While the Christmas season brings out the best in most people, it seems to have the opposite effect on many Darwinists, who become even more sour and dismal than usual. Even Eugenie Scott, who perennially tries to be the happy face of Darwinists everywhere, can’t resist sounding like a Scrooge. In an article co-authored with Glenn Branch in this month’s Scientific American, Scott sounds the alarms against the “dangerous lie” that Darwinism is a theory in crisis, and implies that civilization itself will collapse if we allow teachers and students the freedom to discuss criticisms of Darwinian theory--because as every thinking person knows, all of our knowledge of everything depends on Darwin. Seriously. Anyone tempted to believe such predictions of the end of the world should read this essay by National Academy of Science member Philip Skell, or consult biologist Jonathan Wells’ delightful book The Politically Incorrect Guide to Darwinism and Intelligent Design (especially chapter 7, “You’d Think Darwin Created the Internet”). Corrections to Scott’s distortions on other issues like the Louisiana Science Education Act and the film Expelled can be found here and here and here.

Pity the poor Darwinists during this season of hope and good cheer. For people who insist they have overwhelming evidence for their views, they seem awfully unhappy and insecure. Those of us who celebrate Christmas might want to remember to say a prayer for them, or maybe even send local Darwinists a copy of It’s A Wonderful Life. They certainly seem to need some cheering up.