Creationists get airtime on Idaho public television. (Around The State).

Seeking to mollify conservative critics in the legislature, Idaho Public Television (IPT) has aired two creationist programs designed to undermine the scientific concept of evolution.

In October, IPT viewers had an opportunity to see what virtually everyone in the scientific community agrees is accepted science through the PBS series, "Evolution." According to PBS, the documentary was created to "heighten public understanding of evolution and how it works, to dispel common misunder-standings about the process, and to illuminate why it is relevant to all of us."

The Idaho station, under intense pressure for several years from conservative state legislators, also decided to air two religious programs immediately after the series, including "The Young Age of the Earth" a creationist program produced by Earth Science Associates of Knoxville, Tenn., and "Voices for Creation," another anti-evolution program.

According to the Idaho Statesman, "The Young Age of the Earth," was aired at the behest of State Sen. Stan Hawkins (R-Ucon), who pushed for the program during a 2000 debate over public television's budget from the state government.

The creationist programs are the work of fundamentalist Christians who insist that the planet is only 6,000 years old, in keeping with their interpretation of the Bible.

Most Christian denominations, however, believe evolution and religion are not in contradiction. The National Center for Science Education has prepared a "Congregational Study Guide," published on the group's website, to help people of faith learn more about the compatibility of religion and science. The materials are available at www.ncseweb.org.