Philosopher of science Michael Ruse is willing to say out loud what many other are not: evolution is a religion. In her sturdy book Total Truth, Nancy Pearcey quotes him:

“Evolution came into being as a kind of secular ideology, an explicit substitute for Christianity…[it] is promulgated as an ideology, a secular religion–a full-flegded alternative to Christianity, with meaning and morality.” Ruse hastens to reassure his readers that he himself remains “an ardent evolutionist and an ex-Christian.” And yet, “I must admit that in this one complaint…the [biblical] literalists are absolutely right. Evolution is a religion. This was true of evolution in the beginning, and it is true of evolution still today.”  

Although obvious to those familiar with the history of science, the religious nature of evolution continues to escape it’s lay-devotees. And this has to be borne in mind when engaging them. Never mind that the fossil tree is 97% empty or that Richard Dawkins has stated on camera that intelligent design is 97% unlikely but it’s quite possible that aliens planted the designs of life on earth millions of years ago. Now why is this religion allowed in the classroom (the science classroom, that is; no quibble with it in English or philosophy class), but no other?