intelligent design news stories on Newser

Tennessee's Anti-Evolution Bill to Become Law

Mark Russell — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 06:13:00 CDT

Tennessee was the site of the infamous Scopes monkey trial nearly 90 years ago (spoiler alert: creationists lost), but the state is still fighting evolution. Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam said yesterday he'll allow a bill to become law that protects teachers who criticize evolution, as well as global warming and...

Austrian Can Wear Pasta Strainer in License Photo

Tim Karan — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 14:37:56 CDT

Hopefully his car never breaks down in a thunderstorm. An Austrian atheist has won the right to don a pasta strainer on his head in his driver's license photo, reports the BBC . Austrians are permitted to wear headgear in official photographs only for religious reasons, and Niko Alm claims the...

What If Schools Had to Teach Islam in Science Class?

Kevin Spak — Mon, 16 May 2011 13:49:58 CDT

Legislators in at least seven states have introduced “stealth creationism” bills this year, requiring educators to teach some form of “intelligent design” in schools—and some of those same people have also pushed laws banning Islamic Sharia rules from being used in the courtroom. The message is clear, writes David...

Cross Burned in Boy's Arm Sparks School Religious War

Mary Papenfuss — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 03:22:18 CST

A cross burned into the arm of an Ohio schoolboy by his creationist science teacher has sparked a three-year battle pitting neighbor against neighbor over the role of religion in public schools. An army of supporters is backing the teacher, who is still fighting his firing from the Mount Vernon...

Genome Whiz Aims to Reunite God, Science

Wesley Oliver — Sat, 02 May 2009 14:50:00 CDT

Young Christians inevitably experience a crisis when they realize how deeply religion clashes with science, but an evangelical geneticist is aiming to restore their faith, Time reports. Unveiling the BioLogos Foundation this week, Francis Collins seeks to resolve questions over Adam and Eve’s creation and evolution. “We cannot say that...

Evolution Education Under Fire in Texas

Matt Cantor — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 09:56:39 CDT

Texas’ Board of Education votes this week on whether to teach a science curriculum that challenges evolution—and the result could affect schools across the US, the Wall Street Journal reports. Because Texas is such a huge market, textbook writers often design national material based on state standards. “This is...

Vatican Makes Peace With Darwin

Rob Quinn — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 05:13:00 CST

The Vatican is clarifying that Charles Darwin's theory of evolution is compatible with its doctrine after all, the Times of London reports. The Church never officially condemned Darwin, but his views have been controversial with some because they present a radically different image of the origins of species than what's...

Anti-Evolution Groups Change Texas Tactics

Kevin Spak — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 14:02:37 CDT

Evolution opponents are adapting. Now that “intelligent design” and “creation science” have failed in court, the new catch phrase, the New York Times reports, is “strengths and weaknesses.” It might seem innocuous, but critics say it’s yet another tactic to undermine the teaching of evolution in schools. Evolution opponents are...

Scientology: No Weirder Than The Others

Heather McPherson — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 22:36:40 CDT

Scientology has earned cult status for many outsiders, but Slate ’s Mark Oppenheimer argues it's no more bizarre than any mainstream faith. He says the peculiarities of the celebrity-friendly religion abound, but that they're reflected right back in the wacky ideas of more accepted theologies—say, by the Book of...