Long before Darwin

Deja vu all over again, as Yogi Berra said. The Kansas State Board Of Education votes to delete any mention of evolution from the state’s science curriculum (BDN, Aug. 12). Haven’t we been through all this?

Long before Darwin, in an age of simple belief, Copernicus and Galileo were abused by the simple-minded and short-sighted for their audacious refutation of geocentricity. The geologist Charles Lyell numbered the earth’s years in the millions and was deemed a charlatan. Reputable biblical scholars urge us to read the science of that sacred book poetically and symbolically, and even the current pope has declared that “… evolution is more than a theory.”

Einstein said, “Religion without science is blind, science without religion is lame.” Evolution poses no threat to religious belief, whereas the self-righteous ignorance of creation science makes a mockery of our rational inquiry into the nature of life, as well as the miraculous mysteries of time and space. Joel Marino Bar Harbor

I noticed the headline of your article, “Kansans target evolutionary theory” (BDN, Aug. 9). The column went on to describe how the Kansas State Board of Education may vote to eliminate any mention of evolution, natural selection, common ancestors, etc.

Although this would be a bad idea, that is not the point. I write because I question your use of the word “theory” to describe evolution. Evolution is a fact, not a theory. There are theories related to the mechanism(s) of evolution, such as natural selection, punctuated equilibrium, and so on.

Gravity is a fact, although there are theories of gravitational attraction (e.g. gravitons).

My question is, does the BDN editorial staff agree that evolution is a fact? Or do you believe as the creationists do, that it is simply a theory? John Moriarty Old Town