Battle Over Evolution

If creationists wish to battle the theory of evolution on scientific grounds (July 12), they must do so in the scientific arena--the reviewed scientific literature--before they can legitimately challenge evolution in textbooks.

Paleontologists continue making discoveries that fill gaps in the fossil record. Geologists publish dozens of papers each month that make sense of an Earth that is hundreds of millions of years old. Biologists publish genetic evidence of faunal relationships concordant with the fossil record. I have seen no creationist challenge to either the observations or the interpretations and conclusions published by mainstream geologists in the Geological Society of America’s journals in the “comments” sections of those journals.

Most fundamentalist colleges do not even house geology departments. Where are they doing the science needed to challenge evolution?

DONALD J. STIERMAN

Toledo, Ohio

* It takes a tremendous amount of faith to believe that random events over the relatively short period of 5 billion years could produce from nothing an organ as complex as the human brain.

Let’s face it, belief in evolution is a form of religion. Those dogmatic, unyielding and self-righteous defenders of the faith who demand that the theory of evolution be taught to our students as fact are no different than the Bible-thumpers they so despise.

ROBERT C. HAMILTON MD

Santa Monica

* Your article on the wiles of the creationists states that in Alabama all biology texts must now carry stickers advising the reader that evolution is an “unproven belief” and “should (only) be considered a theory.” One assumes, in the interests of fair play, that the creationists similarly insist that these stickers be affixed to Bibles.

JOHN R. HARRIS

Huntington Beach