Friday, March 21, 2008

Creationism excommunication

Oh, sweet irony! Reading James Wolcott this morning, I was curiously moved to click through to a wickedly funny episode involving PZ Meyers.

Last evening, Meyers--a well-known critic of intelligent design, a biologist, and an advocate for science, and thus, evolution--attempted to attend the flick, Expelled, a "creationist propaganda movie." As he stood in line with his companions having reached the point of signing in and showing ID, he was asked by a police officer, and then subsequently by the theater manager, to leave the premises. Evidently, the producers had placed Meyers on a blacklist. A scientist who debunks myths masquerading as "science" apparently scares the bejesus out of certain quarters of the creationism movement. Here's the kicker:

They singled me out and evicted me, but they didn't notice my guest. They let him go in escorted by my wife and daughter. I guess they didn't recognize him. My guest was …

Richard Dawkins.

He's in the theater right now, watching their movie.

Tell me, are you laughing as hard as I am?

Hilarious!

I may have my own spiritual ideas, but I freely admit they are beliefs, not scientific fact. I'm quite comfortable co-existing with atheists on the subject of evolution over creationism, and I reject the creation story of Genesis, which I view as a metaphor not to be taken literally.

If ever the scientific method indisputably proves that there is an intelligent design to the universe, until such time, the concept is a belief system, a religious point of view. Never confuse the two: One is religion and the other is science.

I vote for science in the classroom. Beliefs do not belong in scientific curriculum. The war on science must end.