"The theory of evolution is a lie..."

(photo by Lene Berg. www. darwin.com.pl)

Poland's education minister Roman Giertych has challenged European Comission as well as world science society and together with his father, professor of dendrology and representative in the European Parliament, Maciej Giertych and Miroslaw Orzechowski, deputy minister in the right-wing coalition government, has began a fight for "keeping Darwin's 'lies' out of Polish schools". Quarreling about human's origin is nothing new, but I am wondering about the timing for this creationist rebellion in Polish parliament. Has it something to do with the States? Hmmm.

Anyway, Roman G. says "we are not going to withdraw (Darwin's theory) from the school books, but we should start to DISCUSS it". Miroslaw O. makes a statement that "the theory of evolution is a lie, an error that we have legalised as a common truth" Maciej G. describes the theory as "not supported by proof" and called for it be removed from school books." All of them represents Catholic far-right political group - the League of Polish Families and mean that evolutionism was created for non-believers and as a substitute to the real faith.

Orzechowski doesn't hesitate to remove teachers who are not going to comply with ministry's instructions (if they come) about not teaching evolutionism. He doesn't hide his lack of tolerance (well, mild said) and said "Oh, the world has already managed without tolerance and will still manage". The whole interview here (only in Polish).

Quite surprisingly, archbishop Józef Życiński criticizes (only in Polish) those voices and says "Darwin had right, Sir minister!" and that "those who suggest that theory is incompatible with religious teaching do harm to the religion. Archbishop invokes Pope John Paul II to show that scientific theories cannot be seen as contradictory to relgion. In 1996 Pope John Paul II said "fresh knowledge leads to recognition of more than one hypothesis in the theory of evolution" but he didn't exclude this theory at all.

More about struggling between creationists and evolutionsists in Poland here.
Foreword by Maciej Giertych to "Creation Rediscovered" here.

Yesterday, representative in the European Parliament said that "dinosaurs lived in our time" and as an argument and proof he says "the Poles remember the Dragon of Wawel!". The LEGEND of The Dragon you can read here. Human development is also falsification according to Maciej Giertych. As a proof, he showed a picture of an american boxer and said that he looks totally like a Neanderthal man!!! Well, I am not an expert but Däniken had also his own evidences/legends and I am not sure if I believe in those. Maybe soon we'll meet a catchword "Welcome to the world of mysteries of professor Giertych" while heading to next European Parliament session.

And the most ironic thing of all is that Lene Berge - a norwegian artist, came last year to Warsaw and made an incredible funny installation in the centre of the city, on the buliding that reall has a special meaning for the polish society and politics...

6th october 2005. Warsaw's Palace of Culture and Science
Darwin is singing his soul... hihi. Check pictures, video, history here.

Do our parliamentary creationists have any comments? I think this debate need some smile as well.


P.S. And just to clarify matters - I am aware that theory is only theory.
(picture by Lene Berg. www.darwin.com.pl)