Ark points to part of wider, important debate

SCMP Letters to the editor June 07, 2009

Ian Stones' letter ("Ark attack", May 31) serves to bring into focus a matter that is being debated in Hong Kong's theological and academic circles - whether Darwinism or creationism (the belief that God created the universe) should be included in Hong Kong's public school science curriculum.

This debate has raged for years, especially in the United States, and one thing is certain: these two concepts cannot coexist in one system as they are totally incompatible.

Creationists are almost certainly theists in their orientation and hold that intelligent design, a euphemism for God, is responsible for the whole of creation, or at least the important parts. However, Darwinists hold that it is solely Charles Darwin's theory of evolution that creates the living world as we see it today.

This matter is so important to me because I would want my child to be educated on the basis, at least so far as science is concerned, of scientific fact and evidence, and not in any way influenced by biblical mythologies.

What I do not want to see is any furtherance of any of these misinformed ideas of seemingly benign religious zealots, moving stealthily along a path that will lead to a situation where we are all expected to believe that there are fairies at the bottom of our gardens. Intelligent design is a misnomer for prejudicial ignorance and archaic superstition.

Paul Gifford, New Territories