Letter: Disagrees with movie ideas

I am writing in response to a recent letter, parroting Ben Stein’s ridiculous conspiracy theory. I would like to address some of the points that were made.

Evolution is not, as was stated in the letter, a religion. Religions are faith-based beliefs and practices centered on supernatural claims and mythology. Being faith-based, religions require no proof of their claims.

Conversely, scientific theories are subject to the scientific method: a standardized process of research in which a problem is identified, relevant data are gathered, a hypothesis is formulated and the hypothesis is tested. A theory with no empirical data to support it must be dismissed.

It is not “mandatory” to accept evolution, as the writer claims. However, it is mandatory that to validly refute the possibility of genetic mutation and natural selection (evolution), one must put forth a better hypothesis along with properly collected data to support it.

The theory of intelligent design is at best pseudoscience. With no empirical data supporting the hypothesis, intelligent design is a religious claim, not a scientific theory, and has no place in the science classroom. Unless, of course, one also wants science classes to teach alchemy, astrology, numerology, bloodletting, Dianetics, demonology, phrenology or the possibility that 2+2 equals 7.

Mr. Stein’s film portrays the theory of evolution as having been responsible for the Holocaust. This is simply a divisive lie. It is well known that Hitler was a Christian. If you can stomach reading “Mein Kampf,” you will see for yourself that among dozens of references to his religious beliefs, Hitler makes the repulsive statement: “Hence today I believe that I am acting in accordance with the will of the Almighty Creator: by defending myself against the Jew, I am fighting for the work of the Lord.”

The letter writer also claims that “survival of the fittest has been used to justify unbelievably cruel acts throughout history.” Surely anti-Semitic, as well as other religious, racial and gender atrocities predate Charles Darwin’s mid-1800s work on natural selection and the origin of species. The Spanish Inquisition, slave trading, Martin Luther’s anti-Semitic writings, the treatment of women as property, and oft-murdered indigenous people come to mind as examples centuries older than Darwin. Humans did not need Darwin to justify their cruelty until recently.

I recommend seeing this movie, researching the viewpoints and forming your own fact-based opinion. Just beware of dogma.

Tags: opinion, hudson, letter, evolution, religion, bartizal