Apparently, State Sen. Raymond Finney (R-Maryville) thinks the 1925 humiliation wasn’t enough. Oh no, he wants to retry the monkey:

A Tennessee State Senate member has filed a resolution asking the Tennessee Department of Education to address a few basic questions about life, the universe and all that:

* “Is the universe and all that is within it, including human beings, created through purposeful, intelligent design by a Supreme Being, that is a Creator?”
* “Since the universe, including human beings, is created by a supreme being (a creator), why is creationism not taught in Tennessee public schools?
* “Since it cannot be determined whether the universe, including human beings, is created by a supreme being (a creator), why is creationism not taught as an alternative concept, explanation, or theory, along with the theory of evolution in Tennessee public schools?”

I doubt that this bill will go anywhere; it’s most likely a cynical attempt by Finney to score some points with the Religious Right. I have no problem with acknowledgment of a Supreme Creator. I am a Christian. I believe that God created the Heavens and the Earth, and that Jesus came to redeem the world. And, for the record, I have no problem with this theology being studied in classrooms, so long as it’s voluntary.

But I am against the academic fraud that is running rampant in the schools. Conservatives can generally be counted on to expose and fight it, except when it comes to science. For some reason, many Conservative Christians feel the need to have their beliefs taught in science classes, either as outright Creationism or the more covert Intelligent Design. The problem is that neither of these beliefs are science. Teaching them as such represents academic fraud, and quite frankly seems to me to be a sign of weak faith, as if kids will become atheists if they even hear of Charles Darwin.

Science is not the be all, end all. It is simply part of a larger puzzle. I would argue that it is important to learn and understand, but it can only tell us so much. It is silent, for example, on the existence of God. That is the realm of theology. Theology is also important, and is necessary, in my opinion, for a full life. Contemplating things bigger than one’s self and wrestling with life’s big questions is very important for anyone who wants to live a full life.

But just as we would not substitute science for faith, we should not substitute faith for science. We should respect and cherish both, and encourage the honest examination and study of each. Sen. Finney, a doctor, should know this.

Via Bob Krumm.

UPDATE: This post is taking part in the Beltway Traffic Jam.