Creationism = anti-science, anti-human rights

Does an attack on evolution mean "a serious attack on human rights"? That is what the Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly will decide this week when it votes on a resolution that urges its 47 member states to oppose the teaching of creationism as a scientific discipline.

Creationism is anti-science, anti-progress and anti-democracy, the resolution declares. It is rooted in "forms of religious extremism." Its proponents are "supporters of a radical return to the past," and some of them are "out to replace democracy by theocracy." Muslim creationism is taking hold, the resolution cautions, and countries should "resist presentation of creationist ideas in any discipline other than religion."

Bruce Chapman, president of Discovery Institute and former UN ambassador to Vienna, said he can't see the urgency. He said there is no European push to teach either creationism or intelligent design, and he thinks the Council of Europe is "responding to Darwinist organizations and their pressure tactics."

Creationism is the belief that God created the world in six days, while intelligent design theory merely states there is evidence of an intelligent designer. The resolution called intelligent design "the latest, most refined version of creationism ... [but] no less dangerous." That statement indicates to Mr. Chapman that the council does not understand the issue: "They are trying to broad brush anyone who is critical of Darwin's theory as a creationist."

Chapman adds that even setting aside the difference between intelligent design and creationism, "What they say about both of them is untrue about either of them." The council is taking a political shot, he said, but "they don't know what they're shooting at."