Evolution in Utah

Evolution Measure Splits State Legislators in Utah - New York Times(reg. required)

I was almost impressed by the title of this article. The Mormons are actually making the distinction between science and religion. And that’s a good thing. I don’t think that intelligent design should be taught in place of evolution, or that evolution teaching should have a disclaimer before it. I believe in both…but that is for another blog.

So I’m happily reading this article and find the real reasons the Mormons are debating whether or not to include such a disclaimer before any classes dealing with evolution (though not necessarily offering intelligent design as an alternate theory).

Although the Origins of Life bill, as it is formally known, does not mention an alternative theory to evolution, some legislators say they think that voting yes could be tantamount to supporting intelligent design, which posits an undefined intelligence lurking behind the miracles of life and which differs greatly from the Mormon creation story.

“There are people who say, ‘That’s not my religion,’ or that it will only confuse our children,” said State Representative Brad King, a Democrat and the minority whip in the House, who also plans to vote against the bill. “For me, it’s sort of that way,” added Mr. King, whose father, a Mormon bishop, taught evolution at the College of Eastern Utah.

Am I alarmed by this? Of course not. Because I think that many different religions have many different origin-of-life stories (my own religions’s story is remarkably different than Christianity’s). I think that for them to debate it in this context is awesome. I would love to see more debate along these lines - not all religions recognize the same beginning-times stories. And why should they? That is not for anyone to define for anyone else. No one can know for sure and no one should profess to tell someone else if they’re right about something like that (doesn’t occur to Right Wing Christians, though, I realize, they think that everyone should be just like them).

I love that there is a majority in Utah that is not mainstream Christian and so this is a reason for them to be fearful of allowing mainstream Christian views to permeate in societies that aren’t teemming with Mormons.

Utah’s predominant faith has also made its stance less predictable on other issues touching on religion in school — notably school prayer. Enthusiasm for the idea has been muted or ambivalent, said Kirk Jowers, a professor of political science and director of the Hinckley Institute of Politics at the University of Utah. Professor Jowers pointed to the awareness among Mormons of their religion’s minority status in the nation and world.

“It was kind of a realization that if you push to have prayer in school, then outside of Utah, the prayer would not typically be a Mormon’s prayer, so is that road you want go down?” Professor Jowers said.

Ah, the beauty of it. Of course, there are notable legislative actions occuring in other states (mentioned are Indiana and Missouri) that have their own intelligent design tilt. But then, they don’t have to worry about confliction religions and maybe putting off a couple of Pagans or Mormons. They will be watching the action in Utah, however. To see how it pans out and to see if people of that faith aren’t going to have an argument with their own intelligent design curriculum. Could we have a rising of the Mormons? That would be very interesting indeed.

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