Federal Judge Rules Against Intelligent Design

evil agent writes "CNN is reporting that U.S. District Judge John E. Jones III has ruled that Intelligent Design cannot be discussed in Dover, Pennsylvania biology classes. Dover Area School Board members had previously mandated that Intelligent Design be included in the biology curriculum. According to the judge, 'our conclusion today is that it is unconstitutional to teach ID as an alternative to evolution in a public school science classroom.'" Update: 12/20 23:40 GMT by J : eSkeptic has a look back at the trial and what led to it. And the Discovery Institute has issued a press release.

Comments

Well

[Moby Cock]

Thank God for that!

Re:Well good

[grub]

The Dover school board need just introduce a new course "Mysticism, Superstition and Things That Go Bump in the Night". Then they could teach ID.

Re:Links to more information:

[Moby Cock]

From the BBC's coverage: It provoked US TV evangelist Pat Robertson to warn the town was invoking the wrath of God.

Seems Pat wanted to see a smackdown of a different sort.

This is a defeat for pasta

[Dan the Intern]

I'd like to say to the good citizens of Dover. If there is a disaster in your area, don't turn to the Flying Spaghetti Monster, you just rejected Him from your city. And don't wonder why He hasn't helped you when problems begin, if they begin. I'm not saying they will, but if they do, just remember, you just voted Pasta out of your city. And if that's the case, don't ask for His noodly forgivness because he might not be there.

Re:Teach all

[TripMaster Monkey]

If you're going to do that, you'll need to also devote equal time to:

• Flying Spaghetti Monsterism
  
• The Church of last Thursdayism of Queen Maeve
  
• Discordianism
  
• The Church Of The Subgenius
  
• etc...

Re:Touched by his noodly appendage...

[RatPh!nk]

Amen! Praise be to FSM.
From the book of Noodle Ch. 3 verse 17-19

Anyone arrogant enough to reject the verdict of the judge or of the priest who represents the FSM your God must be put to death at the hands of the few pirates that are left, perhaps corellating well with the rise of global warming. Such evil must be purged. ...At the wrath of the FSM of hosts the land quakes, and the people are like fuel for fire; No man spares his brother, each devours the flesh of his neighbor, or a delicious noodley appendage, whilst the friend of the noodle can rest his weary feet in pirate heaven with the stripper factory and beer volcano.

So said FSM, so it shall be DONE.

Re:An important part of the ruling

[Moby Cock]

I read an apt parallel for ID and evolution. It went something like this:

Intelligent Design is as scientific an explanation for the evolution of man, as Angels Bowling is as an explanation for thunder. Both are possible, but neither is science.

Re:Well good

[dakryx]

It's more like a bunch of philsophers looked at the world and thought it was way to complicated to have occurred by chance.

Re:And evolution is?

[Slashdolt]

As has the spelling of "definitely".

Re:Well good

[BrenBren]

I wish I knew whom to give credit to for this quotation:

"If atheism is a religion, then not collecting stamps is a hobby."

When all else fails, attribute it to Oscar Wilde.

For the record, "not collecting stamps" is a hobby. It is one of several I have, actually.