Evolution Website Encourages Promotion of 'Religious Darwinism'
by Jim Brown
April 7, 2004
(AgapePress) - A Seattle-based think tank is expressing outrage over an effort to promote "religious Darwinism" in public schools.The National Center for Science Education (NCSE) and the University of California Museum of Paleontology have spent nearly half-a-million dollars in federal money to create a website to help teachers better teach the theory of evolution. Part of that website, called "Understanding Evolution," encourages teachers to explicitly use religion to endorse evolution.
Dr. John West with the Discovery Institute is hopeful the government will investigate the function and funding of the website because, in his opinion, it is unconstitutional.
"This is clearly a violation of existing precedents dealing with the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment," West says. "The government isn't supposed to be promoting theology, let alone in the science classroom. You can have an objective and neutral discussion of religious beliefs, but that's not what they're advocating here."
West wonders what the use of religion as an approach to teaching evolution has to do with science education. "What business is it of the government to tell students what their religious beliefs about evolution should be?" he asks.
"It's one thing to teach the science of evolution, but to use tax funds to encourage teachers to use religion to endorse evolution? This website actually contains a link to 16 pages of theological statements endorsing evolution, including one from the United Church of Christ "
West says the NCSE once advocated that teachers send out their biology students to interview local ministers to show them that most ministers think evolution is okay.
Evolution Disclaimer Causes Ruckus
Meanwhile, a federal judge has refused to dismiss a lawsuit against a Georgia school district's practice of posting disclaimers inside science textbooks saying evolution is "a theory, not a fact." In ordering the suit to go to trial, U.S. District Judge Clarence Cooper said the Cobb County schools' disclaimer could have the effect of advancing or inhibiting religion.
An attorney for the parents who filed the suit told Associated Press they are "very excited" about the ruling. The lawsuit argues that the disclaimer restricts the teaching of evolution, promotes and requires the teaching of creationism and discriminates against particular religions.
The theory of evolution -- accepted by most scientists -- says evidence shows current species of life evolved over time from earlier forms and that natural selection determines which species survive. Creationism credits the origin of species to God.
In 1987, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled creationism was a religious belief that could not be taught in public schools along with evolution.
