Evolution in the schools

[JFRUGOLI at BIO.TAMU.EDU]

There are two threads running here, as I see it:

1) Should creation stories be taught as "science" in schools?

 (No, IMHO)

and

2) Is it possible to be a scientist and have religious beliefs?  I'd 
like to explore this a bit more, especially because of the recent 
comment I received and posted, to the effect that it was impossible to 
be Christian and a scientist-the person who made this comment seemed to 
think that anyone who claimed both was either a rotten scientist (poor 
logic) or a rotten Christian (hypocrite).  Because I personally know 
good scientists who are both, I disagree (besides-I think I'm both), but 
I blame the present political climate, especially the "Force our beliefs 
down their throat" attitude of the religious right, for generating 
hostility among scientists toward those who hold religious beliefs, even 
within science itself.  Plus, bad experiences like Megan's with poor 
interpretations of Christianity pop up all the time. I'm glad most 
people don't condemn all scientists because some lie or slant the 
data,and I wish these same people would grant religious colleagues the 
same courtesy.  

Does anyone else, especially from non-Christian religious backgrounds, 
run into this, or am I an isolated exception?


Julia Frugoli
Dartmouth College

visiting grad student at
Texas A&M University
Department of Biological Sciences
College Station, TX 77843
409-845-0663
FAX 409-847-8805