Fantastic PBS piece on evolution and ID

I found out about last night's PBS documentary Judgment Day: Intelligent Design on Trial when I got an email from the ACLU encouraging people to watch. It was fantastic. I learned a lot that I didn't know about Intelligent Design, the Discovery Institute, and more. The basic overview of the theory of evolution and supporting evidence I was already pretty familiar with, but it was great to hear it again. What a beautiful, awe-inspiring story about how we came to be.

I would really encourage anyone to watch this documentary. If you missed it, apparently, starting in a couple days they're going to let people watch it online. Basically, it covered the whole controversy that happened a few years ago in Dover, PA. Some school board members, while trying to choose a new science textbook, were upset that the textbook they were going to buy was "laced with Darwinism." They decided to purchase a supplemental textbook that teaches Intelligent Design as an alternative to the theory of evolution, which they argue still has significant holes and flaws and is ultimately just a theory. Understandably, this upset the science teachers and many parents and severely divided the community. Concerned parents called on the ACLU to take on the issue, and it eventually went to a federal court in Harrisburg. After a long trial, the judge ruled that ID is not science, is basically creationism repackaged as a "scientific theory," it's unconstitutional to teach it in schools, and the school board was out of line in trying to mislead and deceive the community (they actually secretly raised money to buy the alternate textbooks after being told they couldn't). Chalk one up for truth and fairness.

I'd just encourage you to watch it. Also, the ACLU has some great stuff on their website about it. It's really fascinating and I've been thinking a lot about it. I think evolution bugs some conservative religious folks for several reasons. First, they perceive belief in man's divine origins to be in conflict with evolution. Second, they believe in biblical inerrancy, so the Genesis account has to right, right? Third, they generally are wary of a lot of science since they perceive it to be insensitive or even hostile to religion. Fourth, their religious perspective has a hard time tolerating uncertainty.

I think the documentary did a good job of showing that there are seriously religious people that also accept the theory of evolution and the mountain of evidence supporting it. These people are willing to live with a degree of uncertainty regarding how exactly God fits into the picture. My wife, educated as a biology teacher, is definitely among those that accept the theory of evolution and the belief that we are sons and daughters of God. That's OK with me. Personally agnostic, I still find beauty and wonder in the story of evolution and origin of man.

Frankly, evolution is just as awe-inspiring and spiritual as any religious account of creation could be. It tells us where we came from and how. It teaches us that were are part of the rest of nature. We're made of the same pieces and share the same ancestors. We have a responsibility to care for our planet and the rest of our fellow earth dwellers.