Readers weigh in on intelligent design ruling

Reader response to the ruling in the Harrisburg, Pa., evolution trial was overwhelming, with hundreds of new e-mails pouring in every hour. Many people applauded the judge for rejecting intelligent design in science class, while others wondered why all views couldn't be heard. Here is a selection of your responses (some letters may be edited for length):

Name: Richard D. Trifan
Hometown: Ringwood, New Jersey
The judge ruled correctly, and sensibly, for if we reverse our progress for the last 150 years and cede the evolutionary process to a God (again!) we would be not only ignorant but, as a country, the laughingstock of the world.

Name: Salah
Hometown: Jacksonville, FL
Amazing. Anytime something goes very bad for us, we mention God and ask for his help. What't wrong with learning about other alternatives to the evolution theory? After all it is a theory filled with holes.

Name: Lou Anne Kirby
Hometown: Sonoita, Arizona
ID could be taught as part of a comparative religions course in public high schools. Since religion is a vital part of every culture, students should be exposed to great religious philosophies as part of their education in the humanities and social studies. My opinion: the creationists' god is too small; a god who could design a complex universe could also design a mechanism to continually update its lifeforms: to wit, evolution.

Name: Steve
Hometown: Cincinnati OH
Being from the conservative midwest myself, I looked on these ID developments with considerable dismay. We get Jesus crammed down our throat there in school by our teachers, fellow students and PTA, so why must it be in our curriculum as well?

Name: Johnny
Hometown: AL
I think the judges of this nation should stop playing "holy guides" and back the foundation of the nation known as a Christian nation, The United States of America. Based upon the true beliefs of God. Why must we be ruled by the few that say oh that offends me.

Name: Maria Ramirez
Hometown: San Diego, CA
I think it is interesting how certain people do not want to "push" religion in the classroom, yet they want to "push" the theory of Darwinism. We have to remember that this is a theory and not a fact. It has never been proven.

Name: John Kluge
Hometown: Greenwood, La
Please do not think I am being sarcastic when I say, "Thank God!!" for an intelligent decision on the part of the Judicial Branch. The constitution is supposed to protect the minority from the majority in cases like this.

Name: Kate
Hometown: Cerritos, CA
Even though I may not agree with the theory itself, I think that all plausable theories should be offered to students so that they can make up their own minds. I attended a private school and was not taught the theory of evolution. I think that all schools should offer all theories, and teach them in a systematic way so as to empower students to decide what they believe for themselves.

Name: Luke Hinton
Hometown: Princeton, KY
As a Christian, I obviously believe that the God of the Bible created the universe. My faith is just as reasonable as an atheist, and it actually takes less faith to believe in a Designer than to believe that everything came from nothing by nothing and evolved by chance. Schools should teach both. This is not about separation of church and state; everyone takes that out of context. The state is not trying to control the church, and PA is claiming no specific religion by teaching creationism; they are teaching a theory based on faith and more evidence than evolutionists have.

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