Commander

Today marks the anniversary of the end of the Scopes Monkey Trials.

The case involved a law passed on March 13, 1925, which forbade the teaching, in any state-funded educational establishment in Tennessee, of "any theory that denies the story of the Divine Creation of man as taught in the Bible, and to teach instead that man has descended from a lower order of animals." This is often interpreted as meaning that the law forbade the teaching of any aspect of the theory of evolution.

The trial ended with John T Scopes being found guilty and he was ordered to pay a $100 fine.

why was this trial so significant? what are your thoughts?

old_abe

I think they were significant in that it was one of the first big cases of science vs religion. Ultimately with religion winning this one.

I think a $100 fine is rather a joke. I mean I guess they had to punish him somehow. His lawyer ended up offering to pay the fine anyways.

Professor Phantom

I think this is signifigant because the political parties of the time were set between traditionalists and modernists. It was a major arguement that came to a boil in the court room with John Scopes.

flaja

The fine was why the case was later overturned on appeal. Under Tennessee law the judge did not have the power to impose a fine this large without getting the jury's approval- which he did not have.

flaja

Why is it OK for public schools to teach evolution, when this theory of origins goes against the religious beliefs of some students/parents?

How does using public money to teach evolution in public schools, i.e., tell some people their religion is wrong, not violate the free exercise clause of the 1st Amendment?

Vir0n

Why stop at evolution? A local school board in my state is currently considering a request to pull all Harry Potter books from the school because the parent believes the books teach evil, anti-Christian messages and their presence in the library or use in the classroom violates her child's religious beliefs. This is a slippery slope.

Literature is not religion. Science is not religion. Teaching these subjects in school is not a violation of the Constitution. If parents want to teach their children that specific subjects taught in school conflict with their personal ideologic or theologic beliefs they are welcome to be good parents and do it at home.

I do believe that the biologic and anthropologic evidence supporting evolution should be presented to students in an unbiased, scientific way. Denying the existance of microevolution through genetic mutation is tantamount to denying the existance of gravity. The macroevolution and speciation of humans is more open to debate and the evidence for and against should be presented without bias.

flaja

Typical liberal.

Vir0n

Is that the best you can do?

I am actually a member of the Republican party, and my wife and I have volunteered in several local Republican campaigns. I'm not exactly sure why you feel it is necessary to make assumptions about me based on a single issue. Furthermore, I think you may be overestimating the support a ban of teaching evolution in schools has among conservatives. I believe there are many conservatives who share my opinion (in fact I know several who do).

You are certainly entitled to your views, and I respect them even though we don't agree. That makes me a tree-hugging hippie, right?

Love,
Vir0n

Ritocal

So you support removeing everying, no matter how remotely, that deals with religion from schools?

flaja

Ever heard of RINOs?

In typical liberal fashion you believe you have the authority to determine what is and is not religion on everybody else's behalf.