Is
Creationism a Threat to Human Rights? Part 1
by guest Al Mohler
President:
The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary - Louisville, KY
As if the world needed another crazy development,
the Council of Europe, the continent's central human rights body, recently
declared creationism to be a threat to human rights. The group's Parliamentary
Assembly approved a resolution stating that creationism is promoted by
"forms of religious extremism."
As Reuters
reported:
The Council, based in the eastern French city
of Strasbourg,
oversees human rights standards in member states and enforces decisions of the
European Court of Human Rights.
The resolution, which passed 48 votes to 25
with 3 abstentions, is not binding on the Council's 47 member states but
reflects widespread opposition among politicians to teaching creationism in
science class.
The text
of the resolution leaves no doubt about the Council of Europe's judgment.
"For some people the Creation, as a matter of religious belief, gives a
meaning to life," the text acknowledges. "Nevertheless, the
Parliamentary Assembly is worried about the possible ill-effects of the spread
of creationist ideas within our education systems and about the consequences
for our democracies. If we are not careful, creationism could become a threat
to human rights which are a key concern of the Council of Europe."
Anyone looking for evidence of a secularized
culture should take a quick look at this resolution. When the official human
rights institution of Europe has to explain that "some people"
believe that the divine creation of the universe "gives a meaning to
life," this can only mean that Europe (at least as represented by the
Council of Europe) has forgotten even its Christian memory.
This body is seriously concerned that creationism
is not only a threat to their secularized educational systems, but to democracy
itself. Human rights could be endangered, the Council claims, if the continent
is "not careful."
Someone must be passing out paranoia pills in Strasbourg. But
more than secular paranoia is operating here. A closer look at this
resolution indicates the centrality of Darwinian evolution to the secular
worldview. Any breach in the wall defending evolution can lead, they are
sure, to disaster.
To be continued next week…
