Council of Europe to vote on creationism

reposted from: NSS newsline today

Council of Europe to vote on creationism
The Council of Europe will vote next week on a resolution that opposes the teaching of creationism in schools and intelligent design in science classes. The debate on the resolution will take place in the Parliamentary Assembly on October 4.

The resolution says attacks on the theory of evolution were rooted "in forms of religious extremism" and amounted to a dangerous assault on science and human rights. It also says that schools in Europe should "resist presentation of creationist ideas in any discipline other than religion." It describes the "intelligent design" argument as an updated version of creationism.

Anne Brasseur, an Assembly member from Luxembourg who updated an earlier draft resolution, said the vote had been due in June but was postponed because some members felt the original text amounted to an attack on religious belief. However, only minor changes have been made to the initial draft.

Even if passed, the resolution will not be binding on the 47 member states, but would send out a strong message of disapproval of the encroachment of creationism into schools. The Council of Europe is based in Strasbourg and oversees human rights standards in member states and enforces decisions of the European Court of Human Rights.

One attempt to introduce creationism is being made in Northern Ireland by Ian Paisley's DUP. Read the details.