Board member to resume testimony in 'intelligent design' trial

Times Leader (Wilkes-Barre, PA) ^ | 02 November 2005 | MARTHA RAFFAELE

[PatrickHenry]

A school board member who was questioned by a federal judge about discrepancies in his testimony on the purchase of "intelligent design" textbooks was expected to return to the witness stand Wednesday.

Dover Area School Board member Alan Bonsell was to undergo redirect questioning by an attorney representing the board in a landmark trial over whether intelligent design can be introduced in high school science classes.

Bonsell testified Monday that he had received an $850 check from fellow board member William Buckingham. The check was made out to Bonsell's father, who volunteered to donate copies of "Of Pandas and People" to the district.

U.S. District Judge John E. Jones III asked Bonsell why he never shared that information in a January deposition when he was repeatedly asked under oath about who was involved in making the donation. Bonsell, who served as the board's president in 2004, said he misspoke. [Note to school board lawyers: When the judge asks your client why he's lying, it's usually not a good sign.]

Buckingham testified Thursday he collected $850 in donations to help purchase the books during a Sunday service at his church.

The board is defending its October 2004 decision to require students to hear a statement about intelligent design before ninth-grade biology lessons on evolution. The statement says Charles Darwin's theory is "not a fact," has inexplicable "gaps," and refers students to the textbook for more information.

Eight families are suing to have intelligent design removed from the biology curriculum because they believe the policy essentially promotes the Bible's view of creation, and therefore violates the constitutional separation of church and state.

Intelligent design supporters argue that natural selection, an element of evolutionary theory, cannot fully explain the origin of life or the emergence of highly complex life forms.

The trial began Sept. 26 and is expected to conclude on Friday.

[VadeRetro]

All "witnessing" is above criticism, period. QED. The endeavor is hopelessly rotten.

[furball4paws]

Tasty testy testes placemarker.

http://whatscookingamerica.net/History/RockyMtnOyster.htm

[Rightwing Conspiratr1]

Here's another example of the monkey creation myth. You will find pictures very much like this in Biology class (in particular the 4 mythological figures on the left). I don't have a scanner otherwise I'd scan the one from my son's Biology book. This will suffice...as many have seen Evolution theologist's drawings.

[VadeRetro]

Nothing in there is a monkey or a picture of a monkey. No monkey.

[longshadow]

We could make a video of this thread and call it "Anti-Evo Trolls Gone Wild!"

Bet it would sell, too.

[highball]

Nothing in there is a monkey or a picture of a monkey. No monkey.

Shhh - don't confuse him with facts. ;-)

[Antonello]

Are you trying to provoke a flame war by posting direct, slanderous attacks about other people's opinions? This could very easily escalate to both sides slinging insulting, offending items with no other purpose than to antagonize the other side.

Please rethink your tactics and try to remain civil.

[highball]

Note that no creationist will criticize someone doing such name calling. By their silence, they all support such tactics just as by their silence, all creationists support they lying of the school board members.

I've been asking creationists if they support or condemn the lies used by the school board in this case. To date, not one has even answered the question, much less tried to distance him/herself from the lies.

Their silence tells us all we need to know about their integrity, and the integrity of their movement.

[Dimensio]

This is an attempt at affirmative action for athiesm and monkey worshippers.

Dishonest equivocation of evolution with atheism (and Hinduism?) noted.

Creationists are liars.

[Dimensio]

Creationists are basically a disorganized bunch of dishonest liars

No, no misspeakers!

[Dimensio]

We're talking about science, not politics. Please stop dishonestly changing the subject.

[RogueIsland]

He could just as well charge them with felony stupidity, but that would be "piling on."

If that were a crime, we'd have only three people left in Congress.

[Dimensio]

Okay, you're a troll. It's quite clear. Like all creationists, you're willing to use any manner of lies to support your claims because you don't have a single fact to present against evolution, but your lies are over the top to the point where I can't even accept that you believe them. Nothing you say carries any credibility and nothing you say can be trusted.

[Rightwing Conspiratr1]

See post #4.

[b_sharp]

When something goes as far as RWC has gone, humour reigns supreme. I doubt if it will escalate.

[furball4paws]

Aw c'mon. It's a lot more fun to watch and see what else may ooze out from under his lid.

[VadeRetro]

It's a keeper.

Alas! Man proposes, the admin-moderator disposes.

[Michael_Michaelangelo]

Here's another for your collection:

[dread78645]

"Xenu belongs in the public schools." placemark

[Quark2005]

Here's a monkey god for you, but I don't see any scientific literati there.

Me neither. Given that fundamentalist Hindus are also creationists, there's probably more more monkey-worshipping creationists than evolutionists, I'm willing to bet.