For thousands of years many philosophers had argued that life must have been created by a supernatural being / creator / God due to the incredible complexity of Nature (in particular, we humans and our minds). 19th Century British scientist Charles Darwin (and others) explained our existence by means of Evolution from Natural Selection - which is very obvious once understood. Six years after igniting a debate over the teaching of Darwin's Theory of Evolution (widely held notion that all life is related and has descended from a common ancestor), the Kansas State Board of Education with a conservative majority is going up against evolution once again.
Kansas Vs Evolution 1999
In 1999, the Kansas State Board of Education, with a conservative majority deleted most references to evolution in the science standards. The next election led to a less conservative board, which adopted the current standards describing evolution as a key concept for students to learn before graduating high school. This renewed effort will probably stick thanks to the influence of religious conservatives in the nation.
Not Alone
Kansas is one of a growing number of states to consider authorizing schools to teach religious alternatives to Darwin. If the board adopts the new standards, as expected, in June, Kansas would join Ohio, which took a similar step in 2002, in mandating students be taught that there is controversy over evolution.
God Vs Evolution
A six-day courtroom-style debate opened on Thursday in Kansas, the matter at hand -- the origin of life -- was it natural evolution or did God create the world?
William Harris, a medical researcher and cofounder of a Kansas group called the Intelligent Design Network, asked the question about life's beginnings before mapping out why he and other Christians want changes in school curriculum.
School science classes are teaching children that life evolved naturally and randomly, Harris said, arguing that this was in conflict with Biblical teachings that God created life.
"They are offering an answer that may be in conflict with religious views," Harris said in opening the debate. "Part of our overall goal is to remove the bias against religion that is currently in schools. This is a scientific controversy that has powerful religious implications."
Harris acknowledged under questioning that there were many people who saw no incompatibility between religious beliefs that God created life and evolutionary teachings about how life evolved through natural processes.
Intelligent design advocates said they only want to expose students to more criticism of evolution, giving them a more balanced picture of the theory attributed to 19th Century British scientist Charles Darwin. While the proposed standards for Kansas do not specifically mention intelligent design - critics contend they would open the door not just for those teachings, but to creationism, which holds to the Genesis account of God as the architect of the universe.
The Kansas hearing drew a large crowd that included students, teachers and preachers. National and local scientific leaders for the most part boycotted the event reports Reuters.
Sources - New York Times . Reuters . AP. Darwin Archives
