The Challenges of Charles Darwin on his Birthday

Today is, of course, Charles Darwin's birthday -- 198th I believe. His theories are a century and a half old and influence our lives every day -- especially if you go to the hospital or take medication. But the theory of evolution, with which he's so identified, remains controversial to this day.

Ed Humes, author of the new book Monkey Girl, which I have on order, takes up the subject in an LA Times piece that focuses on the Dover, PA "Intelligent Design" trial that revealed so clearly the religious underpinnings of the Intelligent Design movement. The article is entitled : "Dumbing Down Evolution To Kill It."

Humes points out that there are two theories of evolution -- "talk show evolution" -- which portrays evolution in such negative fashion that it really does sound sort of stupid. But then there's the real theory of evolution, which is strongly supported by all kinds of scientific evidence, and a theory that does not require atheism as a matter of course. But you wouldn't know that because of all the noise we hear in the media and religious communities. And so he writes:

The judge in Pennsylvania eventually found that real evolution was not stupid; that intelligent design was religion, not science, and that the school board in Dover, Pa., whose actions had precipitated this replay of Scopes, was out of line. Judge John E. Jones III was rewarded for his sensible and well-documented ruling with death threats. Such is the power of talk-radio evolution. Meanwhile, a creationist history of the Grand Canyon is on sale in national park shops. A major American museum expressed interest in having me speak about my new book but decided the subject of evolution was too "political" right now to risk it. And teachers across the nation tell me they feel compelled to downplay or skip evolution lessons to avoid controversy; one L.A.-area high school instructor said she is the only one of five science teachers on her faculty to even mention evolution in class, notwithstanding a clear state
mandate to teach it.

Judge Jones has since told me that his only regret in the case is that he did not bend the rules to allow live TV coverage so more people could see the powerful evidence supporting his decision. Because the one thing the prophets of talk-radio evolution have, it seems, is the loudest megaphone.

It's time to take back the megaphone. In fact that's the point of Evolution Sunday! It is our job as members of the religious community to challenge those who would put such an unfortunate wedge between religion and science.