Idiocy may be infectious. It's not just the US that is infested with Intelligent Design creationism, although we seem to have the most advanced case of it. Sander Kupers sent me a link to this article in the Algemeen Dagblad (registration required, and it's all in Dutch, anyway…fortunately, Sander sent a translation):

(Note: new stuff added, and moved most of it below the fold, along with the pants-free cartoon)

Parliament: No debate about the theory of evolution

The Second Chamber of parliament (equivalent to the House of Commons or House of Representatives) doesn't want a debate about the theory of evolution, like the one Minister of Education Van der Hoeven (of the Christian Democratic Party CDA) wants. "The political parties aren't interested in a Minister that set us back to the 50's", says representative Balemans (of the Liberal Party VVD).

Van der Hoeven is charmed by the idea that there is a 'intended design' for life on Earth. This so-called Intelligent-Design philosophy is controversial in the scientific community, because it tacitly assumes the biblical account of creation.

The generally accepted theory of evolution of Darwin has no place for such supernatural explanations.

Last satuday, Van der Hoeven said in an interview with de Volkskrant that the theory of evolution is 'not complete'. She added that she doesn't believe in coincidence. The CDA-politica wants to start a dialogue between scientists and supporters of creationism and intelligent design.

The VVD (Liberals), D66 (Democrats), PvdA (Social Democrats), LPF (Populists) en also Van der Hoeven's own CDA (Christian Democrats) don't agree with her. "This will set us back five steps", fears representative Lambrechts (of the Democratic Party D66). "Six years ago we decided that schools must teach their students the evolution of evolution. We want to keep it this way."

According to representative De Vries (of the Christian Democratic Party CDA) such a debate is not necessary, "because there is no taboo." He says she can discuss it as much as she wants on own her own department.

Representative Kraneveldt (of the Populist Party LPF) thinks that the separation between religion and government is in danger if Van der Hoeven thinks it's her task to make the "ID-idea" heard in schools.

Van der Hoeven wanted to invite professor of Genetics R. Plasterk to the debate. He criticizes the ideas of the politician, because according to Plasterk, her ideas don't agree with the separation of religion and government. Plasterk thinks her statement that she doesn't believe in coincidence is "a bit strange".

Journalists in the Netherlands are going to have to work on their comprehension of the phenomenon: ID explicitly denies a strict attachment to biblical accounts, although it is an implicit assumption among many of the believers. That can lead to trouble later, when the proponents start complaining that their ideas have been misrepresented, and everything turns into a stultifying theological debate. At least it's a good sign that many of the politicians are quick to dissociate themselves from the nonsense; American politicians seem to avoid making a stand on the issue, unless they're coming out for it.

The New Humanist mentions another incident in the Netherlands, a school headmaster trying to push ID creationism on his science teachers.

A headmaster of a Protestant school has agreed to stay at home for a few days after causing a stir by his insistence his teachers adhere to the Christian theory of Creationism.

Peter Boon of Augustinus College in the northern city of Groningen said in an interview with newspaper "Dagblad van het Noorden" earlier this week he could not tolerate one of his teachers telling a class he was a supporter of the Theory of Evolution.

News agency ANP reported that many of the teachers in the school disagree with this and believe that the Theory of Evolution can go hand-in-hand with the Christian view on how life — and humans in particular — has developed.

During a staff meeting, some teachers indicated to Boon they felt offended and as if they were not been taken seriously.

As a result of the meeting, Boon he will create a "cooling off period" by staying away from the school until Tuesday. Monday is a holiday in the Netherlands.

Again, it's a promising sign that his peers just kindly asked the crazy headmaster to go home and have a nice lie-down, but not so good that such nuttiness is erupting at all. The Dutch treatments so far all seem very sensible, I wonder if we can get them accepted here?

Sander sends along some more translations from NRC Handelsblad (not available online).

Minister of education wants a debate about creation

Minister Maria van der Hoeven wants to start an academic discussion about evolution and the idea that there is a 'designer' responsible for life on earth.

The results of such a discussion might be added to school curricula.

In an interview in de Volkskrant of last Saturday minister Van der Hoeven confirmed this idea, which she wrote about on her own weblog last March.

According to the minister "you have to admit that the theory of evolution is incomplete," and that "new things" are discovered all the time. On her weblog she referred to the ideas of the American movement of Intelligent Design, a movement from the 90's that suspects a creator is responsible for life on earth.

This is serious! It's on a weblog!

The minister wants to organize a discussion next fall with scientists and supporters of creationism and intelligent design. According to Van der Hoeven this discussion can be used to make connections between science and religion. The minister thinks it's "too bad" that scientists want to keep science and religion separated. Her remarks don't violate the separation between religion and government, says the minister.

The Second Chamber of Parliament rejects the minister's plan. According to coalition partners VVD and CDA the government should not play any role in a debate about science and religion. Representative J. de Vries (CDA): "That debate has to happen within the scientific community itself." E. Balemans thinks this idea is linked with an unwanted "conversative-religious movement in the United States". "Politics should stay far away from science," says M. Hamer (PvdA). U. Lambrechts (D66) says the remarks of the minister "set us back five steps", "Six years ago we decided that schools must teach their students the evolution of evolution. The minister's remarks at least seem to suggest that ID is a theory that as equally supported as the theory of evolution."

There's also a link to a curious cartoon. The captions are translated as "Fokke and Sukke have never noticed any intelligent design," and the characters say: "We know the ministry of education as a supporter of the creation..." and "of chaos". Hmmm. OK. I can't say that it's exactly hilarious, but it is interesting that Dutch cartoon characters can get away with not wearing any pants in their newspapers.