All Over Creation

Just so you don't think that the missus has a monopoly on blog-rants (though she's had some really good ones lately), I thought I would go off on something stupid that's been in the news lately: "Intelligent Design."

The front page of Tuesday's Philadelphia Inquirer had the story of how our President, a man whose name is not often used in the same sentence with the word intelligent, thinks that "Intelligent Design," the belief that the world was created by a higher power, should be taught in public schools. In public school science classes.

Bush coming out and saying this didn't really get me upset because, c'mon, it wasn't a surprise at all. The only surprising part was that he did just come out and say Creationism should be taught, though I'm sure that's next.

No, what upset me is that in today's Inquirer, Arlen Specter, not someone who usually panders to the religious right, pretty much said, sure, teach Intelligent Design, what could it hurt?

"My own instincts are to teach everything and let people take their choices," the Pennsylvania Republican said, responding to questions on the topic. "My instinct is not to object to people hearing all sides of all issues, no matter how much I disagree with them."

Fine, so let's teach everything. Let's teach that Noah took two of every creature in his arc, let's teach that the sun god Ra created everything, let's teach that throwing a virgin into a volcano will keep it from erupting. We should teach that when God was handing out brains, some folks thought he said "trains" and asked for a slow one. That when God was handing out noses, some though he said "roses" and asked for a big one. I think some people still believe the Sun revolves around the Earth, who are we to disagree? And let's teach all of this in our Science classes. Teach everything and let the students decide, where's the harm in that?

Scientists have worked hard to prove Evolution, as much as it can be proven, but hey, we don't believe you, so, even though we have no proof, and science is all about proof, we want equal billing in Science class. I hate these people, and I actually think that there may have been a God behind everything (though nowhere near as much as what these people think - dinosaurs and humans living at the same time?!? Oooooo-kaaaaaay.). But beliefs belong in Theology class, not Science class.

Duncan Black summed it up pretty well over at Eschaton:

Obviously most people who believe in some form of supreme deity are lowercase intelligent design believers of some kind, but that's entirely different from being believers in the "science" of uppercase Intelligent Design. People are free to believe, if they wish, that aspects of the universe including life suggest to them the presence of some form of divine hand. But that's spirituality and faith, not science. There is no genuine science of Intelligent Design and it has no place in science classrooms.

Did I mention that I hate these people? This is all just a way to get Creationism back in the schools. The thing is, the religious right are doing it the only way they know how - by secularizing it. They pushed for Christmas displays on public property by arguing that it's become a secular holiday, they pushed for putting the Ten Commandments in courthouses by saying they've become part of secular law, and now Creationism has become secular science as "Intelligent Design." They claim everything is secular, then complain that we're becoming a godless nation that's bent on taking the "Christ" out of Christmas. You can't have it both ways, folks.

God, I hate these people. Or, Ra, I hate these people. You know, whichever you believe.

Comments

[Donna]

Perfect shot of George. Arlen Specter is a man facing his own mortality at the moment. Not sure if I'd want to alienate ANY spiritual possibility at his stage in life.

[Janie]

G W must have read this because, around the same time your post showed up, he left for an extended vacation in Texas. Poor boy must be exhausted...

[Steve]

Such hatred for people you don't even know. Simply because you dissagree with their ideas? I thought Liberals were supposed to be the tolerant ones.