Posted on 04/29/2003 10:43:39 AM PDT by Remedy
Texas Tech University biology professor Michael Dini recently came under fire for refusing to write letters of recommendation for students unable to "truthfully and forthrightly affirm a scientific answer" to the following question: "How do you think the human species originated?"
For asking this question, Professor Dini was accused of engaging in overt religious discrimination. As a result, a legal complaint was filed against Dini by the Liberty Legal Institute. Supporters of the complaint feared that consequences of the widespread adoption of Dini’s requirement would include a virtual ban of Christians from the practice of medicine and other related fields.
In an effort to defend his criteria for recommendation, Dini claimed that medicine was first rooted in the practice of magic. Dini said that religion then became the basis of medicine until it was replaced by science. After positing biology as the science most important to the study of medicine, he also posited evolution as the "central, unifying principle of biology" which includes both micro- and macro-evolution, which applies to all species.
In addition to claiming that someone who rejects the most important theory in biology cannot properly practice medicine, Dini suggested that physicians who ignore or neglect Darwinism are prone to making bad clinical decisions. He cautioned that a physician who ignores data concerning the scientific origins of the species cannot expect to remain a physician for long. He then rhetorically asked the following question: "If modern medicine is based on the method of science, then how can someone who denies the theory of evolution -- the very pinnacle of modern biological science -- ask to be recommended into a scientific profession by a professional scientist?"
In an apparent preemptive strike against those who would expose the weaknesses of macro-evolution, Dini claimed that "one can validly refer to the ‘fact’ of human evolution, even if all of the details are not yet known." Finally, he cautioned that a good scientist "would never throw out data that do not conform to their expectations or beliefs."
The legal aspect of this controversy ended this week with Dini finally deciding to change his recommendation requirements. But that does not mean it is time for Christians to declare victory and move on. In fact, Christians should be demanding that Dini’s question be asked more often in the court of public opinion. If it is, the scientific community will eventually be indicted for its persistent failure to address this very question in scientific terms.
Christians reading this article are already familiar with the creation stories found in the initial chapters of Genesis and the Gospel of John. But the story proffered by evolutionists to explain the origin of the species receives too little attention and scrutiny. In his two most recent books on evolution, Phillip Johnson gives an account of evolutionists’ story of the origin of the human species which is similar to the one below:In the beginning there was the unholy trinity of the particles, the unthinking and unfeeling laws of physics, and chance. Together they accidentally made the amino acids which later began to live and to breathe. Then the living, breathing entities began to imagine. And they imagined God. But then they discovered science and then science produced Darwin. Later Darwin discovered evolution and the scientists discarded God.
Darwinists, who proclaim themselves to be scientists, are certainly entitled to hold this view of the origin of the species. But that doesn’t mean that their view is, therefore, scientific. They must be held to scientific standards requiring proof as long as they insist on asking students to recite these verses as a rite of passage into their "scientific" discipline.
It, therefore, follows that the appropriate way to handle professors like Michael Dini is not to sue them but, instead, to demand that they provide specific proof of their assertion that the origin of all species can be traced to primordial soup. In other words, we should pose Dr. Dini’s question to all evolutionists. And we should do so in an open public forum whenever the opportunity presents itself.
Recently, I asked Dr. Dini for that proof. He didn’t respond.
Dini’s silence as well as the silence of other evolutionists speaks volumes about the current status of the discipline of biology. It is worth asking ourselves whether the study of biology has been hampered by the widespread and uncritical acceptance of Darwinian principles. To some observers, its study has largely become a hollow exercise whereby atheists teach other atheists to blindly follow Darwin without asking any difficult questions.
At least that seems to be the way things have evolved.
Why is 1) patently ridiculous? Just because you say so?
Why is 2) patently ridiculous? Do your homework and justify your BS claim.
Option 3), ignoring your patently ridiculous assertions, leads to more questions, like where did the "Outside Intelligence" come from? And, why must their be "intelligence"? And, is it still "Outside"? And, how does this O.I. fantasy relate to your religion, or just the One-True-Religion, or any religions at all, and how would you establish that? Gee, shall I go on for your benefit?
None of this, you realize, has anything to do with the theory of evolution, which is a theory of how species arose from the first living thing?
1. He is perfect and eternal (not stuck in our time domain) He would say materialism is insignificant. (Deny your flesh/worry not about what you wear)
2. He would have a perfect place for us so that we no longer suffer from evil and imperfection. (perfect place for a perfect God/I go ahead to prepare a place for you in heaven)
3. He would solve all of our problems in order to prepare us for perfection. (Who wants to drag the messed up baggage we all have into paradise for eternity.)
4. He would provide a way for us to relate to Him, because He is so beyond our capacity to understand. (Jesus is God in the flesh, a man we can relate to, who taught us how to have fellowship with the Holy Father occupying heaven.)
5. He would let us know that we are not like animals in that we have an eternal spirit that is our true identity. (Analogy: A floppy disc is the hardware "our body and genetic information", the software on the floppy disc is the "eternal massless spirit" imprinted by God.)
6. He has continuous access to our lives. He knows the beginning to the end. The eternal one who weaves us together in our mother’s womb. (Being in eternity He can view our reality as if it were a static painting, brushing in His assistance that is consistent with His will ((Requires aligning with Him)).)
We are made in the image of God. The only creative force we have observed in the universe.
This is a start.
bondserv
He won that. It's the peace prize which eluded him.
Good point!!
Alignment is critical.
I have said several times that personal beliefs do not make or break one's ability to be a care giver. I believe in legal terms that's called a stipulation.
So let's move on to my argument, if you care to have a discussion.
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