I keep swearing that I won't even LOOK at this thread any more.
I've already said this, but I'll say it again: I (and I'm a born-again, Southern Baptist by birth, Calvinist by preordination, Bible-totin' Christian) agree wholeheartedly that ID falls under the category of Metaphysics, which is a branch of PHILOSOPHY, not physical science.
I am currently a candidate for a Master of Arts in Teaching at a fully accredited college, which means I take a whole buttload of education classes with a buttload of teachers. So far, I have yet to meet a teacher in those classes who wasn't raised in a church in the Bible belt (statistically, probably Southern Baptist) and who doesn't believe that in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Intelligent Design. I have also yet to meet one that disagrees with teaching evolution. Just last night one of these teachers told about taking her son to Fernbank, where he read something about evolution on one of the displays. Apparently, that had not been covered in his science class so far, so this mother (CHRISTIAN mother) taught him about it herself. Natural selection and adaptation has been evidenced and verified over and over, and I don't know a single Christian teacher who cares to dispute it.
I mentioned this debate in class last night, and the 10 students (all of us were Christians, and most of us raised Southern Baptist) and my professor (an elementary school principal and big shot expert in critical thinking) all said the exact same things you're saying: A good teacher teaches the facts first. S/he also teaches ALL of the scientific theories and teaches the students to think critically about ALL of them. Teach evolution, but bring up the missing link which is still missing. Bible stories (or Native American, or whatever) are best put in the context of a history class or comparative religion, but if they come up in science class, look at them SCIENTIFICALLY and have the parents teach religion.
Absolutely NONE of my colleagues wanted anyone teaching their child about Christianity in a public school.
The only place where I know that ID is actually taught are in private Christian schools. However, I know dozens--scores!--of highly intelligent educators who believe that the universe was intelligently designed.
I have my dander up over this thread because it seems to be the common belief on SoWal.com that all Christians believe the same way that the agenda-pushers believe.
They don't. We don't. I don't.
The faith I embrace is about love, abundant life, freedom, and truth. I was taught to love God with all my heart, soul, MIND, and strength, and nothing that can be proved in the physical world is going to run contrary to that. If it turns out that we did, in fact, descend from the apes, it won't harm my faith. I pity the Christians that believe they are not allowed to ask questions or to function in the physical world.