Darwin, Right or Wrong?

Did you happen to see the new National Geographic? The cover says, "Was Darwin Wrong? I was a little worried considering all the talk after the election about the religious right revolution. I looked up the article, which starts with the same headline, "Was Darwin Wrong?" over a photograph of a fancy domesticated pigeon. The next page has the word, "NO," in large, block letters printed next to a photo of a naked mole rat in a beaker. Also, there is a period after the "NO." Whew. So it’s final. What if it had said yes? "Yes, Darwin was wrong. A recent study has shown that God created life on earth exactly as it appears today, 5000 years ago at 9am on a Monday." To me, that would be as exciting (if it were true of course*) as if Area 51 was open to the public and there were flying saucers in the hangers being maintained by aliens.
I wonder what photos would have been used instead of the pigeon and naked mole rat. Maybe Jesus with that exact same pigeon on his shoulder. A pigeon that would be completely helpless in the wild, but Jesus would take care of him.
Now, I have always taken the advice, "Never talk religion or politics with friends," seriously. Until now. But in my defense, I have also always believed that belief in evolution does not negate the existence of God. Nor does it negate the possibility of divine creation. Take Darwin for example. He was a very religious man. He was even planning to be a minister until he found overwhelming evidence in favor of evolution (see The Origin of Species, 1859), and, could not, in clean conscience – I digress. And I lie. Both. The truth is, Charles Darwin was a religious man.

*Not if some religious zealots had taken over National Geographic for their own evil purposes. Not exciting.