Florida Shows New Creationist Attack Strategy

Creationists have been on the retreat for many years. Once upon a time, public school districts insisted that Genesis be taught as history, causing religious indoctrination to be foisted upon children whose parents might object. Naturally, the courts struck that down. Not long after that, the approach changed. "Scientific Creationism" became the vogue new flavor, and this made its attempt at getting into the public school science classroom. Again, the courts saw through the ruse and struck it down. More recently, Intelligent Design made its appearance, watering down creationism even further, with the hope of inserting itself into public school science classes and casting doubt upon evolution that way. In Dover, PA, this was again seen for the ruse it was, and struck down.

Now, Florida, and Tennessee, are both illustrating the next two phases of creationist back-door tactics. In Tennessee, they've introduced legislation requiring the "strengths and weaknesses" of evolution to be taught, while in Florida, they're using the even further watered-down standard of requiring "critical analysis" of evolution.

This illustrates several things: First, it's clear that creationism, as a movement, exists for one thing, and that's to indoctrinate public school kids. Science became the major emphasis of schools after 1957, when Sputnik forced the U.S. to emphasize science education. The Space Race was on! Seemingly in response to this, James Woodmorappe and Henry Morris published 'The Genesis Flood,' the book that arguably launched the modern creationist movement as we know it today. Then, Murray v. Curlett won the case for removing prayer, and with it religious favoritism, from public school classrooms 1963. Madalyn Murray O'Hare loudly boasted that she "Kicked God out of public schools," as if one could kick God, of all people, if he even exists, out of anywhere. "Scientific Creationism" gained major strengths as a popular movement afterwards.

In short, if public school kids had not been targeted by science, there wouldn't be much of a creationist movement today. It would be the backwater nonsense promulgated almost exclusively by Seventh-Day Adventists and Jehovah's Witnesses, just as it was prior to 1957.

Second: This recent set of events in Florida and Tennessee illustrate just how subtle creationism has to get in order to try and sneak its way in. "Strengths and Weaknesses" sounds fair, until you realize that the point is for certain teachers being able to wrongly claim that the veracity of evolution has weaknesses. "Critical analysis" sounds good, except the critical analysis is meant to be aimed at evolutionary evidences alone. The critical analysis of the Bible - which rules out biblical literalism, and with it creationism, to begin with, is not discussed. (How can it be within a science classroom?)

So it's all about the kids, folks. No, not the kids of creationists. They're already free to indoctrinate whatever they want upon them, in their homes, Sunday schools, and Bible camps. No, the children they want to indoctrinate are those who belong to other parents. They want to evangelize not only their own kids, but yours as well. And they don't want your permission.

Today, we're having a second "Sputnik moment," and its even more important than the first. In the 1980's, computers were emphasized in education, because we recognized that if America wasn't adequately prepared to compete on a global market with information technology, we would falter. But we dropped the ball, and India picked it up and scored their touchdown. Those jobs which were supposed to sustain us, went to them. Now, the new technology revolution involves medical technology, DNA, and the ability to engineer cells and tissues.

Only public schools which emphasize quality biological science will be able to prepare our children for this new economic boom. Children who deny evolution will not be able to adequately understand the workings of biological systems and will be unable to compete in a global marketplace of designer DNA and home-grown organs for transplant.

These are important reasons for emphasizing evolution now. We can meet the demands of tomorrow, but we can't do it by teaching crap science, and then hoping our colleges and universities can clean up the mess.

Eric