Court rules against creationism degree

6 posts / 0 new

Thu, 2010-06-24 14:27

Snuckles

Quote:
A federal judge has thrown out a lawsuit by a creationism think tank and school that attempted to force the state of Texas to allow it to offer master's degrees in science education.

In 2008, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board rejected the Dallas-based Institute for Creation Research's application to offer master's degrees, which taught science from a biblical perspective.

The institute's graduate school sued in 2009, claiming the board violated its constitutional right to free speech and religion.

U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks found no merit in the ICR's claims and criticized its legal documents as “overly verbose, disjointed, incoherent, maundering and full of irrelevant information.”

In an e-mailed statement, ICR representatives said they were reviewing the decision and may appeal.

Read it [url=http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/court_rules_against_creation....

Thu, 2010-06-24 14:48

Unionist

Quote:
U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks found no merit in the ICR's claims and criticized its legal documents as “overly verbose, disjointed, incoherent, maundering and full of irrelevant information.”

What a way to talk about the Holy Scriptures!

Thu, 2010-06-24 17:29

Pants-of-dog

I must admit that I am enjoying this.

Thu, 2010-06-24 18:57

Tommy_Paine

I wonder though what this might say about programs that offer degrees in things like chiropractic?

Thu, 2010-06-24 19:23

Pants-of-dog

Tommy_Paine wrote:
I wonder though what this might say about programs that offer degrees in things like chiropractic?

That would depend on why the court ruled against the creatioinsts. If, for example, the court simply ruled that the Higher Education Coordinatin Board was not limiting people's free speech or freedom of religion, then any decision made by the court would be irrelevant to discussions of alternative medical practices of dubious worth, as medical efficacy is neither a free speech nor freedom of religion issue.

Thu, 2010-06-24 19:31

N.Beltov

Sidebar: Doonsbury had an interesting recent comic in which a Doctor asked a patient whether he was a creationist. (I'm paraphrasing here.)

"Why do you ask?"

"Well, if you're a creationist then I can't treat your infection with anything more powerful than penicillin. In general, I'm not allowed to violate the patients' beliefs. So, if you believe that viruses can't evolve, then I can't treat you with the latest anti-biotic which is aimed at these "evolved" viruses."

"Would it make a difference? I'm a creationist."

"Yup. You're going to die. Sorry about that."