It's Anno Darwini in Philadelphia
Get ready for the year of evolution. The New York Times has an article today ("Philadelphia Set to Honor Darwin and Evolution") describing an entire "Year of Evolution," featuring "a series of exhibitions, seminars and lectures to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin next February, and the 150th anniversary of the publication of his seminal work, 'The Origin of Species.'"
And what local celebrity would better grace a celebration of Darwin than the man who forbade schoolteachers and children from "disparaging" Darwin and his theory?
Events will include a talk by John E. Jones III, a federal judge who ruled in 2005 that teaching intelligent design — the belief that some aspects of nature are so complex that they must be the work of a higher power rather than of evolution — in public school science classes was unconstitutional.
Nevermind for the moment how the Times used a critic's definition of ID to discredit the theory as a belief. (If you want a better definition of the theory, click here.) It's the final quote in the story that sounds an ominous note for dissenters from Darwin:
"We will try to find ways of persuading people that it’s not in conflict with their faith," Dr. Brown said.
Since the pro-evolution-only lobby ignores the scientific evidence that doesn't support Darwin's theory, they've decided to address what they can afford to acknowledge as a problem for many people: Darwinian evolution conflicts with their religious beliefs.
So what are they going to do about it? What ways are Dr. Brown and the rest of the Philadelphia Darwinists considering for this task? Brainwashing? Mind-melding? Or just suppressing any and all evidence to the contrary?