I am an engineer so I am not completely ignorant of the scientific method or terminology. I look at the debate on evolution as one of defending a thesis. If the thesis is not strong enough to withstand the questions from students that may bring their religious background into their questioning then the theory has not been presented in a way as to be considered self evident. I see many evolution fundamentalists take the same stand on their views as religious fundamentalists take.
After working these crevo threads for a few months, it's pretty obvious that if a "student" brings his fundamentalist religion into this discussion, that no amount of logic or evidence will convince them.
It's no different than if a Irish Protestant were trying to pursuade an Irish Catholic to convert. It just ain't going to happen.
Just as the fight in Ireland was damaging to the faithful, I see this fight as damaging to religious conservatives too. It will distract us from what we need to be doing (getting good judges confirmed, etc.) And it provides a perfect opening for the left to point at conservatives and call us the "6 day creationist" people in order to make us appear dumb. It has already happened, so don't say I'm exagerating.