Serbia turns its back on Darwin
2004-09-08 12:07
Belgrade - Serbia turned its back on Charles Darwin's theory of human evolution this school year, scrapping it from eight-grade biology as "dogmatic", local media reported on Wednesday.
Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica's government on Tuesday night backed the decision of the Education Minister Ljiljana Colic to throw Darwin out, saying "accumulated scientific knowledge on the origin and development of man is full of voids".
A more general sketch of Darwin's theory remained in the sixth-grade programme, and teachers were not banned from discussing the evolution of man, a statement said.
Colic, who said the decision as her "own mark", told Wednesday's edition of the daily Blic that Darwin would remain out of the programme until next year, when his theory would be reintroduced together with the creationist theory.
She said later by phone that "time will tell" if she was right or wrong on putting the two views. She did not say how long she expected it would take to accumulate enough knowledge for that.
Darwin's theory of evolution
Darwin launched the theory of evolution in 1859. It expresses the development of human beings from primates over the course of millions of years, a theory that has become widely accepted as evidence accumulated on how species developed under the influence of their environment.
However, some people in the religious community reject it in favour of their belief in the Biblical version of creation.
Colic's - and Serbia's - turn away from evolution drew a fierce reaction from the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts member and a Belgrade University professor of biology, Dragoslav Marinkovic.
"The Darwin theory was accepted by all, apart from the most primitive countries. It is an absurd and unwise decision which will turn us into the laughing stock of the world," he told the Glas Javnosti daily.
"I believe experts abroad will ask whether it is possible that a European country is returning to the medieval ages," he added.
Colic's decision to scrap Darwin will be welcomed by the Serbian Orthodox Church, which has become increasingly vocal in stating its opinion over strictly secular matters - from festivities falling in the time of a fast, to the question of the national flag and anthem.
"I'm not at all appalled", a priest, Nenad Ilic, told Blic. "What's worth from Darwin will remain, but his evolutionist theory should not be insisted upon."
The growing influence of the church has been reflected in the introduction of catechism to first graders and even plans to start it with pre-schoolers. - Sapa-dpa
- SAPA