I wrote this October 7, 2005, as one of my first speeches for my speech and debate club. It is so short! I haven't worked on it much since then, so it is still pretty rough, and I am trying to turn it into more of an essay. It is an informative/opinion piece right now. There are several things in here that need help.
Antithesis to Scopes Monkey Trial
The Scopes trial of 1925 was a debate about teaching any aspect of the theory of evolution, according to www.wikipedia.org. This trial, often called the “Scopes Monkey Trial”, seems to be the antithesis to today’s trial. While the trial in 1925 was opposed to evolution and in favor of the teachings of the Bible, the Kitzmiller and others versus Dover Area School District trial is in favor of evolution and opposed to the theory now primarily called “Intelligent Design”. In the past, it has been referred to as Creationism. The Wall Street Journal’s article “Scopes, 2005: ‘Design Theory’ Faces Legal Test” reports the facts mentioned, unless otherwise noted.
With the help of the ACLU and eleven parents of schoolchildren in Dover, Pennsylvania, a federal lawsuit has been filed against the town’s school board, with the accusation of violating the principle of the separation of church and state. Teachers are required to read the following statement to biology classes:
"Because Darwin's theory is a theory, it continues to be tested as new evidence is discovered. The theory is not a fact...Intelligent Design is an explanation of the origin of life that differs from Darwin's view."
The trial is slated to last five weeks, and it will not be televised. The Seattle-based Discovery Institute is the leading supporter of intelligent design. "We don't say God designed," said John West, associate director for the institute's Center for Science and Culture. "It's not about trying to reconcile science with some religious text. It's about this longstanding question in biology about the appearance of design." I believe that it should be trying to reconcile science with the Bible. When the idea of evolution was first introduced as a new theory, it was frowned upon. Now, with a theory that brings creationism back into the picture, people are opposing what the original belief was, when scientific evidence shows that this theory could be true.
Most mainstream biologists are critics of intelligent design and say it is “religion masquerading as science” which is, essentially, the latest evolution of creationism. Christian educators and intelligent design supporters were bolstered in their efforts when President Bush said that both sides of the debate should be taught.
"It is a legitimate controversy among scientists and credible scientists believe that intelligent design is a better explanation for complex biological systems than we have seen," said Richard Thompson, defense attorney for the Dover school board and chief counsel with the non-profit Christian law group, the Thomas More Law Center.
The impressionable students in schools should be taught both sides of the debate. Logically, that is the correct thing to do. Culturally, it should be the correct thing to do, according to our president. Biblically, God’s word should be taught, for that is the truth, yet the unwillingness of Americans to accept the truth keeps them blind.
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