A Fairy Tale?

As a moderate who believes in evolution -- thanks, in part, to my fine Catholic education -- I found this story simply laughable. Found it at beliefnet.com.

As the Kansas Board of Education readies for a final debate on the teaching of evolution, one member is leveling the harshest criticism yet, calling the theory an impossibility.

In a recent newsletter to constituents in western Kansas, board member Connie Morris calls evolution a "fairy tale" that has "anti-God contempt and arrogance." The four-page letter then criticizes mainstream scientists, the media and moderate members of the school board who opposed recent hearings on evolution."In short, Darwin's theory of evolution is biologically, genetically, mathematically, chemically, metaphysically and etc. wildly and utterly impossible," Morris wrote constituents.

Morris, it seems, is a creationist. She says she takes the accounts from Genesis literally. And, she wants the standard science curriculum in her state to reflect that. Suddenly, this story isn't so funny. It's frightening!

This is the 21st century, right?

In my early Catholic education, I was taught that the 7 days as reported in the bible were a metaphor. After all, one day to our creator could well be thousands of years. In that context, Genesis and Darwin both made sense to me.

The report concludes by noting that educators and scientists are protesting the proposed curriculum changes, including a Kansas Catholic school teacher.

Harry Gregory teaches biology at a Wichita Catholic school. Even though his private school has a theological bent, he said, he teaches strict evolution in his classroom.

Thank you, Mr. Gregory!