In the U.S. and now here in Australia, the Intelligent Design (ID) debate has been getting more media space. The Australian Government has been open to having ID taught in schools. However, those that would be against it say that it is unscientific and is a front for creationists. My problem is not whether or not it should be taught in schools, but the way the media, at least in Australia, has either misunderstood or deliberately manipulated the debate. In an article in The Age in early August 2005 about the ID debate, there was a poll which asked, not if you agree that ID should be taught in schools, but if you agree that creationism should be taught in schools. Creationism and ID are 2 different things, but they have been reported by the anti-ID side as really the same thing, and, on top of this, I believe the ID school has been hijacked by the creationists.
The ID people basically accept evolution as probably the best explanation for the development of life on the planet, while stating that the intricate complexity of the web of life could not possibly have happened by chance. The creationists, meanwhile, accept literally the idea that that earth is about 6,000 years old and that it was created in 7 x 24 hour days. Personally, I have shifted to the view of the former ie. from my reading of things (and I have read quite a bit, but I am also no scientist) the 6,000 year view of the earth just doesn’t hold water, but I also believe that there has to be a designer behind the intricate complexity of the web of life. I confess, I am also a Christian.
