Intelligent Design debate- PLEASE HELP! Where should I go for support on the topic?

[becca]

Whether you personally agree or not with the theory of intelligent design, I am being forced to support it. My assignment is to introduce and offer support for the idea of teaching the theory in schools along with evolution for an English debate assignment and I really need some guidance in where to look for SUPPORT. (-and especially where to get an official definition of the theory itself)

I really didn't know that much about this topic to begin with, and when I did look into it somewhat, all there seemed to be is criticism of the theory. I need good, solid references to use in this debate- its a huge grade and I dont want to look like a complete idiot with nothing to go on.

Where should I look? What should I use?????
I know how completely bogus the whole thing is, I tried to debate a totally different topic, but I am sorta crunched for time and my teacher is making me do this topic. Idk if she even knows how absurd it is to try and support it, but im stuck with this, and my debate opponent pretty much has this in the bag.

I just want to lose this as gracefully as possible, and at least try to BS this to appear well supported.

 

[Xeo]

First off, you really need to stop calling it a theory. If it's anything, it's a hypothesis. A theory has at least some supporting evidence to validate it. Intelligent design has absolutely none.

The whole basis of it goes something like this:

Golly gee, everything in this here world is so confusing to me. I don't understand a lick of it! Since I don't get it, there can't possibly be anyone else out there in the world who does! So, obviously, a giant dude in the clouds done planned this all out for us!

Oh, and when you present evidence to them that proves that the very idea that they contend could only be designed by an intelligent creator can actually be reverse engineered and explained through evolution, they start spitting out words like "faith" and "belief" and then shut down.

So, to answer your question...

The only support you're going to find is going to come from the mouths of religious loonies who have probably never seen the inside of a library nor held a High School diploma in their hands.

The best debate you could do, to appease both sides, is to argue that creationism be taught in a religious studies class as an ELECTIVE, and evolution be taught in science classes as a REQUIREMENT.