Intelligent Design or Intelligent Deceivers you Decide

A follow up to my last post, further hunting for worthy news stories led me to http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v438/n7067/full/438422c.html page on Nature. This quote-

This hypothesis proposes that the ID movement is motivated by an 'intelligent deceiver'. Individuals who understand how to debate alternative scientific hypotheses would never intentionally promote religious dogma as science. So an intelligent deceiver must be at work, guiding proponents of ID to sow confusion over valid scientific debate.

Kind of sums up how I feel about some of those who debate creationism/intelligent design. All because someone knows how to argue their case (and they are good at arguing) does not make their case more valid. They tend to cherry pick the facts that help them ignoring the rest.

It reminds me of a recent docudrama I was watching on TV about animal rights, the scene was set in a radio station where the presenter was interviewing a scientist who experimented on animals and an animal rights activist. The scientist was calm, made a few good points, but the animal rights activist shouted her argument through the interview preventing the scientist from speaking further, she took control of the debate and won argument. As an educated person I wasn't convinced by this person, but I could see a lot of the general public would be swayed by this approach (she won).

Creationism should be taught n schools according to poll

Was looking through Google news for something interesting to read and came across a 'news' (I don't really see this as news) report titled Creationism in US schools from the Evangelical Times (UK). The report (which is short to say the least) is http://www.evangelical-times.org/ETNews/Oct05/Oct05n15.htm.

I've read statistics that 50% of Americans believe in God which isn't hard to believe is true, plenty of people in the US are deluded and in need of education. But I find it hard to believe in 2006 (2005 when the poll was published apparently)-

Nearly two-thirds of Americans in a recent poll say creationism should be taught alongside evolution in public [state] schools. About 38% were in favour of replacing evolution with creationism altogether.

So 2/3rds apparently believe in creationism, I feel as a species we muse be de-evolving to believe in such religous nonsense!

What should be required reading is books by scientific writers such as Richard Dawkins, especially his book The Blind Watchmaker which I read at University (required reading for a course) and helps dispell the claims made by the intelligent design believers.