Critics Skewer Bush for Lending Credibility to Intelligent Design in Schools

by Jody Brown
August 4, 2005

(AgapePress) - While on the surface not as controversial as the war on terror, the push for same-sex "marriage," or the debate surrounding his first-ever nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court, President Bush's comments earlier this week regarding the teaching of intelligent design have generated both praise and criticism.

Speaking with a group of Texas newspaper reporters on Monday, the president made it clear that he believes intelligent design -- the view that an intelligent, unseen force is behind creation -- should be taught right alongside the theory of evolution. Both sides of the issue, stated the president, should be properly taught.

"Part of education is to expose people to different schools of thought," Bush said. "You're asking me whether or not people ought to be exposed to different ideas, and the answer is yes."

The White House and many other observers point out the president's response is not really front-page news. They note that President Bush, even when he was governor of Texas, felt strongly that school boards should be allowed to decide whether to teach other theories on the origin of life besides that espoused by Darwin. But his remarks this week did not stop his critics from taking advantage of the opportunity.

Democratic Congressman Barney Frank of Massachusetts told The Washington Post that the president's remarks are "further indication that a fundamentalist right has really taken over much of the Republican Party." And noting Bush's Ivy League background, the liberal lawmaker added: "People might cite George Bush as proof that you can be totally impervious to the effects of Harvard and Yale education."

And the executive director Americans United for Separation of Church and State, Barry Lynn, called the president's comments "irresponsible," suggesting they demonstrate a "low level of understanding of science." The president, Lynn stated, "doesn't understand that one is a religious viewpoint and one is a scientific viewpoint."

Even one conservative senator -- Republican Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania -- has put himself at odds with President Bush on the subject. Santorum says intelligent design lacks scientific credibility and should not be taught in science classes. In an interview with National Public Radio today (Thursday), the senator said that he feels there are "holes" in the theory of evolution and that schools should deal with those in a fair and scientific say.

He's Not Alone
But President Bush has his backers as well. One of them is a Michigan-based law firm that is representing a Pennsylvania school district that has been sued for mentioning the theory of intelligent design in ninth-grade biology classes. The Thomas More Law Center in Ann Arbor is applauding the president for his remarks.

The Law Center's Richard Thompson says evolution advocates would have people believe the debate is science versus religion. But that is not the case, Thompson says; it is science versus science.

"Credible scientists are looking at the same observable facts and concluding that complex biological systems are best explained by intelligent design, not undirected chance," the attorney explains. "The same scientists who object to intelligent design being mentioned in public schools, seem to have no problems discussing the Big Bang theory -- despite its religious overtones."

And besides, notes a Law Center press release, recent national polls indicate a majority of Americans say they would like to see intelligent design -- along with alternate theories -- taught alongside evolution in their children's schools.

Gary Bauer of American Values says the president's "rather innocuous" statement has "America's academic elites ... foaming at the mouth." Bush's support for the teaching of intelligent design, he says, has earned the Chief Executive "contemptuous reactions" -- even though it is a belief shared by most Americans.

However, Bauer believes it would have been a different story had the president come out in favor of such radical ideas as "alternative families" or homosexual marriage. "For that," he says, "President Bush would have been hailed [in the media] as a brave and courageous leader."