In the News

In Uncommon Descent, Dave Scot writes that Stephen J. Gould, perhaps the most famous paleontologist of the 20th century, wrote:

The extreme rarity of transitional forms in the fossil record persists as the trade secret of paleontology. The evolutionary trees that adorn our textbooks have data only at the tips and nodes of their branches...in any local area, a species does not arise gradually by the gradual transformation of its ancestors; it appears all at once and fully formed.

The evolution section of the biology textbooks includes this "trade secret."

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ENV gives kudos to the New York Times for filing a story on the actions of the Texas State Board of Education that actually describes what happened.

Unlike much of the rest of the newsmedia, the New York Times does not tell only half of what happened or play up the hysterics. The story's even-handed title is telling: "Split Outcome in Texas Battle on Teaching of Evolution."

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A new Web site, by Cornelius Hunter is up and running.

Click HERE, for DarwinsPredictions.org

Matt Frazier, for the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram, writes that the next skirmish in the long-running dispute about the teaching of evolution in Texas public schools is set for Wednesday.

That is when scores of people, including six appointed curriculum reviewers, are expected to testify before the State Board of Education on a proposal for the next decade's science curricula.

Scientists, educators and advocacy groups say creationists are trying to water down science education by calling for students to study the "strengths and weaknesses" of scientific theories such as evolution.

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Justin Brierley hosts a British Radio show Unbelievable. Its available to listen back and as a podcast from

http://www.premier.org.uk/unbelievable

The show won a New York Radio Festivals Gold Award for an edition of the programme titled "Intelligent Design vs. Evolution" in 2006, and regularly features program discussing ID and creation-evolution.

For example, in the archive see...

Unbelievable? 30 Aug 2008
Darwin vs Design - Dr. Tom Woodward & Peter Hearty or

Unbelievable? 13 Oct 2007 Has science buried God? With John Lennox and Robert Stovold

Justin also had an interview with Richard Dawkins. To listen
click HERE.

Popular writer Frank Turek writes in townhall.com on the fine-tuning of the universe.

"When I debated atheist Christopher Hitchens recently, one of the eight arguments I offered for God's existence was the creation of this supremely fine-tuned universe out of nothing. I spoke of the five main lines of scientific evidence."

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KSLA-TV, Shreveport, reports that A state education committee adopted a new administrative handbook Tuesday, as part of the recently passed Louisiana Science Education Act.

The handbook does not specifically ban teaching Creationism or Intelligent Design. Supporters say it doesn't need to because teaching religion in public schools is already banned, which is why opponents say this entire debate is a costly distraction from the real issues facing state public schools.

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And here's a video story

Mike Hasten, for the Shreveport Times, reports that Louisiana's top school board today approved rules implementing a law intended to give teachers more freedom in discussing controversial issues in science classes.

BESE members unanimously approved them, minus a section that specifically excludes materials promoting "creationism or intelligent design or that advance the religious belief that a supernatural being created humankind."

The legislation, authored by Sen. Ben Nevers, D-Bogalusa, with the support of the Louisiana Family Forum, began as a way to teach scientific design. But Act 473 was amended during the 2008 legislative process to encourage "critical thinking" in science classes and although teaching the textbook, allow supplemental materials that discuss alternatives.

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Is there a difference between faith and knowledge? If so, what is it? These questions will be investigated, "How do we know anything at all?" "Why should we want to or care?"

Twin Lakes Church talks will look at the differences between science and philosophy and the alleged battle between science and Christianity. We will ask the questions, "Was Darwin being scientific?" "Do we have good reasons to question the evolution of all species from a universal common ancestor or are we merely operating on blind faith?"

Phillip Johnson, Paul Nelson, and Greg Koukl will be featured speakers from February through March.

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A lawsuit challenging a government-funded website that promotes the harmony of religion and evolution is being appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.

The website at the center of the controversy, operated by UC Berkeley and funded by a federal grant, is aimed at public school teachers. The website urges teachers to challenge students' religious beliefs that evolution contradicts their faith. Moreover, the site points teachers to statements from religious groups and denominations that support evolution, while ignoring religious groups that believe in a literal creation.

Brad Dacus, president of Pacific Justice Institute, stated, 'We have been committed to this case from the start, because we believe government has no place decreeing that some religious views are more correct than others.

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Douglas Todd, for the Vancouver Sun, writes about Walt Ruloff, a 44-year-old Canadian high-tech mogul, who explained why he came up with the idea to finance Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed.

"We wanted to generate anger," Ruloff said.

"We always knew we'd get extreme anger on the one side and extreme support on the other. We also think we got extreme interest in the middle."

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Comments on the sotry are, as usual, mixed...from the thoughtful, to the shallow.