Ok, I KNOW people want to drop the evolution issue, but I just can't leave it that (besides, I think Rob took a shot at me
).
The word Theory has more than one definition, but for the sake of this conversation two are important:
1. a proposed explanation whose status is still conjectural and subject to experimentation, in contrast to well-established propositions that are regarded as reporting matters of actual fact. Synonyms: idea, notion hypothesis, postulate (layperson's definition).
2. a coherent group of tested general propositions, commonly regarded as correct, that can be used as principles of explanation and prediction for a class of phenomena: Einstein's theory of relativity. Synonyms: principle, law, doctrine (scientific definition).
Two very different, contrasting definitions. In fact, the science-y word for what layfolks call "theory" is in the list of synonyms: hypothesis. Evolution has been given the scientific title of "Theory" because it has been tested...a lot. As Seamus said there is a metric fuckton of evidence in favor of evolution which has withstood scientific inquiry and the false evidence has been sifted out and disregarded (Piltdown Man, which took 40 years to disprove among others: science does not work quickly).
And no, I don't "accept Evolution is a fact simply because my teachers told me so", Rob. In fact, through my public schooling Evolution was only lightly covered. I actually studied and researched it on my own and came to that conclusion on my own. We cannot see major evolutionary changes such as an amoeba transforming into a human or something along those lines because we don't live long enough. Evolution took place over many, many years...millions of them.
As for the "hundreds, if not thousands" of scientists who do not accept evolution, you are misleadingly right. The Discovery Institute (which is a creationist group whose agenda is to make it so Creationism is taught in Science Class alongside or in place of Evolution) has a "scientific dissent from Darwinism list" which since 2007 has gained 600 signatures. There are roughly half a million Life and Earth Scientists in the US. So even if we were to bump that number to 1000 that would still be far less than 1% of Earth and Life Scientists. Did I mention that most of the scientists who disregard evolutionary theory are not in the Earth and Life Sciences (where Evolution falls)?
The notion that I am some mindless, unwitting dupe of Public School Overlords is repugnant. Sure I went through the system, but my education didn't stop there. I know more at 34, even about academics, than I did at 18. When I wanted to learn something that wasn't being covered or only glossed over in school I educated my damn self and I still do so today.
PS: As far as Behe goes, not only did he fail miserably in court trying to defend "Intelligent Design" (Creationism) as a legit science and Kitzmiller v. Dover Public Schools (he tried to claim ID was not religious in nature to allow Creationist text books in public schools) but his own university has a disclaimer on its website in regards to him. His hypothesis of Irreducible Complexity has been rejected by the Scientific Community at large and even disproven by laypeople.