Harold & Lynne's Star-Telegram Letters to the Editor

Harold and I both had our letters to the editor appear in the 12/1/2008 Star-Telegram. We wrote in separately, not knowing the other had written in, about the same op-ed piece, Science is up for debate in Austin, by columnist Bud Kennedy, Nov. 20.

Here's the text from Harold's:
I have been reading the recent comments about the arguments over teaching intelligent design in schools. I think that using a Bible to teach science is about as useful as it would be to use a science book to try to teach religion in a Bible class.
People who study the science of creation will sometimes say that the world was created in six days. While this is the way the Bible was written somewhere around the year 300 B.C., there are many bodies of written literature which say that the six days represent the millions or billions of years it took the work to form.
If you want to study creation in a biblical context, there are many books that will enable you to study that subject in a scientific way. However, you will not need a science book to do it. On the other hand, if you want to study science and the formation of the universe, then there are many theories you can read about that will tell you about different ways of measuring vast distances in the universe based upon the light emitted from stars. However, you would not use a Bible when studying this subject.
I wish that the people who want to promote this concept of intelligent design would just be honest about it. It is just an attempt to promote religion in school.
While people disagree about how the universe came about, that discussion should take place in a science class. Disagreements about the Bible and what it says should be discussed in your local Bible study group.
— Harold Jacobs, Keller

And then mine:

I have been concerned for some time about the increasing pressure by the State Board of Education to introduce the "strengths and weaknesses" of Darwin’s theory of evolution into Texas classrooms, textbooks and exams.
This will enable religious ideologues to sneak in the teaching of creationism through the back door of our public schools. (See: "Science is up for debate in Austin," Nov. 20)
Bud Kennedy deserves thanks for speaking up on behalf of our students and science teachers. I will be sure to contact my representatives and make my voice heard, and I hope that those concerned about the future of our students in Texas will also as Texas strives to become a national center for excellence in engineering, medicine and scientific inquiry.
— Lynne Jacobs, Keller