Evolution Debate @ MindSay 
It's not a question of "bleeding heart" liberalism. It's a question of cost-benefit analysis. It's too bad that things get painted with rhetoric so people are afraid to reasonably consider something due to a fear of being labeled or cast in a certain light.
We also discussed evolution. I was complaining about the amount of ignorance concerning evolution in this country. He argued that everyone is entitled to their belief. I believe I made a comment about our country being perceived in large part as "backwoods country bumpkins". He argued that lots of people have religious beliefs which conflict with evolution. I stated that in the middle ages lots of people had beliefs that conflicted with heliocentrism. It didn't make them correct. Unbelievably he tried to use the evolution is a "theory" argument. My own brother! I had to set the record straight that "evoltionary theory" is a theory in the same vein as "atomic theory", "gravitational theory", etc... I acknowledged that everyone is entitled to their belief, just like if someone wants to believe the sun goes around the Earth they are entitled to. But it doesn't change the fact that they are wrong. He asked if I think everyone who rejects evolution is an idiot. I stated that I didn't call anyone names, I just stated that I view their rejection of evolution as equivalent to someone who rejects a heliocentric solar system. He then said, "so you do think they're idiots". I asked if that was his opinion of people who reject heliocentrism. He stammered for a moment. I said, regardless of my opinion of people who reject evolution or heliocentrism or atomic theory, the fact is they are all regarded as fact by a scientific consensus and supported by comparable evidence. He interrupted toward the end and said he considers those things different. As I asked why, he interrupted and said, "let's just drop it...I don't feel like talking about it any more."
How many of my conversations have ended this way......
Okay... so most of you who don't live under rocks know that this country is currently debating whether or not public schools should teach evolution, intelligent design, or both. (Oh and let's not forget the spaghetti-monster theory.)
Now for any of you who've known me for any length of time can at least guess where I stand concerning my own beliefs as to the origin of the cosmos. I stand with creationism... so much so that I generally disregard even theistic evolution. That being said though, I've kinda given up trying to debate the subject. Theistic evolution may very well be the case, but all we're given Biblically is the Genesis account. I'll take that, but I won't bother debating it with an atheist anymore. But I digress...
There are some, mainly alleged Christian "fundamentalists" ("fundies" for short), who are fighting against the teaching of evolution in schools and rather that it be supplemented with Intelligent Design. Some argue that their motives are breaking the precedent of what many call "the seperation of church and state."
Now okay folks... I'm sure that some people would like Genesis being taught in their science classes. But honestly folks, that's not going to happen. Don't worry about that. Now the more moderate "pro-I.D." would like something akin to Theistic Evolution being taught, perhaps even things concerning "young-earth theory", "hydroplate theory", etc. Now that's not so terribly bad in my opinion. There is some science to back these things up. But they are definately not mainstream.
Okay so now looking at the other side. Evolution. It's mainstream. It's accepted in the scientific community abroad. Who knows any great biologists or chemists who are open creationists? I don't. It's important to note what is really mainstream... and evolution is mainstream.
But the question is, "What should we teach in our schools?"
Neither theory is or can be proven with the means we now have. One seems to support religion, the other seems to want to thwart it.
Could there be some sort of compromise? Doesn't seem so.
Now let's get to what's really important in all of this... MY OPINION!
Question to the "pro-I.D." from a fellow believer, do you really want public schools teaching your kids theology? Eeeeew NO! Please folks... Teachers in public schools don't generally know jack-diddly squat about theology... not even in the Bible-belt. Believe me, I KNOW! You're better off asking one of the football players... seriously. And is it going to hurt you to have to teach your own children about evolution being bunk and God's creation as given in the Bible (or whatever you believe)? Shouldn't you be teaching your own kids anyway? Isn't that what the Bible says parents are to do, teach, direct, and discipline their children? Come on folks, the early church didn't carry this "Dominionism" idea that you're touting. Most of you are protestants, so I'll ask you to recall how bad Rome got, even when it was under "christian" government. You want that, another Rome? PAH!
Now a question to you touters of evolution, shouldn't we be spending more time on the practical things in middle and high school science classes? Shouldn't we be beating formulas for velocity and density into our children's heads? Shouldn't we be worried about whether or not they understand nt and recessive genes? Shouldn't they be able to fillout a punnet square? Shouldn't they know what one is? Sure, the Big Bang Theory could be mentioned in passing, briefly explained, so that our kids aren't totally ignorant. But is it important to know all about evolution as compared to things that have a basis in actual life? Okay, for instance, which is more important for a 7th grader to understand, that there is a theory that we all over a period of some billion years mutated from a glop of bacteria into a primate into a homosapien, OR the reproduction process, where the sperm swims up the fallopean tubes to the egg and when one penetrates the egg is fertilized etc. I don't mind mentioning evolution, explaining what it is etc. But honestly, I learned more about evolution by my own study rather than public school. I think it's much more important to work on the things that are pretty damn concrete, rather than the things that keep changing every 5 years (and don't say evolution theory is concrete because it sure as hell ain't!) I just rather my kids know how to work physics problems and know where babies come from and know where which vital organs do what. Kids don't know this stuff... hell, S don't know this stuff, and it's much more important scientifically than evolution is.
Damn people, teach your own kids where they came from.
Okay, now nominate...