Posted on 09/26/2005 1:53:21 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
A Pennsylvania school district's use of "intelligent design" in its high school biology curriculum goes on trial in federal court today in the nation's first legal challenge to the idea, which contends that evolutionary theory alone does not explain how life on Earth took shape.
The lawsuit, brought by 11 parents in the Dover Area School District, attacks as unconstitutional the year-old policy of telling ninth-grade biology students that Charles Darwin's theory of evolution "is not a fact. Gaps in the Theory exist for which there is no evidence." School officials also recommend a book on intelligent design, or ID.
The plaintiffs, including the American Civil Liberties Union and Americans United for Separation of Church and State, argue that the policy -- which does not require students to study intelligent design -- serves religious, not secular ends, violating the First Amendment.
ID proponents say scientists can look at life forms and identify the work of a controlling "intelligence," although ID advocates are not specific about the nature of that force. While they do not reject all evolutionary theory, ID proponents argue that it incorrectly insists life took shape purely through a mindless process.
(Excerpt) Read more at baltimoresun.com ...
But allow me to answer the other question as well: Yes, it should be unconstitutional. If you want to make it optional for students to receive religious instruction, fine. But the minute you make it a mandatory item in a mandatory class you have infringed on my right to freely practice religion as I see fit. And before you get into the semantics of whether the exact wording of the Constitution extends to schools, keep in mind that this answer is based on what I think it should be, not necessarily how it could be interpreted. It just so happens that the current interpretation of the Supreme Court matches mine and not yours, but that is irrelevant to my own desires. My view would be the same even if the rulings were not in my favor, because I believe the Constitution intended, in cases where rights conflict, to favor the rights of those being imposed upon and not those who are doing the imposing. In other words, you have the right to swing your fist around, but your right to do so ends where my nose begins.
I asked my question to learn if you have the courage to honestly answer. I had no intention of beating you over the head with your answer, and was not trying to ridicule you specifically or Christianity in general with it. I simply wanted to learn the measure of your character by seeing if you were honest enough to acknowledge that there is at least the perception that false witness was being perpetrated in the name of religion. That you dodged the question pretty much told me what I was seeking, so there is no longer a need to answer.
My concern over this case, and the ID movement overall, is that their actions speak to me of insidious motives. When science rejected their assertions of intelligent design due to a lack of scientific merit, they devised a scheme to insert it into science classrooms by denying their religious motivations, similar to Peter denying Christ for his own benefit.
Even more disturbing, though, is their desire to force their ideals upon others, taking away their free agency. That was Satan's plan, and angered God so much that He cast out His favored angel for it.
I ask you, take it upon yourself to study the ID movement. Learn their goals and methods according to their actions. And then, whether you believe ID is true or not, ask yourself if their deeds speak of Christ or Satan. After all, both originally had the same goal.
Good thoughts...maybe I'll look into it more seriously than I have. It reminds me of my ire for people who try to dress up the bible in a way more "appealing" to people. Or preachers that distort the bible in order to not offend, also in attempts to draw in more people. It seems when people try to make truth more appealing they only muck it up and lead people away from it. It has a power of its own and doesn't need our help.
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