Judge Rules Against Religion in School

The closely-watched trial in Dover, Pennsylvania, is finally over -- and hopefully the precedent will carry over to similar trials in Kansas and Georgia. Calling the case an "utter waste of monetary and personal resources," U.S. District Judge John Jones delivered a 139-page opinion that leaves little room for doubt:

Casey Luskin of the Discovery Institute reacted with this quote: "The judge thinks intelligent design is a supernatural explanation, but it clearly is not. So the entire decision is predicated on a false perception of intelligent design."

American Heritage Dictionary (2000) defines supernatural as:

1. Of or relating to existence outside the natural world.
2. Attributed to a power that seems to violate or go beyond natural forces.
3. Of or relating to a deity.
4. Of or relating to the immediate exercise of divine power; miraculous.
5. Of or relating to the miraculous.

A force that cannot be explained by natural laws would be supernatural. A force that "guides" life without using laws of science would be supernatural. An omnipotent being would be a deity, and thus supernatural. Any being with infinite intelligence would wield divine power and be supernatural. And a being, unobservable by any scientific means, that can make things happen in violation of the laws of science, would be miraculous, and -- you guessed it -- supernatural.

Science class is supposed to teach natural science. That's what it's for. Honestly, I don't object to the teaching of religious concepts in a religious elective in public school. Nor would I object to comparative religion being a mandatory class. I only object to the idea that we should accept religion as being "science," when in fact it doesn't follow any established guidelines for science.

And for those who think that the judicial branch is ignoring the will of the people, recall that all but one of the board members who voted to require the teaching of intelligent design were ousted in the subsequent election. The new board has no plans to appeal or attempt to re-implement the policy.

William Buckingham, who introduced the policy before being voted out of office, said "I'm still waiting for a judge or anyone to show me anywhere in the Constitution where there's a separation of church and state."

He's right. The Constitution does not require a separation between Church and State. It does, however, prohibit the government from establishing an official religion. Not an official sect, but an official religion. Monotheism, which Intelligent Design clearly qualifies as, is a religion. I sure hope Bill Buck is reading this.

Labels: church, intelligent design

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Bring Your Bible To School!

In the sweltering summer of 1925, in Dayton Tennessee, the State brought forth and prosecuted one Mr. John Scopes, a high school biology teacher accused of teaching evolution in the classroom. Be still my beating heart!


For those who forgot that two hour trial, John Scopes was convicted and fined one hundred dollars, later overturned on a technicality (the fine exceeded the amount allowable by law). John Scopes said, after hearing the sentence,

"Your Honor, I feel that I have been convicted of violating an unjust statute. I will continue in the future, as I have in the past, to oppose this law in any way I can. Any other action would be in violation of my ideal of academic freedom, that is, to teach the truth as guaranteed in our Constitution of personal and religious freedom. I think the fine is unjust."

Thirty seven years later, the law forbidding the teaching evolution in Tennessee was finally struck down as a violation of the First Amendment's Establishment Clause. The same year, John Scopes published a book, Center of the Storm, in which he said: "The day will come when we will not be bothered by Fundamentalists."

Friends, that day is not today.

Nor is the current legal challenge in the backwaters of Tennessee. Today, this battle is being fought in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The state capital, and only two hours from Washington, DC, this well-developed city boasts an International Airport, a well-esteemed minor league baseball team, and has been twice-honored as "All America City"(according to the National Civic League) -- and is now offering ringside seats to The Monkey Trial II.

Eight families in the Dover Area School District are taking the school to federal court, arguing that the government has no right to teach their children "Intelligent Design," or the belief that evolution is bunk and God created everything. Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion. That wasn't so hard, was it?
Oh, but it is hard. As recently as 1987, the Supreme Court ruled that States cannot require schools to teach creationism. Yet even our President, George W. Bush, has stated that schools should teach it. What's the deal here?

It's simple, folks. Teach your kids about religion at home, in church, and in your community. Don't ask the government to do it for you. Don't give me any crap about Intelligent Design not being religious -- it's the belief that a deity created the universe. That's a religion to me. Don't give me crap that it's "all religions," and therefore not in violation of the First Amendment. It clearly violates polytheistic beliefs, atheist beliefs, and the beliefs of many other religions that believe that while god(s) exist, they did not create the universe.

Maybe we should look at this from another point of view. Do you trust your government? Do you trust them enough to want them to teach your children about God?

I didn't think so.

9/27 - Update -- ScrappleFace is now covering this topic. Good to see a little light on the topic.

Labels: church, free speech, intelligent design

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