Vatican Official Refutes Intelligent Design

The Vatican's chief astronomer said Friday that "intelligent design" isn't science and doesn't belong in science classrooms, the latest high-ranking Roman Catholic official to enter the evolution debate in the United States.

The Rev. George Coyne, the Jesuit director of the Vatican Observatory, said placing intelligent design theory alongside that of evolution in school programs was "wrong" and was akin to mixing apples with oranges.

"Intelligent design isn't science even though it pretends to be," the ANSA news agency quoted Coyne as saying on the sidelines of a conference in Florence. "If you want to teach it in schools, intelligent design should be taught when religion or cultural history is taught, not science."

LINK -> http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051118/ap_on_re_eu/vatican_evolution

in fact they say that it goes along with the idea of a divine creator.

In Catholic grade school (4th grade maybe? 3rd?) we were taught about the various theories in science class, and we were taught evolution was the most realistic scenario. I can nuke the Church and its schools for a lot of things, but not that.

Then again: Catholic schools dedicate a separate period for Catechism. Something public schools lack but the fundies would love to have.

At least, before First Communion & before Confirmation. I used the old Baltimore Catechism & found a website with some of the memorable artwork:

www.prenderpeople.com/id301.htm

This is a family's site, or "A Website For The Prendergasts And For Those Who Love Them." I don't know them, but I think I like them!

...Jesuits have a well-earned reputation for intellectual accomplishment. They're no ignorant, tent-revival snake handlers.

If you watch the fundavangelists long enough, eventually they rail against the "Popists"-really the only thing they have in common is an opposition to abortion.

I'm going to print this out and give it to my asshole ex-husband. He told my son last week that there's no such thing as dinosaur fossils, they're fake, along with all the fossilized remains they've found of our ancestors. He's from a Catholic family, went off to some crazy fundie church last year.

...that Catholics are Satan worshippers.

is that oxymoronic?

In all seriousness, the Vatican learned their lesson with Gallileo. I disagree with much of what they believe theolgically, but they havent gotten theology and science confused for centruies.