To the editor:

I teach high school biology classes. On Monday morning I received a postcard announcing a program featuring William A. Dembski, a leading proponent of the intelligent design movement. The card advertised Dembski’s speech as an opportunity to hear the “scientific basis for intelligent design.” A handwritten note on the card encouraged me to promote Dembski’s speech to my biology students.

Dembski and others within the intelligent design movement provided “expert” testimony for the recent trial in Dover, Pa. Despite such “expert” testimony in support of teaching intelligent design as science, Judge John Jones III ruled intelligent design to be “disguised creationism, motivated by religious belief.” Jones went on to describe the school board’s decision as one of “breathtaking inanity.”

Most profound, however, is Jones’ statement regarding the honesty and integrity of the witnesses supporting intelligent design: “It is ironic that several of these individuals, who so staunchly and proudly touted their religious convictions would time and again lie to cover their tracks and disguise the real purpose behind the intelligent design policy.” The real purpose of intelligent design is, of course, to promote Judeo-Christian religious beliefs, and to obfuscate nearly two centuries of scientific discovery.

I cannot in good conscience encourage my students to attend a speech intentionally designed to mislead and confuse. I suggest Dembski and other supporters of intelligent design give up these insidious attempts to force their religious beliefs on others. They would better serve the world by actually following their own beliefs, starting with “Thou shalt not bear false witness.”

David Reber,

Lawrence