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Lawsuit Claims NASA Specialist Was Fired Over Intelligent Design Belief
New submitter period3 writes "The latest mission of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory is defending itself in a workplace lawsuit filed by a former computer specialist. The man claims he was demoted and then let go for promoting his views on intelligent design, the belief that a higher power must have had a hand in creation because life is too complex to have developed through evolution alone."
I am happy that he did not work for NASA. God bless America. And yes, the idea of GOD is not scientifically ridiculous.
Einstein
So I'm a jackass. I'd say that anybody that believes in creationism or ID should be shot (assuming they've been given the opportunity to understand, you know, facts, and just didn't take it).
Toning that back a bit, I'd say he should be fired for believing it. If you want to be a secretary and believe in ID, you're still an idiot but it isn't direct evidence that you're incompetent, like it is for a scientist or engineer.
Now I know that the guy was a "computer specialist", so he could've perhaps gotten by. Some random techie fiddling with the computers doesn't need to "believe" in science (not that science requires belief).
But note the operative word that the summary tossed in - "promoting". That's what changes this from a "they fired an idiot, but his idiocy didn't affect his job necessarily" to "he's getting in the way of everybody's work". Anyone he was able to convince, they wouldn't want anyway - but you can be damned sure he was trying hard to convince people at NASA that science wasn't really that great.
It's like Microsoft firing a guy who goes around bothering the Windows folks and telling them they ought to use Macs. Regardless of your feelings on the matter, it's impossible to see that as anything other than irritating at best, and obstructive at worst.
I have developed a truly marvelous proof of this comment, which this signature is too narrow to contain.
So let me get this straight...
An entity receiving government funds decided that someone who didn't share their core beliefs shouldn't work there anymore?
How is this different than Catholic Hospitals receiving government money and then deciding based on their beliefs how to run their business?
Personally neither should be done but this guy was pushing his beliefs onto his co-workers including giving people DVDs. And the project was significantly downsizing due to it being 'finished' etc. If you're the squeaky wheel, you'll get the grease[d exit] first...
People in cars cause accidents....accidents in cars cause people
Firing him for believing in ridiculous fairy tales is not good, but there's simply no way to keep the guy's colleagues from not taking him seriously, which would be the same as firing him. If so we might as well entertain the idea of retaining people who aren't cut out for the job by law, I hopoe we don't go Britain's route and start legislating in some of their more rediculous libel laws.
Python: 'And then suddenly you have a language which says "we're all stuck with whatever the whiniest coder wants".'
I've had many physics and engineering professors who ALSO believed in Intelligent Design. Hell even Einstein believed in it. Should these people be fired simply because they believe there is a Creator the originated the Big Bang and Evolution?
I think your comment "demoted for rejecting the whole basis? ...Who would have thought," shows a definite prejudice against religious persons. Frankly. It disgusts me (as would any prejudice against a group or stereotype).
My AC stalker: " I personally agree with your posts most of the time, but that won't keep me from modding you troll"
You do understand that none of your attempts to show Genesis as an allegorical explanation of Big Bang cosmology actually makes sense, right?
The world's burning. Moped Jesus spotted on I50. Details at 11.