It is astounding that today most right-wing evangelical’s rail against scientific Darwinism yet support social Darwinism. Charles Darwin collected evidence that mankind evolved over time through the process called “natural selection.” Many Christian fundamentalists see this concept as a threat because they think it conflicts with Biblical creationism. They believe this to the point of trying to pass off “Intelligent Design” as “Science” which it is not. It is a religious belief. Science is based on observable fact; religion is based on faith which is unseen but perceived through the soul.

I find it interesting that those extremists who claim to be so adamantly opposed to scientific Darwinism are very supportive of “Social Darwinism.” It was created by Herbert Spencer thirty years after Charles Darwin’s work. He said society is based on a struggle where only those with the strongest moral character should survive. He created the phrase, “survival of the fittest.” This gave the robber barons of the industrial period perfect moral justification for their actions and wealth. It created a huge gap between the rich and poor and is making quite a comeback since right-wing evangelicals have seized control of the Republican Party. They justify tax cuts for the wealthy and benefit cuts for the needy because it is all part of the laws of nature and of God. The premise is that those with wealth are moral superiors and deserve all they have gotten. We know this is not always true. Of coarse those who don’t work shouldn’t receive the same as those who do but why is the middle class growing smaller every year? Most wealth is based primarily on inheritance from relatives, political connections, educational opportunities or unscrupulous business practices by the likes of Enron, Wal-Mart or World-Com. Evolution is a scientific fact. Social Darwinism is hogwash. One’s economic status is not a function of one’s moral worth or Mother Teresa would have been the richest person on earth. In fact the inverse of this theory is probably more accurate in our society. The perfect example is “George W Bush.”

Our democracy is in jeopardy when over fifty percent of the population doesn’t believe in scientific fact but the same number say they do believe in social Darwinism and false regressive theology. As our country continues to fall behind other nations in scientific and competitive areas we need to use some reason and intelligence in our views. This country is not progressing; it is devolving and will disintegrate unless we change. Evangelicals need to use the brain God gave them before it is too late. As Darwin would say, “you either use it or lose it.”