Elective Bible Classes

[Paul Finkelman]

Evolution is hardly a "hypothesis" and while the age of the earth may 
not be certain, anyone who insists it is only about 6,000 years old 
(using modern 365 day, 24 hour a day) years is simply not dealing with 
reality or truth.

The US used to lead the world in science and engineering advances.  If 
we insist on going down the road of anti-science and pseudo-science, we 
will continue to undermine one of the most important engines of our 
economy as the rest of the world surpasses the Americans who refuse to 
teach their children biology, geology, chemestry, and other sciences and 
instead teach them religious doctrine that has no place in the science 
class room. 

On the other hand, if we want to mandate teaching "creation" myths and 
stories in all our schools, that would be a great course, In doing so, 
they could spend a day on intelligent design, perhaps after spending a 
few days on the more important story in the Epic of Gilgamesh and the 
Enumah Elish .  Creation stories and myths are wonderful teaching tools 
for understanding human society -- how humans think about themselves.  
Intelligent Design is just the lastest in a long tradition of this kind 
of thinking.


JMHACLJ at aol.com wrote:

> In a message dated 8/2/2005 12:05:32 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, 
> sjamar at law.howard.edu writes:
>
>     My main problem with the ID folk is that they are pushing it as an
>     alternative to evolution and claiming that evolution is simply
>     wrong rather than admitting evolution has happened and is
>     happening and pulling to one side the philosophical and religious
>     issues of soul and deity and the like.
>
> Well, insisting on genuflection to the evolutionary hypothesis will 
> get a guy in trouble, I think.  At least, if I recall, the DOJ made 
> some prof. in Texas uncomfortable when his practice of treating 
> evolution agnostics and antievolutionists as nuthatches and boobs to 
> whom he could not give a reference for graduate educational advancement.
>  
> Jim Henderson
> Senior Counsel
> ACLJ
>
>------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
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-- 
Paul Finkelman
Chapman Distinguished Professor of Law
University of Tulsa College of Law
3120 East 4th Place
Tulsa, OK  74105

918-631-3706 (voice)		
918-631-2194 (fax)

Paul-Finkelman at utulsa.edu


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