Evolution vs. Intelligent Design   Anti-evolution groups have promoting the teaching of Intelligent Design.  Intelligent Design is based on the misrepresentation of evolution as a "contested" theory, and a response to the 1987 of Supreme Court case Edwards vs. Aguillard that prohibit teachings creationism.   Intelligent Design is not a scientific theory. It fails the criteria for a real scientific theory laid out in the 1982 Supreme Court decision, McLean vs. Arkansas Board of Education, namely that real science is: (1) guided by natural - physical or biological - law; (2) explanatory by reference to natural law; (3) testable against the empirical world; (4) tentative in its conclusions; and (5) falsifiable, i.e., makes predictions that can be tested by observation.   Some anti-evolutionist use the "teach the controversy" strategy, a few have gone even farther and seeking to require equal time for "intelligent design" alongside evolution in classes. The theory of evolution is accepted with the overwhelming consensus of the scientific community.   August Berkshire of Minnesota Atheists explained on the September 6, 2004 Rob Sherman radio show how he stopped the Right Wing from cramming religion into the science and social studies textbooks of Minnesota public schools.  Once the media caught on the proposed standards, creationism and intelligent design was removed.  The Minnesota Atheists presented the following to the state commissioners and education committee:   Copy 1987 of Supreme Court case Edwards vs. Aguillard decision that prohibits teachings creationism.   Friend of court brief signed by 72 Nobel Prize winning scientists said the evolution history has been as extensively tested and corroborated as any biological concept.   A list from the National Center for Science Education of scientific and religious organization that support teaching of evolution.   Statement from the National Academy of Sciences and American Association of Advancement of Science supporting evolution.    Copy of 1996 article where pope accepts evolution.   The American Civil Liberties Union and Americans United for Separation of Church and State also help parents file lawsuits against high schools considering teaching religion based theories in science classes.   Voters in Tuesday 2005 elections ousted the Dover, Pennsylvania local school board that promoted an "intelligent-design" alternative to teaching evolution, and elected a new slate of candidates who promised to remove the concept from science classes.   The Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster is also advocating alternative theories to evolution. They routinely contact school boards considering Intelligent Design, present their scientific evidence that a Flying Spaghetti Monster created the universe, and request that their theory be taught along with evolution and Intelligent Design.   William Paley asserted in his Natural Theology, the design of the universe testified to the existence of an intelligent designer based on the premise if on a walk through a field, you one day happened upon a watch, that watch would prove something, namely the existence of a watchmaker. What he overlooked is a watch is a system of simple parts. The round components contrast to the elliptical orbits in the solar system. The gears with an integer number of teeth contrast to the non-integer number of days in the year and a non-integer number of moon orbits in a year. Every part in a watch having a purpose contrasts to wisdom teeth, tonsils, and the appendix in humans. Simplicity indicates intelligent design; complexity does not.   For more information see: The Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal www.centerforinquiry.net is active in debunking the paranormal with public education, and a take action on this issue email program. Minnesota atheists - http://www.mnatheists.org/ www.RobSherman.com Smashing the Sacred Myths - Examines the conflict between science and religion. A good introduction to science is A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson.