Question about intelligent design, EVOLUTION, etc...?!??? opinions??

Question

im not saying i believe in either evolution or intelligent design.

but... honestly, why is the teaching of the possibility of intelligent design prohibited from public schools?! i mean... they are both THEORIES. evolution, as much as you argue, is not a proven fact... its a THEORY. as is intelligent design. why not at least be allowed to suggest the possibility for both? ... whats so wrong with the possibility that our earth may have had a designer? im not even saying this in support of christianity... you don't even have to say that such a designer might have been God. why does that designer have to be God? i mean... you can't rule out the possibility of intelligent design just cause you don't want to believe in God, you don't have to put the two together. but why not at least allow both theories to be taught and let the learner decide for himself?

it seems unscientific to present only one side of a view. i would be just as upset if intelligent design was the only theory presented.

Answer 1

Ah, you're really thumping the stump today.

There is a difference between scientific theory and the colloquial "theory". A scientific theory is proven beyond reasonable doubt,, withstanding all tests. The colloquial use of "theory" is equal to "postulation" or "idea" or "hypothesis".

Gravity is a scientific theory. Demons are trying to pull everything into h**l which is at the center of the earth is a postulation.

ID/Creationism simply has NO scientific proof, therefor, it should be given no more credibility in science class rooms of public schools than demons-trying-to-pull-everything-into-he...

And ID/Creationism requires belief in God.

And just how many Creation theories do you know of? Shall we teach of the Dragons that created the earth in science classes too? Or of the Greek and Roman Creation "theories"? The Inuit, Native American and early Anglo beliefs? They are as valid as Christian Creationism.

And, frankly, I'll consider supporting ID being taught in public schools, as soon as evolution is taught in church.

Despite your dismay at the lack of alternatives to evolution being taught, I wonder how dismayed you are that alternatives to gravity or a round earth aren't being taught in schools, and alternative religions or atheism isn't being taught in churches?

~Os

Answer 2

First, go see Expelled (so many people are content to criticize it and swallow the negative reviews without actually seeing it).

The thing is, reliable methods for detecting design exist and are employed in forensics, archeology, data fraud analysis, and SETI.  These methods can easily be employed to detect design in biological systems.

As Dr. Stephen Meyer said (when being interviewed by Nightline), “From the evidence of the information that’s embedded in DNA, from the evidence of the nanotechnology in the cell, we think you can infer that an intelligence played a role.  In fact, there are sophisticated statistical methods of design detection that allow scientists to distinguish the effects of an intelligent cause from an undirected natural process. When you apply those statistical measures and criteria to the analysis of the cell, they indicate that the cell was designed by an intelligence.”

The four main areas the ID movement focuses on: Information Theory, Irreducible Complexity, The Anthropic Principle, and The Design Inference.

Design theorists often employ several methods of design detection, including specified complexity, irreducible complexity, and Bayesian probability approaches.

Here is a brief overview of the scientific case for ID: http://www.arn.org/docs/positivecaseford...

And for those who put so much faith in peer-review, check this out: http://www.discovery.org/scripts/viewDB/...

Here is a growing list of scientists who signed “A Scientific Dissent From Darwinism”: http://www.discovery.org/scripts/viewDB/...

Here is a helpful reference guide with the Neo-Darwinian view next to the Intelligent Design view: http://www.arn.org/docs/Redeeming%20Darw...

What about teaching it in school?  Whatever you may think of George Bush, he was right in this: "Both sides ought to be properly taught so people can understand what the debate is about.  Part of education is to expose people to different schools of thought . . . You're asking me whether or not people ought to be exposed to different ideas, the answer is yes.”  

Good science teaching should include controversies.  But, whenever you mention this kind of stuff, evolutionists jump from their trees and start behaving as if someone had stolen their bananas.  Apparently, academic freedom is for other subjects.

As Cal Thomas has said, “Why are believers in one model—evolution—seeking to impose their faith on those who hold that there is scientific evidence which supports the other model?  It’s because they fear they will lose their influence and academic power base after a free and open debate.  They are like political dictators who oppose democracy, fearing it will rob them of power.”

Most Christians I know don't want biblical creationism taught in science classes (they would butcher it). What we want is for molecules-to-man evolution to be taught with all its warts (they are not even allowed to present evidence that would put evolution in a poor light).  And we want intelligent design to at least to be presented.  Unlike leprechauns and a flat earth, etc., a significant percentage of the (tax paying) population believes in ID.

Answer 3

You are misunderstanding the scientific term "theory".  It is not the same as the common usage of the word.

Also, ID is not "science", it is thinly-masked attempt to put religion in the schools.

Answer 4

They may both be theories but there is a big difference. Creationism has never been proven to be real while evolution has never been proven wrong despite 150 years of harsh scientific scrutiny. It´s kind of like the theory of gravity. The theory says that a person with mass should be pulled towards the center of the earth with a force of 9.81 newtons per kg. Now get on your bathroom scale and measure gravity.If the theory was flawed two scale should give you different readings. Do they? Like gravity evolution has never been proven wrong despite "scales" like gene technology that should have given ample proof of flaws to evolution had there been any. So there is undeniable truth in evolution while creationism or intelligent design have none. Those are just religious doctrine and therefore do not belong in school and certainly not in science class.

Answer 5

Key word in there is "Public" schools.  In order to avoid law suits from anti-religion groups, atheists, ACLU, etc. state governments set "safe" standards to skate around the subject.  They don't necessarily force teachers to teach evolution, but usually they clearly state you can't talk about God in public schools.  This is to demonstrate separation of church & state, one of the cornerstones of the American Bill of Rights.

Answer 6

Minds are being prepared for the New World Order is the answer.http://www.deliberatedumbingdown.com/  http://www.answersingenesis.org/

Answer 7

They can't teach Harry potter as fact in schools either.

Until magic c**p starts happening all around us, we have to stay with the known facts.

Besides, if you teach white magic, what would stop them from teaching black magic and Satan worshipping as well?

Answer 8

Evolution is considered to be FACT by 99% of legitimate

life scientists 40% of whom are christians. Evolution is

supported by legitimate peer review, Intelligent Design

theories are not submitted for peer review. To equate

evolution and I.D. indicates you are very remiss in your

study of the matter.