.

Let’s leave Darwin in the classroom, and God in our hearts, minds and souls. Unless, of course, I can get credit for studying creationism because, honestly, this genetics stuff is killing me.