In the spotlight: Maciej Giertych

Deputy Education Minister Mirosław Orzechowski openly calls Darwin's theory of evolution a lie, and "a pseudo-scientific argumentation for the non-believers," which is good enough to be a screenplay for a science-fiction movie.

It should come as no surprise that such statements come from a representative of LPR. Professor Maciej Giertych - the party's MEP and the father of the party's leader and Minister of Education Roman Giertych - is a known advocate of creationism. During a conference at the European Parliament in October, Giertych said that the theory of evolution should not be taught in schools. He also claims that Neanderthals continue to live among us, while Australopithecus was an ancient ape that became extinct. Giertych also claims that humans had contact with dinosaurs, which became extinct as a result of a huge worldwide flood.

It is worth noting that the LPR politicians' statements on evolution and creationism aren't exactly consistent with the Catholic Church's stand. The late Pope John Paul II said that the theory of evolution was "more than a hypothesis." According to the Church's teachings, evolution could have taken place, but simply as a result of God's plan.