There is a nominee for the most ludicrous statement made by a government body in 2007. The Council of
Europe has declared that teaching creationism is a threat to human rights!
What? The right to hear both sides of a controversial issue is a threat to human rights?
As reported by www.nature.com, the Council of Europe is an intergovernmental body that is responsible for,
among other things, the European Convention on Human Rights. On October 4, the Council voted to
encourage its member states to “firmly oppose the teaching of creationism as a scientific discipline on an
equal footing with the theory of evolution,” and gave as a reason the perceived threat to human rights.
However, the motion is not binding on the 47 member states.
Here in America we’re used to hearing judges and scientific groups denounce creationism as devoid of any
scientific merit but never before heard anyone claim it was against human rights.
To its credit, Nature’s Web site printed several responses to the news article, many of them critical of the
Council of Europe. Among the comments: the Council provided no documentation for the assertion that
creationism is against human rights; Adolph Hitler’s belief in a “master race” was based on evolution and we
all know where that led; Darwinism must be in trouble if politicians are getting involved in propagating it in the
classrooms.
It is encouraging to see that the creationist movement is having a growing impact around the world, for
example in Britain, France, and Russia. Surely the belief in evolution must be a major factor in the shrinking
church attendance statistics seen throughout Europe.
Creationism is also having a growing influence in some Muslim countries such as Turkey, and although there
have been some contacts with American creationists, Muslim creationism isn’t likely to be the same.
God willing, once people realize there is no conflict between the record of God’s Creation that He left in
nature and the Genesis record, more and more will turn to the Bible to find their Savior. The truth can’t be
hidden for long. LSI
Europe has declared that teaching creationism is a threat to human rights!
What? The right to hear both sides of a controversial issue is a threat to human rights?
As reported by www.nature.com, the Council of Europe is an intergovernmental body that is responsible for,
among other things, the European Convention on Human Rights. On October 4, the Council voted to
encourage its member states to “firmly oppose the teaching of creationism as a scientific discipline on an
equal footing with the theory of evolution,” and gave as a reason the perceived threat to human rights.
However, the motion is not binding on the 47 member states.
Here in America we’re used to hearing judges and scientific groups denounce creationism as devoid of any
scientific merit but never before heard anyone claim it was against human rights.
To its credit, Nature’s Web site printed several responses to the news article, many of them critical of the
Council of Europe. Among the comments: the Council provided no documentation for the assertion that
creationism is against human rights; Adolph Hitler’s belief in a “master race” was based on evolution and we
all know where that led; Darwinism must be in trouble if politicians are getting involved in propagating it in the
classrooms.
It is encouraging to see that the creationist movement is having a growing impact around the world, for
example in Britain, France, and Russia. Surely the belief in evolution must be a major factor in the shrinking
church attendance statistics seen throughout Europe.
Creationism is also having a growing influence in some Muslim countries such as Turkey, and although there
have been some contacts with American creationists, Muslim creationism isn’t likely to be the same.
God willing, once people realize there is no conflict between the record of God’s Creation that He left in
nature and the Genesis record, more and more will turn to the Bible to find their Savior. The truth can’t be
hidden for long. LSI
November/December
2007
2007
Creationism -- A Threat to Human Rights? by Warren Krug |