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"All that is required for
ignorance and superstition to triumph is for men of Science to keep silent."
Steve Crye August 6, 2005
Creation "Science" Debunked
by Lenny Flank
"We've been attacked by the intelligent, educated segment of the culture."
----- Ray Mummert, creationist from Dover, Pennsylvania, 2005
Welcome to the "Creation 'Science' Debunked" Home Page. For most of us, the controversy over creation and evolution was settled way back in 1925, when Clarence Darrow eviscerated William Jennings Bryan in a country courtroom in Dayton, Tennessee. However, a growing number of recent attempts to remove evolutionary theory from the schoolroom, in favor of a "scientific" version of the Biblical Genesis story, demonstrates that the anti-evolutionist movement is still alive and well in America.
In August 1999, the Kansas State Board of Education voted, at the urging of two creationist members (one a veterinarian and the other a blueberry farmer), to drop any mention of evolution from its statewide science curricula standards, despite the fact that the draft standards submitted to the Board by a 27-member panel of science educators concluded that a basic understanding of evolution was vital for a proper science education. Although the action did not ban Kansas instructors from teaching students about evolution, it did mandate that students not be tested on their knowledge of evolution in statewide achievement tests. Since most school districts tailor their instruction curriculum to the requirements of the statewide tests, dropping evolution would have the effect of insuring that many teachers would not bring the subject up in class.
The decision was ridiculed worldwide by professional scientists and teacher organizations; nevertheless, evolution opponents in Arizona, Ohio, Alabama, Texas, Illinois and Nebraska attempted similar actions. Several other states have introduced "disclaimers" which must be inserted into biology textbooks, declaring that evolution is "only a theory". In December 2002, the state of Louisiana rejected attempts to insert a "disclaimer" into textbooks. That same month, the state of Ohio not only rejected efforts to force creation "science" and "intelligent designer theory" into the state's education standards, but actually added a section mandating that students be taught about evolution.
In 2005, the Kansas kooks were back, and decided to hold a kangaroo court to validate their "alternative science". Instead, the fiasco turned Kansas, once again, into an international laughingstock.
Despite these setbacks, attempts are still being made in state legislatures to require teaching the Biblical creation story (disguised as either creation "science" or as "intelligent designer theory") in science class, or, failing that, to forbid teaching evolutionary theories in biology classrooms. The latest effort is being made in Dover, Pennsylvania, where a fundamentalist faction within the school board has been successful in introducing intelligent design "theory" into the science classroom.
This website has one very clear objective in mind--to present a critique of creation "science" and its latest reincarnation as Intelligent Design "Theory", and to serve as a guide to fighting the creationists and their attempts to impose their peculiar interpretations of religion onto our society. It is my opinion that the creation "scientists" (along with the rest of their Religious Right companions) represent, in their attempts to re-mold American society in accordance with their own narrow beliefs, the single greatest threat to freedom and democracy in the United States today.
What's All the Fuss About?
The popular image of creationists tends to picture a group of rural hayseeds with not much education, who continually thump the Good Book as they speak. Modern creationists, however, are very slick, are usually well-educated, and are very skilled in the techniques of debate and sophistry. Here is a quick and dirty guide to the creation/evolution battle:
Who Are the Creation "Scientists"?
What are the Aims of the Creation "Scientists"?
Creation "Science": A Short Legal History
The Cobb County "Disclaimer" Ruling; Some Thoughts
The Dover Intelligent Design Statement; Some Thoughts
Creationists And the Religious Right
What is the "Scientific Theory" of Creationism?
The "Intelligent Designer Theory"
The Discovery Institute's Hidden Religious Agenda
The "Wedge Document"; The Political Goals of the ID Movement In Its Own Words
Creation "Science" and Education
Debunked vs Dover; Fighting the Intelligent Design Movement
The Arkansas Case: Opinion of Judge Overton
The Louisiana Case: Supreme Court Decision
Creationism and the Scientific Evidence
The scientific arguments of the creationists, while nonsensical, are very intricate and detailed, and can sound very convincing to people who do not have enough scientific knowledge to make a good judgement (such as local school board members). Although the creationists have made many pseudo-scientific arguments against evolutionary science, for reasons of space we can only discuss a few of them here. The creationist failure in these areas should indicate how much credence we can give to the rest of their "science".
Noah's Flood: The Creationist Explanation of Fossils
Fossil Hominids and the Evolution of Humans
How Old is the Earth?
Perhaps the silliest argument made by the creation "scientists" is their notion that the earth is only six to ten thousand years old, and that all fossils are really the remains of the animals that drowned during Noah's Flood . . .
Reasons for a Creationist Young Earth
The "Appearence of Age" Argument
Radio-Dating and the Age of the Earth
The "Population Growth" Argument
Creationist Lies and Dishonesty
Much of the creationist case is based upon intellectual dishonesty. Creationists depend heavily on quotations from evolutionary scientists and writers which they have pulled out of context and twisted to sound like something other than what the writer intended. They also depend heavily on half-truths, distortions, deliberate citation of data they know to be untrue, and outright fabrications.
Creationist Misquotes and Out of Context Quotes
Creationists, Evolution and the Nazis
"Dr" Hovind and His Bogus "Reward"
Francis Hitching and the Creationists
Creationist Credentials: Is there a REAL Doctor in the House?
Does Science Discriminate Against Creationists?
The Latest Lies: The Tulsa Zoo and Grand Canyon Stories
Creationism and Religion
Despite their arrogant claims to represent the "Christian point of view", the creationists and their fundamentalist friends constitute a very tiny minority in mainstream religion. Every mainstream Christian denomination in the United States rejects the paranoid and ultra-literalist world-view of the creationists, and sees no conflict at all between Christian faith and modern science.
Is Evolutionary Science the Work of the Devil?
Is Genesis Scientifically Accurate?
Did Noah's Flood Really Happen?
Mainstream Churches and the Creationists
Tactics: Fighting the Creationists
The creationists are very highly organized, are fanatically dedicated, and are well-financed. They also exercise an enormous amount of political influence at the local level. We must therefore take a look at the tactics they have used in their attempt to impose their religious views onto others:
Creationism and the Republican Party
In a democratic society, the religious beliefs of this or that person are nobody else's business. The creationists are free to believe whatever religious tenets they like. What they are NOT free to do is dismantle the wall between church and state and use the public schools to proselytize the rest of us to their religious interpretation. Here's how to fight them:
"Be Prepared": Keeping Tabs on the Creationists
Email "Debates" With Creationists <Note: this link inserted by huecotanks.com STC 20050806>
Frequently Encountered Criticisms in Evolution vs. Creationism: Revised and Expanded <Note: this link inserted by huecotanks.com STC 20050806>
Resources:
When faced with a local or state effort to introduce creationist religious doctrine into the schools, the very first thing to do is seek help from experienced creationist fighters. Here is a list of resources to help local groups oppose the creationists:
This web document was prepared by Lenny Flank (lflank@ij.net). The texts in this web document may be reproduced and distributed for noncommercial purposes, provided that copyright notice and credit line is included. Last revision February 2, 2005.