Mr. Smith in Washington

Scopes II?

Once again, controversy surrounding intelligent design as an alternative approach to account for specified complexity in biological data has been construed as a mere fringe creationist movement among fundamentalist freedom-haters. The AP reports that in response to the Dover Area School District 6-3 decision to insert a brief statement exposing students to intelligent design theory before biology classes on evolution, the landmark trial before U.S. District Judge John E. Jones III is underway as attorneys representing eight families argue that the decision violates the constitutional separation of church and state. In addition to the complex legal questions, many others result from this. However, the main question is what is intelligent design? If it is in fact nonreligious, then there should be no question of whether mentioning it promotes the establishment of or otherwise inhibits the free exercise of religion. In line with Discovery Institute fellow John West, could this represent the other side of the Scopes Monkey Trial coin?

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Debating the issues... (HT: Uncommon Descent)

posted by MWC @ 8:13 AM