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Creationism Conference at Michigan State University Stirs Unease
sciencehabit writes "A creationist conference set for a major research campus — Michigan State University (MSU) in East Lansing — is creating unease among some of the school's students and faculty, which includes several prominent evolutionary biologists. The event, called the Origins Summit, is sponsored by Creation Summit, an Oklahoma-based nonprofit Christian group that believes in a literal interpretation of the Bible and was founded to "challenge evolution and all such theories predicated on chance." The one-day conference will include eight workshops, according the event's website, including discussion of how evolutionary theory influenced Adolf Hitler's worldview, why "the Big Bang is fake," and why "natural selection is NOT evolution." News of the event caught MSU's scientific community largely by surprise. Creation Summit secured a room at the university's business school through a student religious group, but the student group did not learn about the details of the program—or the sometimes provocative talk titles — until later.
BACKDOOR STRATEGY
We may have been banned from the classroom,
but banned does not mean silenced. By book-
ing the speakers, and renting the facilities, we
still have an impact.
Creation Summit is visiting major college and
university campuses throughout the country,
bringing world renowned scientists before the
students. Scientists with tangible proof and
viable evidence. Many, for the first time ever,
are discovering that the Bible is true – That
science and Genesis are in total agreement,
and if Genesis 1:1 can be trusted . . . . .
so can John 3:16.
http://www.creationsummit.com/
I think everyone should read Ecclesiastes, it affirmed my lack of belief in Christian dogma. (or any religion)
"If any question why we died, Tell them because our fathers lied."
Why isn't there a designated place for bullshit like this?
You mean, a place for reasoned public debate about topics where science, religion, philosophy of science, geology, paleontology, genetics, and zoology all have something to bring to the discussion? If a university isn't the place for that, where do you have in mind?
"My feelings as a Christian points me to my Lord and Savior as a fighter. It points me to the man who once in loneliness, surrounded by a few followers, recognized these Jews for what they were and summoned men to fight against them and who, God's truth! was greatest not as a sufferer but as a fighter. In boundless love as a Christian and as a man I read through the passage which tells us how the Lord at last rose in His might and seized the scourge to drive out of the Temple the brood of vipers and adders. How terrific was His fight for the world against the Jewish poison. To-day, after two thousand years, with deepest emotion I recognize more profoundly than ever before the fact that it was for this that He had to shed His blood upon the Cross. As a Christian I have no duty to allow myself to be cheated, but I have the duty to be a fighter for truth and justice... And if there is anything which could demonstrate that we are acting rightly it is the distress that daily grows. For as a Christian I have also a duty to my own people.
-Adolf Hitler, in a speech on 12 April 1922 (Norman H. Baynes, ed. The Speeches of Adolf Hitler, April 1922-August 1939, Vol. 1 of 2, pp. 19-20, Oxford University Press, 1942)
Where's a better place for a discussion which may introduce truth and actual intellectual debate? Maybe someone there will point out a real conservative viewpoint such as Augustine's from around AD 400 which by using the text of the Bible alone came up with the conclusion that a strictly (simplistic) literal interpretation was impossible and also never intended. Augustine also pointed out that some of the greatest damage that can be done to the Church is by scientifically-ignorant believers who attempt to lecture scientific experts about how the experts are wrong in their views.
Unfortunately for Christians, and just about every other group ever organized with a human membership component, ignorance at the adult stage is usually manifest in a self reinforcing mindset and not one welcome to instruction.
You can learn a fair bit from creationist, which is exactly what bogus arguments they use to try and convince others. Plus, believe it or not, not everyone who spouts nonsense is actually impervious to reason. Sometimes, just sometimes, they are merely ignorant and can be swayed. And as to the University venue, a University is supposed to support discourse, not enforce dogma, even if that dogma is deemed correct. They are teaching creationism, and they aren't forcing anyone to go, they are merely allowing it to be said. Going down the road of 'you can't say THAT here' is a very dangerous turn of thinking and should only be done in the most extreme of cases. Now, if the presenters start advocating for killing all the scientists, feel free to kick them to the curb.
But they also teach religious studies and anthropology at universities. Here we have a fascinating American subculture, poorly studied in published works, and the nearly-uncontacted tribe wants to hold a tribal council at the University itself.
And idiots will protest because they have no tolerance for this subculture they disagree with. That's a terrible affront to science.
Socialism: a lie told by totalitarians and believed by fools.
If you applied that at a University, all of the Liberal Arts would be out, and STEM would be the only thing left.
Evidence based study of a Shakespeare Sonnet? Pottery and graphic design? Film criticism and Foreign language courses?
There is a broad range of subjects between hard objectivity of STEM and pure conjecture of Creationism. And those have a place in the Uni as well.
So does Creationism, if it is related to religious studies which examine belief systems
Never answer an anonymous letter. - Yogi Berra
You, apparently, have never been to college. They have classes for everything that could lead to your gainful employment. Including everything you just listed. You have your ideas regarding how reality works, I likely even agree with most of them. But that does not mean other people are not allowed to have their own.
Most of what is taught in modern universities cannot be supported by science. Ever taken an English class? Poetry? Art? Philosophy?
There are a very few limited fields where science gets involved. I think both the creationists, and anti-creationists biggest problem is they even bother with the science at all. "I think God created the earth. I have faith in his power and all your science nonsense is Hooey!" is just as valid of an argument as anything else they've come up with. In fact, I'd say it's even a valid argument. If they are right, and there really is an omnipotent being messing with us, science would be Hooey and we'll feel pretty dumb in the afterlife. Likewise, you don't believe in god and find all of their faith bullshit. Neither of you can ever prove the other is wrong. You're playing different games, with different rules. Logic cannot disprove faith. Faith cannot ignore logic. So get over it.
Or forget the tomatos, simply post signs on campus:
"Illogical nuts and kooks on display in Room X Building Y. Today Only! A must-see facepalming experience!"
"Come practice your rhetorical skills against real-life Eliza-bots!"
"You've seen word-salad. Now you can hear idea-salad! Devilered Live by 100% all-natural mushbrains."
"Breaking News! Dark Energy Vacuum discovered INSIDE CRANIUM! A University exclusive now on display at $place!"
(Aside: Why do the believers care so much about this topic, to the point of pouring so many millions of dollars into promulgating it? What diffierence does it make, believing the Earth is X vs Y years old? And on evolution: how do they justify denying God what tools he might use to accomplish his creation?)