Texas University to offer M.S. in Creation Science

[raptor3x]

Clearly, Texas feels the need to show up Kansas.

Because Baylor University is not doing enough to plumb the seas for Noah's Ark, an advisory committee of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board has recommended that the Institute for Creation Research be given the authority to grant Master's degrees in science education. Perhaps the training will help graduates stay employed in the Lone Star State, rather than getting fired like the state's former director of science curricula, a shameless Darwin booster.

Is Texas devolving? Not at all. According to the Institute's mission statement, it will only enroll the self-motivated, responsible student who "is more self-disciplined ('whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatever ye do, do all to the glory of God;' I Cor. 10:31) and takes education seriously ('And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;' Colossians 3:23)."

The Texas Observer reports that the same guys brought us the Creation Museum in Kentucky (see Adam frolic with the dinosaurs!), and are at work stumping for Mike Huckabee in Iowa.

[Alyrium Denryle]

the fuck.... that is all

[Civil War Man]

Huh. They're making it a Masters degree? I would have thought Creation Science would net you a B.S. degree.

Oh wait, it still does.

[Darth Wong]

So much for the value of master's degrees in science from Texas, if they will grant accreditation to ICR.

[SpacedTeddyBear]

Forget building a wall separating the U.S with Mexico, build one around Texas. Better yet, give it back to Mexico ( except Austin), then build the fence.

You know that as soon as one of the fools recieves his/her B.S M.S "degree" and actually attempt to apply for a job requiring actual knowledge in biology, he/she will cry discrimination and persecution when they get soundly rejected.

[CorSec]

The relevant section reads as follows:

INSTITUTE FOR CREATION RESEARCH, DALLAS

RECOMMENDATION: Pending Certification Advisory Council recommendation

Background Information:

The Institute for Creation Research (ICR) is a private, not-for-profit corporation,
registered in the states of California and Texas for the purposes of research, writing, and
education in both the standard curriculum of each scientific discipline and the Institute’s
supplemental framework of scientific creationism and biblical authority in all disciplines.
The ICR Graduate School program provides graduate-level training in science education
through an online environment, with minors in the natural sciences that are particularly
relevant to the study of origins.

An on-site evaluation was conducted at ICR on November 8, 2007. The Board’s
Certification Advisory Council will review the evaluation team’s report, and ICR’s
response to the evaluation on December 14, 2007. The Commissioner will forward their
recommendation to the Board with his endorsement or with his substitute
recommendation.

So, it's already a theological college. Nothing to get excited about, really.

[Alyrium Denryle]

Forget building a wall separating the U.S with Mexico, build one around Texas. Better yet, give it back to Mexico ( except Austin), then build the fence.

You know that as soon as one of the fools recieves his/her B.S M.S "degree" and actually attempt to apply for a job requiring actual knowledge in biology, he/she will cry discrimination and persecution when they get soundly rejected.

"No. I am not rejecting you because you are religious. I am rejecting you because this position requires that you have a knowledge of science and be able to convey that knowledge to students"

"But I have an M.S from ICR!"

"Yes, which means you are an expert at willful ignorance, distortion, and flat out lies. You are probably very good at conveying that to students, which is why i am rejecting your application and telling you to get the hell out of my office"

[Gil Hamilton]

Fascinating. So you CAN get a degree in Stupid, besides "Communications".

[DrMckay]

So, when is California going to secede again? The stupidity is getting overwhelming.

and Preznit Ah-nuld has a nice ring to it.

[Zim]

Could I base my thesis off this?

[Alyrium Denryle]

No, it has to be christian creationism.

The Tenants of Scientific Creationism

TENETS OF SCIENTIFIC[SIC] CREATIONISM

1) The physical universe of space, time, matter and energy has not always existed, but was supernaturally created by a transcendent personal Creator who alone existed from eternity.

2) The phenomenon of biological life did not develop by natural processes from inanimate systems but was specially and supernaturally created by the Creator.

3) Each of the major kinds of plants and animals was created functionally complete for the beginning and did not evolve from some other kind of organism. Changes in basic kinds since their first creation are limited to "horizontal" changes (variation) within kinds, or "downward" changes (e.g., harmful mutations, extinctions).

4) The first human beings did not evolve from an animal ancestry, but were specially created in fully human form from the start. Furthermore, the "spiritual" nature of man (self-image, moral consciousness, abstract reasoning, language, will, religious nature, etc.) is itself a supernaturally created entity distinct from mere biological life.

5) The record of earth history, as preserved in the earth's crust, especially in the rocks and fossil deposits, is primarily a record of catastrophic intensities of natural processes, operating largely within uniform laws, rather than one of gradualism and relatively uniform process rates. There are many scientific[sic] evidences for a relatively recent creation of the earth and the universe, in addition to strong scientific[sic] evidence that most of the earth's fossiliferous sedimentary rocks were formed in an even more recent global hydraulic cataclysm.

6) Processes today operate primarily within fixed natural laws and relatively uniform process rates but, since these were themselves originally created and are daily maintained by their Creator, there is always the possibility of miraculous intervention in these laws or processes by their Creator. Evidences for such intervention should be scrutinized critically, however, because there must be clear and adequate reason for any such action on the part of the Creator.

7) The universe and life have somehow been impaired since the completion of creation, so that imperfections in structure, disease, aging, extinctions, and other such phenomena are the result of "negative" changes in properties and processes occurring in an originally-perfect created order.

8) Since the universe and its primary components were created perfect for their purpose in the beginning by a competent and volitional Creator, and since the Creator does remain active in this now-decaying creation, there do exist ultimate purposes and meanings in the universe. Teleological considerations, therefore, are appropriate in scientific[sic] studies whenever they are consistent with the actual data of observation, and it is reasonable to assume that the creation presently awaits the consummation of the Creator's purpose.

9) Although people are finite and scientific data concerning origins are always circumstantial and incomplete, the human mind (if open to the possibility of creation) is able to explore the manifestations of that Creator rationally and scientifically[sic], and to reach an intelligent decision regarding one's place in the Creator's plan.

TENETS OF BIBLICAL CREATIONISM

1) The Creator of the universe is a triune God -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. There is only one eternal and transcendent God, the source of all being and meaning, and He exists in three Persons, each of whom participated in the work of creation.

2) The Bible, consisting of the thirty-nine canonical books of the Old Testament and the twenty-seven canonical books of the New Testament, is the divinely-inspired revelation of the Creator to man. Its unique, plenary, verbal inspiration guarantees that these writings, as originally and miraculously given, are infallible and completely authoritative on all matters with which they deal, free from error of any sort, scientific[sic] and historical as well as moral and theological.

3) All things in the universe were created and made by God in the six literal days of creation week described in Genesis 1:1-2:3, and confirmed in Exodus 20:8-11. The creation record is factual, historical, and perspicuous; thus all theories of origins or development which involve evolution in any form are false. All things which now exist are sustained and ordered by God's providential care. However, a part of the spiritual creation, Satan and his angels, rebelled against God after the creation and are attempting to thwart His divine purposes in creation.

4) The first human beings, Adam and Eve, were specially created by God, and all other men and women are their descendants. In Adam, mankind was instructed to exercise "dominion" over all other created organisms, and over the earth itself (an implicit commission for true science, technology, commerce, fine art, and education) but the temptation by Satan and the entrance of sin brought God's curse on that dominion and on mankind, culminating in death and separation from God as the natural and proper consequence.

5) The Biblical record of primeval earth history in Genesis 1-11 is fully historical and perspicuous, including the creation and fall of man, the curse on the creation and its subjection to the bondage of decay, the promised Redeemer, the worldwide cataclysmic deluge in the days of Noah, the post-diluvian renewal of man's commission to subdue the earth (now augmented by the institution of human government) and the origin of nations and languages at the tower of Babel.

6) The alienation of man from his Creator because of sin can only be remedied by the Creator Himself, who became man in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, through miraculous conception and virgin birth. In Christ were indissolubly united perfect sinless humanity and full deity, so that His substitutionary death is the only necessary and sufficient price of man's redemption. That the redemption was completely efficacious is assured by His bodily resurrection from the dead and ascension into heaven; the resurrection of Christ is thus the focal point of history, assuring the consummation of God's purpose in creation.

7) The final restoration of creation's perfection is yet future, but individuals can immediately be restored to fellowship with their Creator, on the basis of His redemptive work on their behalf, receiving forgiveness and eternal life solely through personal trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, accepting Him not only as estranged Creator but also as reconciling Redeemer and coming King. Those who reject Him, however, or who neglect to believe on Him, thereby continue in their state of rebellion and must ultimately be consigned to the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

[Ryan Thunder]

I vote this should be a Bachelor of Criminally Selective Theology degree, rather than a masters...

[mr friendly guy]

So how soon until Trekkies can get a degree in Star Trek science.

[Darth Wong]

I vote this should be a Bachelor of Criminally Selective Theology degree, rather than a masters...

You make it sound as if this is bad theology. It's not bad theology, it's just stupid. But theology itself is stupid by nature; the intense study of meaning in a Bronze Age document itself is a waste of time for anything but historical interest.

[Jaepheth]

I seriously doubt this will pass.

The blog is a bit misleading, it's referring only to an Agenda Item.
In order to award any degree in Texas the degree plan must be approved.
Two Private universities want to give out these degrees, so they request approval, and the committee has to discuss it. Thus, it has to become an agenda item.

And that's what the blog is referring to, the scheduled discussion

I seriously doubt this will pass. I would predict that at the very most it becomes a master's degree on the philosophy of creation science.

Most likely it'll simply be disapproved.

[Ryan Thunder]

I vote this should be a Bachelor of Criminally Selective Theology degree, rather than a masters...

You make it sound as if this is bad theology. It's not bad theology, it's just stupid. But theology itself is stupid by nature; the intense study of meaning in a Bronze Age document itself is a waste of time for anything but historical interest.

But it is bad theology. They're taking a pet theory and turning it into a degree, when the majority of the evidence (or at least, what I've read) seems to indicate that Genesis could easily be figurative.

In all seriousness, how do you turn that into a Masters anyways? What are they going to do? Memorize Genesis word for word? Learn new methods for distorting the evidence?

[Boyish-Tigerlilly]

You might theoretically be able to turn anything into a degree if you get enough people to want if offered. Many institutions are there to make money, and the less scrupulous ones that aren't accredited would have no problem in creating fantasy degrees, just as you can have enough demand for a bogus or fluff subject. Many schools respond to market demands, even if it's bullshit.

I hope it doesn't pass, but I wouldn't be surprised at bogus degrees from "private" institutions.

[Death from the Sea]

These are private christian schools. So I am not too surprised at them trying for something like this. Hopefully it won't pass.

[Zablorg]

As long as this degree is not seen as useful at all to employers, I can't really see what the big deal is. I can't see it being applicable to any jobs. If they want to waste their money on a course that no-one will take seriously, then that's fine with me.

[Darth Wong]

As long as this degree is not seen as useful at all to employers, I can't really see what the big deal is. I can't see it being applicable to any jobs. If they want to waste their money on a course that no-one will take seriously, then that's fine with me.

The organization that performs accreditation can lose credibility, thus potentially affecting the prestige of other degrees granted by other institutions which were accredited by this same organization.

Of course, in the Southern US, it's debatable whether an accrediting organization would lose reputation as a result of this. It might gain reputation; this is the state that gave us President Monkey Boy, after all: a man who rejects our connection to the ape world while ironically demonstrating it more clearly than anyone else I know of.

[LadyTevar]

Private Christian schools may hire them.
Certain churches may take them in as pastors or as youth leaders.

They could start publishing HomeSchool materials based on Creation Science. (oh, wait, I think they do)

Somewhere, somehow, someone will find a job for these misfits.

[Rye]

But it is bad theology. They're taking a pet theory and turning it into a degree, when the majority of the evidence (or at least, what I've read) seems to indicate that Genesis could easily be figurative.

Jesus at least appeared to believe in Genesis and a literal flood and males and females being created together and the general veracity of the pentateuch, so I don't really think modern creationism is really out of line with that. While those ancient creationists aren't exactly the modern variants (whose ideas have ironically evolved to specifically counter evolution and related contrabiblical sciences), what they said does generally fit pretty well with it (not that surprising since it was created to do so).

Now, I don't think that it's necessary to believe in creationism to be a christian, of course, nor do I quite agree with Mike that theology is a pointless subject (I suspect much moderation within faith groups can be as a result of sufficiently secular theologians bending the mainstream of the faith), but I find that the assertion it's "bad theology" is just a lame slogan from the religious liberals.

In all seriousness, how do you turn that into a Masters anyways? What are they going to do? Memorize Genesis word for word? Learn new methods for distorting the evidence?

Probably. I'd imagine they've just got to find some new fossil in the literature and "refute" it.

[Lagmonster]

Private Christian schools may hire them.
Certain churches may take them in as pastors or as youth leaders.

They could start publishing HomeSchool materials based on Creation Science. (oh, wait, I think they do)

Somewhere, somehow, someone will find a job for these misfits.

Man, and I thought the job market up here was tough. Now in Texas, they feel the need to get accredited to be a professional loon, where before you could get the job based on experience alone.

[Wyrm]

The latest news on that, as communicated to me by my father, is that the original advisory committee was a bunch of unqualified idiots who recommended ICR accredation. A new, more qualified committee has been assembled, containing Nobel lauriates, to reevaluate the accredation, so this whole thing will probably be quietly dropped.

As I understand it, the ICR was accredited at one time, in California under some fly-by-night outfit, but has since lost that accredation and moved to Texas to get accredation there.

Unfortunately, I am not on the list he got this from, and is not allowed to share the original materials to those not on the list. He's recommended me to the list, but I think the privacy policy of materials from this list may be a bit restrictive. I'll have to take a look to see what I can share.

I admit that I find it a relief that the news isn't quite as bad as it could've been, but yes, Texas (sans Austin) is still stupid.