Creation Matters 2000 Vol 5, Num 1.Pdf
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Volume 5, Number 1 January / February 2000 Distinctions Exist between Evolution Fact and Theory by George Aldhizer, Ph.D., Gary Johnston, Ph.D., and Douglas Krull, Ph.D. Reprinted with permission. proven scientific theory (see Johnson, French zoologists, the editor of First published in The Kentucky Post, Jan.4, 2000 1993 for a review). the 28 volumes of Traité de Zoo- [Editor’s note: The references have been added from the authors’ original manuscript.] logie, author of numerous origi- Scientific debate nal investigations, and ex- e, the undersigned, oppose the president of the Academie des Statement on Evolution passed Debate exists within the scientific com- Sciences. His knowledge of the by the Professional Concerns munity about evolution. Some evolution- W living world is encyclopedic.” Committee of the Faculty Senate at North- ists suggest that this latter type of evolu- (1975, p. 376) ern Kentucky University. Use of the term tion is not a matter of dispute among se- “evolution,” without clarifying that it re- rious scientists, and is questioned only by In truth, it does not matter if most fers to different processes, one fact and one those who are ignorant. But consider the scientists accept or dispute the theory of theory, hinders both science and education example of Pierre Paul Grassé, author of evolution. In science, facts are not decided and promotes confusion and misunder- Evolution of Living Organisms (1977). by vote, but by evidence. Consider two standing. Theodosius Grigorievich Dobzhansky, a areas of evidence that pertain to the theory giant of the Neo-Darwinian Synthesis, The term “evolution” is used to refer of evolution. wrote of Grassé’s book: to two different things. “Evolution” is used to refer to relatively minor variations or “[Its] purpose is to ‘destroy the The fossil record adaptations (e.g., changes in the size of myth of evolution, as a simple, Even Charles Darwin recognized that the finch beaks or the coloration of peppered understood, and explained phe- fossil record was a problem, but he moths). This is a proven scientific fact. nomenon,’ and to show that evo- thought gaps would be filled in to display “Evolution” also is used to refer to the lution is a mystery about which the gradual sequence that his theory pre- conjecture that, given sufficient time, these little is, and perhaps can be, dicts. This has not occurred. adaptive changes could be extended such known. Now one can disagree The prominent evolutionist Stephen that all creatures could have developed with Grassé but not ignore him. He is the most distinguished of from a common ancestor. This is an un- ...continued on p. 7 Editor’s note: In the previous issue Karl reported the activities surrounding a grassroots effort in Contents Kanawha County, West Virginia. Before the School Board was a resolution supporting teachers who Distinctions Exist between Evolution Fact and Kanawha wish to teach controversial subjects and theories so Theory ..................................................................... 1 long as they are “relevant” and “are presented in an appropriate, factual, and unbiased manner ... Kanawha Co. WV Grassroots Update ................ 1 County WV which promotes the understanding of all points of view...” We left the story in the midst of the battle. Homology Continued: Morphogenetic and Hox Genes ...................................................................... 3 Grassroots he School Board had attempted to gar- ner support for rejecting the Resolution Probabilities, Monkeys & Natural Selection ........ 5 Update T (see Table 1 in previous issue) by sending a comment request to Faculty Senates A Probably Fraudulent Dinobird: What Shall We and Local School Improvement Counsels. The Make of It? .............................................................. 8 by memo was an obvious ploy to generate a What Are Creationists Thinking About ...? ......... 9 Karl Priest, M.A. backlash against creation science, which was Creation Calendar ................................................ 10 ...continued on page 2 Fezer debated for over two hours, and Dr. Grassroots Update Fezer was so overwhelmed that the atheist ...continued from page 1 Kanawha newspaper editor later said that evolution not even the issue at hand. On December 6 seemed silly, but he could not accept any- County’s the media revealed, without fanfare, that thing else due to the suffering which exists the comments received were highly in fa- in the world. Anti-Creation vor of teaching creation science. This During the week that Dr. Mastropaolo caused the board member who had insisted was here, and even after he left, the Uni- Science Policy on the comment period to spin the results tarian minister and the Gazette tried to by saying, “I don’t think any of them really slander him by claiming he was only a oes this policy comply with the understood the intent of the resolution.” physical education teacher. (His Ph. D. is D 1987 Supreme Court decision in In the meantime, Dr. Joseph Mastro- in Biomechanics/Physiology, and he is Edwards vs Aguillard? The Court’s de- paolo, of Huntington Beach, CA, had Prof. Emeritus, Calif. State Univ., Long cision is commonly understood to have heard of our battle. Without knowing that Beach, and Adjunct Prof. of Physiology, prohibited the teaching of creation sci- the Charleston Gazette editor was a bitter ICR Graduate School.) They did not see ence. However, the decision banned enemy of local creationists, he had con- the irony in this because, even if true, they only the religiously motivated, com- tacted the editor and offered to come here were admitting that they were afraid to pulsory teaching of creation science. to speak as a scientist. After being re- debate a P.E. teacher. Dr. Mastropaolo, a The majority decision in fact opined that, buffed, Dr. Mastropaolo mailed a letter to gentleman’s gentleman, calmly went about with respect to theories about man’s ori- the only other person whose name he knew his business during his visit to our com- gin, teachers are “free to teach any and from news reports — board member Betty munity. He impressed a skeptical talk all facets of this subject” (p. 9). Fur- Jarvis. I was awed when Betty called me show host so much that, in separate pro- thermore, the court stated: about the letter, for I had just ordered 100 grams, the talk show host criticized the Teaching a variety of scientific copies of a current ICR Impact article Unitarian’s ethics and ridiculed the evolu- theories about the origins of written by Dr. Mastropaolo. tionists for failing to academically defend humankind to school children their sacred cow. might be validly done with the Challenging evolutionists clear secular intent of enhanc- Dr. Mastropaolo then began an email ex- Banned from high school ing the effectiveness of science change with local evolutionists, challeng- Space does not allow a detailed report of education (p. 14). ing them to debate. This sent them into a all that transpired between Thanksgiving panic because they had never heard of him. Here is Kanawha County’s policy. You and the Board’s vote on December 16. be the judge. The details of their attempts to avoid de- There were statewide and local radio talk bate would make an interesting article in shows, one-sided television reporting, and KANAWHA COUNTY SCHOOLS itself. Dr. Mastropaolo had a knack for front-page newspaper coverage (including ADMINISTRATIVE revealing their religious prejudice and an onslaught of Gazette articles seeking to REGULATION academic cowardice. As a result of a cast the debate as being between science Creation Science challenge I made to the local Unitarian and fanatical Christianity). Dr. Mastro- minister, Dr. Mastropaolo was allowed to paolo, at age 72, had a grueling speaking Issued: 10.19.1987 speak at the Unitarian church. schedule. He was even banned from one 5.01 Status. Neither State That was an experience. The place high school, and was forced to march learning outcomes, nor any was standing room only, and attendees down the street with interested junior high current program of studies included most of the “big time” evolu- kids to meet at a local church. includes a creation compo- tionists of the area. After listening to a By the time the board meeting date nent. The teachers of science witch lead part of the opening service, and had arrived, the Charleston Daily Mail had and all other curricular ar- avoiding a trap laid by the Unitarian min- “lost” an article I submitted, the ACLU and eas are expected to provide ister (intended to ridicule Dr. Mastro- Americans United for Separation of instruction toward mastery of paolo’s credentials), Dr. Mastropaolo pre- Church and State had threatened to sue, the State learning outcomes sented his case that evolution is biologi- and the board attorney had circulated a as interpreted by the current cally impossible and is, in reality, an occult secret memo requesting that board mem- program of studies. Thus, religion. bers vote against the very resolution he had creation science is not to be A lunch worth remembering prepared! We personally contacted two taught. board members who earlier had expressed 5.02 Creation Science Mate- Afterwards, I invited to lunch Dr. Karl open-mindedness, citing legal and scien- rials. Any materials per- Fezer, the West Virginia liaison for the tific facts to counter every argument they taining to Creation Science, National Center for Science Education (an presented. However, it was obvious that if retained, shall be housed anit-creation group). The Gazette editor the vote was going to be 4-1 against the in the school library. tagged along, and what transpired was resolution. truly amazing. Dr. Mastropaolo and Dr. 2 A publication of the Creation Research Society January / February 2000 The showdown who came to support the teaching of Stay tuned creation science which, as noted previ- The night of the meeting the Unitarians The battle is worth fighting, because those ously, was not the subject of the Resolu- were there in force, with their minister or- who fight it will find friends and sup- tion.