Mirecki, the University of Kansas and Civil Discussions Concerning Creationism
An article titled "Creationism, Intelligent Design Course Withdrawn Over Offensive Remarks" appeared today on the Christian Post by Francis Helguero that raises a number of concerns regarding this ongoing debate. Here is the subtitle of the article.
"A controversial course about creationism and intelligent design at the University of Kansas was cancelled by the professor who was to teach it, following publicized e-mail messages he wrote mocking Christian fundamentalists."
Follow along as I interact a bit with the article.
"Professor Paul Mirecki, chairman of religious studies, had planned to teach a spring 2006 course initially titled 'Special Topics in Religion: Intelligent Design, Creationism and Other Religious Mythologies.'"
One must wonder what the university expects students to think going into this course with a course title like that. It is stated as though it is so obvious - Creationism is a mythology. This, in spite of the truth that millions believe it to be litterally true, including well educated people like lawyers, physicians, archeologists, scientists, and university professors. Creationism is not like believing the earth is flat. Mirecki and whoever agreed to this course name was way out of line.
"Under pressure following complaints, he removed the reference to mythology but on Thursday, he said that teaching the course had become 'untenable' due to the controversy over e-mail messages he had sent through the discussion forum moderated by a student atheists and agnostics campus group for which he served as a faculty adviser. In a statement released by the University of Kansas on Thursday, Mirecki apologized for the e-mail messages posted since 2003 on a Yahoo list-serv discussion board. In one message, he referred to Christian fundamentalists as 'fundies,' adding that the course would be a 'nice slap in their big fat face.'"
It would be easy here to mock and laugh at Mirecki, since indeed the course has been dropped and he is the one with the slap. But truthfully, we who are coming from the Christian perspective have been disrespectful and hostile in our attitudes as well. Instead of taking this opportunity to jeer at the opposition, perhaps we believers should pray that the Holy Spirit would use this occassion to open up more avenues to present the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
For more information on this issue check out this article on MSN.
"A controversial course about creationism and intelligent design at the University of Kansas was cancelled by the professor who was to teach it, following publicized e-mail messages he wrote mocking Christian fundamentalists."
Follow along as I interact a bit with the article.
"Professor Paul Mirecki, chairman of religious studies, had planned to teach a spring 2006 course initially titled 'Special Topics in Religion: Intelligent Design, Creationism and Other Religious Mythologies.'"
One must wonder what the university expects students to think going into this course with a course title like that. It is stated as though it is so obvious - Creationism is a mythology. This, in spite of the truth that millions believe it to be litterally true, including well educated people like lawyers, physicians, archeologists, scientists, and university professors. Creationism is not like believing the earth is flat. Mirecki and whoever agreed to this course name was way out of line.
"Under pressure following complaints, he removed the reference to mythology but on Thursday, he said that teaching the course had become 'untenable' due to the controversy over e-mail messages he had sent through the discussion forum moderated by a student atheists and agnostics campus group for which he served as a faculty adviser. In a statement released by the University of Kansas on Thursday, Mirecki apologized for the e-mail messages posted since 2003 on a Yahoo list-serv discussion board. In one message, he referred to Christian fundamentalists as 'fundies,' adding that the course would be a 'nice slap in their big fat face.'"
It would be easy here to mock and laugh at Mirecki, since indeed the course has been dropped and he is the one with the slap. But truthfully, we who are coming from the Christian perspective have been disrespectful and hostile in our attitudes as well. Instead of taking this opportunity to jeer at the opposition, perhaps we believers should pray that the Holy Spirit would use this occassion to open up more avenues to present the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
For more information on this issue check out this article on MSN.
2 Comments:
Now it appears that this Mirecki has finally gotten what he deserved.
Praise the Lord.
Anonymous, I disagree with the way you made this remark because
1) every person, including you and me, are sinners who "deserve" the wrath of God in hell forever. So yes, he might have deserved this, but he and we deserve much worse.
2) Instead of your approach, we should take this opportunity to be the Good Samaritan and bind his wounds and pay his medical bills. This would truly set the church off as radically different from the world.
We are not in a contest here to see who gets to teach their agenda in public schools and universities. We are called and commissioned to preach and BE the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is this contest mentality that is so antithetical to Jesus' way of thinking. I mean, really, there is no contest. Christ has already won. Our job is to love the lost, not rejoice when they find troubles.
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