The Origin of Stupidity

I belong to a Google group called IACT. The other day I received an email with a post someone made on the message board. It read. . .

“Although I appreciate very much Darwin's contribution to science, it’s hard for me to get past his racists views. I have met good science teachers who harbor some of these
views, due in part to their almost cult like following of strict Darwinian Theory. Some of what Darwin said in his second book would be considered hate speech today, and he
would be portrayed as a monster. I've heard good arguments that his belief in the superior Caucasian race helped in bringing about the Holocaust. I'm not saying I agree with that, I just think its important for us to take a serious look at all of his contributions before we elevate him to the status of Newton. That's just my opinion.”

The post, in response to several other posts concerning the celebration of Charles Darwin’s 200th birthday, was a pathetic attempt to attack the teaching of evolution in schools. The author went out of his way to make it look like he was thoughtful and reasonable, and make the “good science teachers” he referred to look like “cult” members for believing in evolution. He never says here whether he believes in evolution or not, but I will bet you he is a religious conservative who thinks that belief in evolution is equivalent to being an atheist.

I usually don’t respond to such ignorance, but I was “inspired” by his attempt to trash evolutionary theory and posted the following on the message board. . .


In response to Ryan; I had thought that the issue of teaching intelligent design had been settled once and for all when the court ruled on the case against the Dover school system. The court ruled that intelligent design was religion and could not be taught in the public schools. Unfortunately for all of us (science teachers) the ID proponents have changed their tact and are now accusing Darwin of being a racist, hoping to garner support for their ultimate goal—taking evolution out of the school system. Apparently if they can’t get ID in they will settle for getting Darwin out because, in their mind, believing in evolution is incompatible with believing in God. I am a Catholic, and have taught in a Catholic school for more than 30 years. I believe in intelligent design and evolution. Evolution is God’s intelligent design, but even I (in a religious school) don’t mention ID in class. It is Religion not Science, and as such has no place in a science classroom. Yes, like Ryan, I have noticed that some of my colleagues are racist. That is because they are ignorant not because they believe evolution. There is nothing in the modern theory of evolution that would support a racist view, or suggest that there is no God. The anti-evolutionists are simply ignorant people who don’t understand science, evolution, or religion. Rather than trashing Darwin and evolutionary theory they should look inward and try to figure out why they lack faith. (posted 2/13/09)

Our Theology Department Chairperson has had to respond to complaints by parents and students that the theory of evolution is anti-religious and should not be taught in our school. She has stated that the Bible is not a science book or a history text, but a guide to how God wants us to live our lives. Catholics have never had a problem with the theory of evolution, mostly because we do not interpret the Bible literally. I don’t know where the whole idea that belief in evolution and belief in a God became incompatible, but it comes from an ignorance of both science and religion. Many people who ignorantly spew this nonsense believe it because they were told they have to by their pastor or preacher.

A favorite response to my suggestion that they don’t understand either the theory of evolution or their religion is something like . . . “You mean you believe that we came from chimpanzees?” To which I respond (while looking at them like they were retarded) “Of course not—what would make you think something so stupid?” They usually get angry at this point; and exclaim. . . “That’s what the theory of evolution says—we came from chimps.” The theory of evolution does not say that we came from chimps, but that chimps and man evolved from a common ancestor; something completely different. I challenge them to show me where in the text of the theory it says that, which makes them look like a deer in the headlights of an oncoming Mac truck, exposing their ignorance. I would like to give them the finger at this point, but the sisters that run my school would probably not approve. Instead I tell them that if they can show me in the text of the theory where it says either that God does not exist, or man came from chimps, I will work to get the theory out of our curriculum. I even offer to lend them my copy of Darwin’s book “Origin of Species” so they can show me, but that would require reading which is incompatible with true ignorance, so none of them take me up on it.

Maybe I’m wrong and some of them did evolve from chimps.