This is a proposal I could get behind.
Of course, all of these “arguments” about evolution vs. creationism/intelligent design hinge on a deliberate (I presume) misconstrual of the notions of “theory” and “fact.”
Story on Cobb County Creationism Case. Mark Frauenfelder: Gary Peare sez: “I have a modest proposal regarding the following story:”
A federal trial began today in Atlanta over evolution disclaimers in Cobb County schools. A group of parents backed by the ACLU argue that the disclaimers in science biology textbooks are a government endorsement of religion.
“The county put stickers with the following text into the books:”
This textbook contains material on evolution. Evolution is a theory, not a fact, regarding the origin of living things. This material should be approached with an open mind, studied carefully and critically considered.
“So here’s my proposal. Let’s allow the religious right to paste their stickers in all the biology texts they want so long as they affix the following text to each and every one of their Bibles:”
“This book contains material on Judeo-Christian theology. Judeo-Christian theology offers insight into the origin and meaning of life and is the basis for several of the world’s great religions. But it does not encompass the full range of religious beliefs held sacred by members of our diverse American society. Moreover, this material is based on ancient texts, and significant errors may have been introduced through subsequent translations and omissions. This material should be approached with an open mind, studied carefully and critically considered.”