The local reporter featured in the Nova program provided the best reason I ever heard for why there's a controversy over evolution and why it will never go away:
"If you believe in heaven and hell, and if you believe you have to be saved, nothing else could possibly matter, not the first amendment, not science, not rational debate. All that matters is that you're going to be rejoined with the people you love most on this earth."
You can see how this explains the mystifying contortions, rejection of reality and immoral behavior we see so often from creationists. When eternal salvation is at stake, you can justify anything.
About the immoral behavior I mentioned, I wasn't just tossing that in for good measure, I'm thinking of what happened to those whose names came to public attention on the side of evolution. A local science teacher ran for the school board. He's a regular church-goer, and with his wife teaches a summer Bible study class for kids, yet during the campaign his opponent called him an atheist. Comments from a few creationists on the program echoed comments we often hear here, such as that someone who teaches evolution during the week and goes to church on Sunday couldn't possibly be a true Christian.
Those prominently on the evolution side often received threats, in the case of Kitzmiller (lead plaintiff), even a death threat. And after ruling against ID Judge Jones received sufficiently serious threats that he received round-the-clock security. Can anyone in their wildest imagination ever see an evolutionist sending death threats to the school board members who voted for ID, or to Behe, Dembski, Hovind or Ham?
--Percy
Edited by Percy, : Grammar.
Edited by Percy, : Provide an accurate quote of the reporter.
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