IF THE CLIENT'S GUILTY, DENY THE EVIDENCE :

Darwin would love this debate (Bruce Chapman and Stephen C. Meyer, 6/10/02, The Seattle Times)

Which option ("A" or "B") represents your view?

"A. Biology teachers should teach only Darwin's theory of evolution and the scientific evidence that supports it."

"B. Biology teachers should teach Darwin's theory of evolution, but also the scientific evidence against it."

Only 15 percent of adults nationally, according to a 2001 Zogby poll, agree with "A," while 71 percent agree with "B." (Not sure: 14 percent.)

Some, like Mindy Cameron ("Theory of 'intelligent design' isn't ready for natural selection" column, June 3), would prevent students from hearing scientific evidence that challenges Darwinism. Cameron suspects that critics of Darwinism — especially those that advocate the alternative theory of intelligent design — want to place "the Christian God in science classrooms in America's public schools."

Others — like Eugenie Scott of the National Center for Science Education, a Darwin-only advocacy group — deny the existence of any scientific debate. Scott states that "I don't know of any evidence against evolution."

Yet, last fall, 100 scientists, including professors from institutions such as MIT, Yale and Rice, published a statement questioning the creative power of natural selection. Many of these scientists see evidence that points to an intelligent design of life.

So what's going on? Is there scientific evidence challenging Darwinian evolution? Is there evidence pointing to intelligent design? If so, should public school science students learn about such evidence?

It's amazing how much the Darwinists have come to resemble the Christian literalists who once opposed them. The denial that evidence contrary to evolution/natual selection should be discussed, or even that it exists, cloaks them in the same kind of purblind certitude for which Bishop Ussher was so justly derided. Posted by Orrin Judd at June 10, 2002 9:53 AM