Posted on 06/05/2016 2:58:10 PM PDT by SoFloFreeper
...the University of Miami received a donation in late April from a wealthy atheist to endow what it says is the nations first academic chair for the study of atheism, humanism and secular ethics.
...established after years of discussion with a $2.2 million donation from Louis Appignani, a retired businessman and former president and chairman of the modeling school Barbizon...
....Im trying to eliminate discrimination against atheists, said Appignani, 83, a Florida resident. So this is a step in that direction, to make atheism legitimate.
....It took some persuading for the University of Miami to agree to create a chair with the word atheism in the title, according to Harvey Siegel, a professor of philosophy who helped broker the arrangement. He said that more than 15 years ago, when he was chairman of the philosophy department, he and Appignani began discussing the idea for a chair to study atheism and secularism.
There was great reluctance on the part of the university to have an endowed chair with the word atheism in the name, and that was a deal-breaker for Lou, Siegel said. He wasnt going to do it unless it had the word atheism in it.
The university had reason to be cautious, Thomas LeBlanc, executive vice president and provost, said in an interview. We didnt want anyone to misunderstand and think that this was to be an advocacy position for someone who is an atheist, he said. Our religion department isnt taking an advocacy position when it teaches about Catholicism or Islam. Similarly, were not taking an advocacy position when we teach about atheism or secular ethics.
(Excerpt) Read more at seattletimes.com ...
Im trying to eliminate discrimination against atheists, Appignani told The New York Times. So this is a step in that direction, to make atheism legitimate.
versus:
Thomas LeBlanc, executive vice president and provost... We didnt want anyone to misunderstand and think that this was to be an advocacy position for someone who is an atheist,
The Soviet Union had some of these. You could get a doctorate in atheism.
What’s to study in and of atheism? It’s all made up anyway. And if there is no God there are no standards. But what the hell... Now they might find that interesting.
And these government education goobers are the ones who claim that Trump U degrees are worthless.
I’ve posted it before, but I’ll say it again...the creed of atheism seems to consist of two phrases: There is no God. I hate Him.
Bingo! What's to study in something you disbelieve the existence of. Like I dispute the existence of Martians on earth, but let's study Martians on earth.
“Major in atheism studies! It’s easy—there’s nothing to it!”
” $2.2 million donation from Louis Appignani, a retired businessman and former president and chairman of the modeling school Barbizon... “
It figures that a guy with no conscience ripping off young girls all his life in for profit modeling schools that put them on the fast track to working the fryer at McDonalds would want to start up and atheism school chair.
Atheism is a great faith, really. You’ve got to have a lot of faith to deny the existence of God.
You can’t spell “scum” without UM.
Really shows how “uneducated” the educators are.... why not just study philosophy. Have they heard of Hagel,Nietzsche,Kant, Marx, Feuerbach?
Just please, someone ask them that. Atheism isn’t something “new”. I’m just amazed at how stupid and uneducated the press and even the administrators of these schools are.
Or it could be just a money grab, which makes more sense. How about a “chair” for flat earth...or a “chair” for unicorns?
Great choice for a degree: indoctrinating people about something that supposedly does not exist. Hmmm ...
UM is a private university.
Isn’t Donna Sha-Lay-La, still President there?
I suppose if UofM has chairs for the other religions, than why not?
5.56mm
If he wants to make atheists look better, the first thing he can do is tell Mickie Winestein to leave the military alone and go ahead, die and go on to hell.
AFAIK, they don’t. They have a religious studies, and philosophy....which atheism seems to fit into....
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