Candidate gives God role in politics

COLUMBIA- Lieutenant governor candidate Henry Jordan says science does not support Darwin's theory that man evolved from lower forms and that public school students should learn "intelligent design" along with evolution.

"I think everything ought to be taught ... and let people decide for themselves. There is no science to support trans-species changes; in other words, a monkey becoming a man," the Republican said in an interview Monday with The Associated Press.

"A bunch of amoebas didn't get together and design all this," Dr. Jordan said, referring to the human body. "We'd be operating on people ... looking at their hearts, their liver and their lungs, I'd tell the techs, 'Can you believe those little amoebas figured all this out?'

"I mean, you've got to be stupid to believe in evolution, I mean really."

Dr. Jordan said he believes the sin of pride and people's desire to decide their own fate, rather than obey God, are why people believe in evolution.

Dr. Jordan, a state Board of Education member from 1997-2001, will face incumbent Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer and Mike Campbell, son of the late Gov. Carroll Campbell, in the Republican primary next month. Dr. Jordan lost a bid for lieutenant governor in 1994.

While on the state board, Dr. Jordan was perhaps best known for his push to give schools the ability to post the Ten Commandments. He said Monday he believes it's important to continue to acknowledge God in public life. He said God continues to bless the United States, despite its transgressions, because it is Israel's "only real friend" and because Americans fund most of the world's missionaries.

"There are only two nations I know of that have been supernaturally blessed: Israel, because God chose them ... and the other is the United States," Dr. Jordan said. "God chose Israel to demonstrate his love to his creation. ... Our forebears chose to honor him in our language and documents and public life, and he's blessed us beyond our natural resources, beyond the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence."

Dr. Jordan, a flight surgeon in Vietnam, said his religious views are partly why he supports school choice. He wants the General Assembly to approve Gov. Mark Sanford's proposal to give parents tax credits for home school and private school.

The measure died in the Legislature last year.

Dr. Jordan, who became a Christian about 25 years ago, was criticized in 1997 for a comment he made during a Board of Education committee meeting about Buddhists and Muslims. The comment crudely dismissed the two groups for their likely opposition to posting the Ten Commandments in schools or praying before meals. He said he was teasing when he said it.

On Monday, Dr. Jordan declined to rehash the decade-old comment and resulting controversy. He said he apologized after meeting with the American Muslim Society's leaders, they accepted, and "it's a closed issue."

Posting the Ten Commandments "has nothing to do with proselytizing or trying to cram Christianity down people's throats," Dr. Jordan said. "A real Christian understands that Billy Graham can't cram it down somebody's throat if they're not receptive. ... You could put the Ten Commandments on every corner, it wouldn't make any difference."

He opposes abortion and gay marriage and advocates shrinking state government. He said his conservative ideology also includes cracking down on illegal immigration.

Dr. Jordan said he wants America to enforce its laws on illegal immigration, build a fence along the nation's southern border and protect it with guards.