???? EXPELLED ????

My computer seems to be better today, and seeing Rene's husband's thoughts motivated me to get posting my own. I'll try to organize my thoughts in some sort of order, but I'm sure those of you that have seen it will understand what I'm trying to say.

Part of the reason I was so intrigued with this movie is from having a similar experience. In 9th grade science class we were taught the big bang theory. It didn't fly with me. I listened, but kept thinking how incredibly ridiculous it all sounded. Certainly my teacher must be reading this from a script right? He couldn't possibly believe this! On our final exam we were asked to explain the theory of evolution. It was worded in a way that suggested it was not a theory, but a fact as simple as 2+2=4. Something about the way it was worded got me mad, and it was one of those moments where I felt strongly that I needed to stand up for what I believed it. I wrote a lengthy page about why I didn't believe in evolution, but rather knew that God had created the earth. Guess how many points I was given on that answer? 0. None. Nada. Zip. Really though, it didn't bother me because I felt good for making my beliefs be known to my teacher.

Early on in the movie, one of the scientists said something about how when questions are not answered to people's satisfaction, they get asked again and again. The fact that the question of how life began keeps coming up tells me that no one has answered this question completely. How is it then that scientists can just say this IS how it started. End of discussion. To me, that's like saying 2+2=hotdog and no one should even dare to ask how that is possible.

The only FACT present in this whole debate is that evolution and intelligent design are both THEORIES. If anyone had any hard hitting, undeniable proof of one of these theories, we probably would move on to another one of life's mysteries. We don't question that raw meat has the ability to make us sick or that the substance we breath in every day contains oxygen because these things have been proven with evidence that most people agree with. We know these things, and moved on.

Two theories of evolution, that are currently very popular, mentioned in the movie were:

1. We grew on the backs of crystals that were probably struck by lightning.

2. Life on earth was seeded here by intelligent beings of another world

Hold up a minute here. Let's look at #2. I am not making this up, this theory was presented in the movie. Intelligent beings from another world. Isn't that pretty much aliens? Some scientists are basically admitting that we could be here by intelligent design, but it would be the design of aliens, not by God. Sure, that makes sense. But wait, where did the aliens come from? (I bet they grew on the crystals)

Now let's talk about #1. Part of what has spurred these new theories about evolution is that the big bang and ooze theory has been tested again and again in the lab, with no positive results. I have grown life in my body. More than once actually. I have watched on computer screens as my children have gone from little flashing specs, to these funny tadpole like creatures, to real, living, breathing humans. The whole process is complicated and absolutely amazing. The way everything works together to bring a life into this world, and then sustain that life until it is capable of doing it on it's own, is just incredible. To me, I don't see how it's even in the realm of possibility that this all began with a pretty rock and some lightning.

One of the reasons that was given for why intelligent design is not allowed in the classroom is because then it would open the door to letting prayer in the classroom. This I have to disagree with. Are we not capable of having intelligent discussions about science without gathering into a prayer circle around the Bunsen burners at the end? Even though I am a Christian, I don't think we should have mandatory prayer in our public schools. One of the great things about living in America is having the FREEDOM of religion. What if for some reason my family had to move to a country that didn't allow us to practice our Christian faith? What if my children were forced to take part in a religion that they didn't believe in? It would break my heart for them. Sure I believe that all people should CHOOSE to be a Christian, but they shouldn't be forced. In the public schools I would much rather see little Mary Catherine say a blessing before eating her lunch, while her friend Aadila is not having lunch because she is fasting in preparation for Ramadan, and their other friend Betty digs right in with her only thought being if she should save her dessert for the end or go ahead and have it now. All of them respecting the other and their beliefs. Hopefully Betty and Aadila will grow up knowing Mary and her family and admiring their Christian values, and someday choose to follow Christ themselves. Until then though, they should go to school to learn and not worry about being forced to participate in religious activities. What's great about America is that if we don't want our kids in public schools with all these different lifestyles and influences, we can choose to send our children to a private school or homeschool!

I think the scientists know we can debate scientific theories without prayer, so why are they so afraid to let intelligent design in the classroom? Why, at the mere thought of intelligent design, do many of these scientists go into a complete rage? What are they so scared of?

What I think we should see happening at the university level is, let's present the top 5 theories of how the world began. Let's give students the chance to make decisions for themselves. Better yet, let's give them the challenge of having their own thoughts and making their own decisions. Too many of our youth today are lemmings. Girls kissing girls because some girl in a song likes cherry chapstick. They just do what everyone else is doing, believe what they are being taught, without stopping to really think about it. Why not arm today's young people with information, and then provide them with the resources to prove or disprove the theories. Let's not grade them on how well they can recite the works of Darwin. Let's grade them on their ability to do research, on their experiments to prove what they believe or disprove what they don't, and how convincing they can make their argument. Why not let them choose what to believe without fear of a failing grade. Perhaps one of them will actually come back with some answers!

I've always thought much of science was about ideas and guesses. Question everything. Test it until you get an answer. So WHY is science stonewalling the idea of intelligent design. WHAT are they so worried about? And HOW have we let it get to this level?