(Note: This is an English translation of an article which was originally published in the German publication Suddeutsche Zeitung.)

THE GREAT PLAN

In America war rages over evolution

Archbishop James Ussher must have followed his administrative duties rather halfheartedly. The thirst for knowledge and a passion for collecting were too strong for the 1581 born Primate of the northern Irish province of Armagh. Ancient and honorable Trinity College of Dublin can thank this fact for many valuable volumes in their library. Ussher was properly on track at least when it came to numbers and dates. Throughout his life the churchman minutely translated texts from the New Testament into calendar data. Thanks to his precise analysis of Genesis, for example, the exact starting time of creation is known On October 23, 4004 BC, God set to work, at noon that Sunday. A few days later on November 10, Adam and Eve had to leave Paradise. Noah's Ark landed on the peak of Ararat two thousand years later, on a Wednesday, the 5th of May, 1491 BC.

One might suppose that after centuries of enlightenment and natural science Ussher's medieval numbers game would be at best filler for small talk at parties. But by no means The USA above all, has had decades of enthusiasm for Ussher's ungodly confusion between theology and number crunching. A large part of the American population adheres to creationism, the denial of the big bang and of geophysics, in favor of an insipid interpretation of the Bible on the origin of the world. Precisely in the high-tech super-power USA the foundations of modern natural science are in danger of being banned from schools and minds, by votes and court decisions.

Signs of designs

There is clearly good popular support for this. Polls in recent years show close to one half of Americans follow creationism. Nearly one quarter of college graduates believed, in 1999, that God created humans in their present form within the past 10,000 years. Tom Delay, the Republican Majority Leader in the American House of Representatives blamed the Littleton school massacre on the American educational system that teaches the children they are "nothing but glorified apes who have evolutionized out of some primordial soup of mud". But because it has overtly religious motives creationism was banned from biology teaching by the American Supreme Court in 1987. To avoid such a setback the supporters of "Intelligent Design" take pains to paper over the concept of "God" by that of "creator" [the German literally uses a graphic arts term, "kaschieren", meaning "to laminate one embossed paper onto another layer"].

The result: Two weeks ago, only massive pressure made the Georgia Department of Education alter a proposed resolution, which would have removed not only the concept of "evolution" from the curriculum but also essential facts of geology - as for example the age of the earth and knowledge of plate tectonics. In Ohio, where two years ago evolution opponents were narrowly voted down, the State Board of Education by 13 votes to 4 adopted a chapter criticizing evolution in the curriculum. It included among other things links to related Internet sites on "Intelligent Design". In Michigan influential office holders make efforts to get creationism and Bible study into the curriculum. From Montana come reports of fistfights in the schoolyards. In Missouri a bill is expected to be introduced to fire 2006 teachers who do not treat evolution and "Intelligent Design" equally in class.

Persistent and everywhere

In fact neo-creationists have succeeded to a striking extent at giving evolution an anti-Christian flavor to the broad public. Noted researchers report problems among their own acquaintances when discussion turns to evolution. The idea that humans are in some way related to apes is evidently repugnant even to educated people of the 21st century.

Opponents of evolution in their campaigns against "established" science constantly call on basic American values like freedom of expression and fairness. With pseudo-scientific arguments and massive funding from fundamentalist Christian circles they cultivate an image of moral resistance fighters struggling against an ideological and, above all, Godless dominance by "recognized" science. That the ID adherents actually publish sectarian rather than scientific discussions and have published no findings in independent journals, obviously makes small impression on a great many Americans. It has long been unclear who is David in this fight and who is Goliath.

Standing by Bush Jr.

On this American scientists have long since stopped relying on the power of pure reason. "Stand behind it" is the new battle cry according to John Staver of the University of Kansas. No one should be able to use bare assertions to push aside the hard working methods of science and the principles of empiricism and theory. On a completely pragmatic note The best thing is to approach your local business people and industrial leaders, says one physics professor. "When they hear that their children will have no chance to get into Harvard without a reasonable science education, they give in pretty quick".

Yet the conflict is finally at a point where the courts decide what is good science and what is not. The real catastrophe has already happened Science has become a matter of opinion.

Wherever possible, the age of the earth will be a major topic in the fight for the Presidency. George W. Bush supports the demand that creationism be taught in the schools equally with evolution. There is clearly no doubt that this position draws votes.

-- PATRICK ILLINGER