Monday, November 08, 2004

Opposing Intelligent Design by Loading Terms

This story highlights the latest battlefront for the ID movement. You wouldn’t know it to read this article, but what is at stake in Wisconsin is not Christian theology, but the science of Intelligent Design. Why wouldn’t you know it? Because the terms of the “debate” have been determined beforehand, and it has been decided that anything but Darwinist evolution be described in loaded theological terms.

That way, the science of Intelligent Design can be opposed in terms of “separation of Church and State,” as well as “bad science.” But if ID is described as what it honestly is-a viable scientific option to the standard evolutionary model-then these stories can’t use those kinds of emotionally loaded terms. Who could oppose scientific theory being taught in schools? Well, not too many people. But who could oppose religious dogma being forced down the throats of unwitting school children? Why, everyone!

In one way, it is great these issues keep on hitting the press. It means more people are getting the science of ID. Certainly there are probably those on school boards who have religious agendas, but if they are using ID to express them, then they are using a solid theory to do so.

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