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Christian Living

healthenews 02/14/08

Iowa to Astronomer: Don't Be My Valentine

That is, Iowa's board of regents has rejected an appeal from Dr. Guillermo Gonzalez, assistant professor of Astronomy at Iowa State University, to gain tenure. Not getting tenure is the equivalent of being fired.

This is yet another example of narrowmindedness infecting the academic world when scientists or educators criticize evolution or have some connection to intelligent design.

Totally on his own time, Dr. Gonzalez has spent time researching, discussing, and writing about Intelligent Design. He never should have been put in a position where ID couldn't be discussed within the hallowed halls of ISU. Nevertheless he was probably being extra careful to avoid potential problems. But it was not enough.

An ISU religion professor apparently first started the process with a petition drive against Gonzalez. Of course, most consistent Darwinians think religion is a hare-brained myth -- so why would they listen to some religion prof?

Welcome to the new breed of religion professor -- an atheist who tries to equate Hitler's Mein Kampf with the Bible. The Jews? He says they were ironically victims of Old Testament ideas so similar to Der Führer's. At the end of the day, this prof had no problem with tenure. He was recently promoted to full professor. Good job, Board of Regents.

ISU has continued to claim that the denial wasn't about Intelligent Design -- even though e-mails came to light showing that it was. The board didn't allow those into evidence.

Casey Luskin, of the pro-Intelligent Design Discovery Institute said it well, "The Board of Regents had an opportunity to give justice to an outstanding scientist who is a leader in his field. Instead, they caved in to political pressure and threw academic freedom to the wind."

Gonzalez has been a fellow at the Discovery Institute for a number of years.

What can you do? Light a candle, don't curse the darkness. Go buy a copy of Gonzalez's The Privileged Planet. In April, go see Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed -- a movie which highlights the astronomer's case -- and that of several others.

And next time you're eating a greasy corn chip or downing a slab of bacon, just remember you may be indirectly contributing to the downward spiral of the Iowa university system -- as well as your own longevity.

You knew I'd turn this into something about health. And go eat some dark chocolate with all those wonderful bioflavonoids.

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