I was surprised and delighted to hear on national news that the Kansas Board of Education has recently rejected the teaching of evolution as a theory of origins. Hooray, finally, for some common sense. What a wonderful gift for students returning to school and what a great victory for truth in the culture wars.

Of course, there is the usual journalistic bias and slant coming through in many of the news reports concerning the matter. To read what Reuters says about it would make you think that the decision is a victory for ignorance and bigotry at its worst. For example, they report that the Board of Education "has rejected evolution as a scientific principle". In fact, the Board allows for the teaching that evolution within a species does observably occur, but they also contend (and rightfully so) that one cannot scientifically observe the evolving of one species of life into another.

It is one thing to teach our kids what can be demonstrably proven, that small genetic changes do occur within species. It is quite another thing to teach our kids that all of life evolved from a one-celled amoeba, and that species in fact evolve into other species, and that humans came from monkeys, none of which has been either scientifically observed or proven.

Said Steve Case, a member of the state science committee and a University of Kansas instructor, "It's frustrating and it makes me angry. There is potentially great damage that can be done to students in Kansas."

Mr. Case, I hope you're listening. Let me tell you, sir, what damages the students in Kansas. To systematically teach all our children from kindergarten through college the full-blown theory of evolution as though it is a proven fact - that all of life descended from a one-celled amoeba and by accident, that humans came from dogs and later from monkeys, that we are fundamentally no different than the animals and of no more inherent worth, to teach our kids all through public school that we are no more than super-monkeys, to teach our kids all this as though it has been scientifically proven - this sir is what has done and continues to do incredible damage to our children and to our culture. Is it possible, sir, that when we teach our children that they are no more than animals that they will in fact begin to treat humans as animals? Is it possible that the school violence and killings and suicides that were unheard of just a generation ago but which are now rampant may be the result of teaching just one generation of kids that they are no different than animals?

No, the 6-4 decision by the Kansas Board of Education is a thoughtful and rational and courageous one in a day when politically correct science usually wins the day. It is a decision that says educators should stop teaching our children a tired and increasingly rejected theory as though it is a proven fact. And it is a victory for those of us who believe the Bible which tells us in Genesis chapter one that God created man in his own image. We are different from animals. We are special. We are of greater worth and value than monkeys. That makes a lot more sense to me than what lots of school textbooks have tried to teach me over the years, that we all just came from dogs and monkeys and are really not inherently any different. I'll take the Bible's view of origins any day!

For the church of Christ in Cherryvale, this is Stan Bryan, made in the image of God and not the image of a monkey!