We've come a long way in America. This nation, which was founded on Christian principles, by men and women who were predominately Christians committed to the Biblical worldview, has become quite secular, and in many cases antagonistic to the Christian way of thinking. As it relates to creation teaching, the courts have declared evolution to be science and creation to be religion, and that religion doesn't belong in the public classroom. Laws have been passed; precedents have been set, while intolerant "civil liberties" organizations promise a lawsuit to anyone who would cross the unofficial line. What can be done to reverse this trend? Isn't there a religious side to evolution and isn't creation backed by science?
Some valiant teachers and administrators are doing what they can, defying the promise of legal action. Perhaps they're "teaching both sides"—teaching the pros and cons of evolution, or identifying the many evolutionary claims in textbooks which are known to be false. But to a committed evolutionist, nothing short of total evolution indoctrination will do.
Several state school boards have, in recent years, inserted an innocuous "sticker" in the front of school biology textbooks which briefly calls attention to the variety of opinions regarding origins, and the theoretical nature of the subject. It neither discusses data nor identifies perspectives. Most recently, the state of Georgia inserted such a sticker which read:
This textbook contains material on evolution. Evolution is a theory, not a fact, regarding the origin of living things. This material should be approached with an open mind, studied carefully, and critically considered.
Advocates of creation admit this sticker is a dubious victory. It obviously doesn't teach creation, nor claim that evolution is wrong, and certainly doesn't introduce the Bible, yet it too has been vigorously opposed by the same teachers unions, professional evolutionists, and civil liberties groups. In January, the federal courts ordered it removed.
If evolutionists deny even this minimal hint that there might be more to the story, is this not a sign of insecurity? Are they afraid of open discussion of the data? What tactic can creationists adopt which will expose their position as the religious intolerance that it is?
Former President Reagan was often barraged by an adversarial press corps. Sometimes he would respond by cocking his head, flashing a wry smile, and saying simply, "There you go again." Everyone got his point. The supposedly neutral press was pushing their own agenda. I suggest following his lead might be useful here.
"There they go again" censoring any thought which doesn't support evolution we could say. "There they go again" admitting that evolution can't stand the test of science. "There they go again" letting their insecurities show. Maybe then the media and the public at large will recognize this as a religious issue, with the evolution side hiding behind dogma and authority, and unwilling to engage in an open dialogue.
