Christian biologist fired for beliefs, suit says

[Ladywriter 7,783]

BOSTON - A Christian biologist is suing the prestigious Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts, claiming he was fired for refusing to accept evolution, lawyers involved in the case said on Friday.Nathaniel Abraham, an Indian national who describes himself as a "Bible-believing Christian," said in the suit filed on Monday in U.S. District Court in Boston that he was fired in 2004 because he would not accept evolution as scientific fact.

The latest U.S. academic spat over science and religion was first reported in The Boston Globe newspaper on Friday. Gibbs Law Firm in Florida, which is representing Abraham, said he was seeking $500,000 in compensation.

The zebrafish specialist said his civil rights were violated when he was dismissed shortly after telling his superior he did not accept evolution because he believed the Bible presented a true account of human creation.

Creationists such as Abraham believe God made the world in six days, as the Bible's Book of Genesis says.

Woods Hole, a federally funded nonprofit research center on Cape Cod, said in a statement it firmly believed its actions and those of its employees in the case were "entirely lawful" and that it does not discriminate.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22152482/

hmmm... well, this guy defiantly wins my dumbass of the week award.

Religion has no place in the work place unless you're a priest/pastor/insert title here. You're either a scientist or a theologian, pick one and be it.

The very idea that a scientist could accept creationism as valid is offensive. Nothing walkin the face of the earth just *poofed* into existence. The majority of life forms on this planet (bacteria and single cell organisms being the exceptions) are the result of millions of years of evolution; fossil records and dna prove that. Cold hard facts yo.

Sure everyone is entitled to their own religious beliefs but when its in direct conflict with your education and profession its time to re evaluate your beliefs, or at the very least keep them out of the office.

[Pchan 5,162]

Yeah, I read about this the other day, pretty messed up.

[Ladywriter 7,783]

Sorry, but I woulda fired his ass too

There's a difference between faith and foolishness

Now he's suing for 1/2 a mil. How Christian is that? pffft

[Myk JL 1,731]

Sorry, but I woulda fired his ass too

There's a difference between faith and foolishness

Now he's suing for 1/2 a mil. How Christian is that? pffft

I'd say very christian... But then again I'm Atheist...

I'm still annoyed by the fact christians refer to Evolution as a theory when there is so much proof to prove it a fact.

[Mathias 426]

I believe in creationism. I have no problem with a scientist believing in creationism. What sparked the life into that very first single-cell amoeba that would later evolve into humans? I say God did and it was his plan from the very beginning. My opinion anyways.

If the biologist was vehemently preaching his beliefs in creationism without offering the possibility of evolution, then I'd say he wasn't open minded to new ideas and the institute could question his effectiveness as a scientist. I'd say the same thing if the opposite was true.

The world believed the sun rotated around the Earth for a long time, because that is what they saw happening. It took a long time before another idea could even be accepted without persecution from religion of all places. I believe the same persecution is happening again in reverse, with science persecuting any idea, religious or other, that doesn't fit into its well-defined little box. That box changes shape each day as we learn more and isn't as well-defined as science would like to think. My opinion only.

[Ladywriter 7,783]

creationism is defined as a doctrine or theory holding that matter, the various forms of life, and the world were created by God out of nothing and usually in the way described in Genesis.

the earth is over 4 billion years old, humans evolved from prehistoric land dwelling mammals. The bible would lead you to believe neither fact was true; that the earth is thousands of years old and god created man as we are now.

I lean towards M theory as far as the creation of this universe is concerned but I think that was part of Gods plan as was evolution of species to house a soul. Like I said nothing just poofed into existence as some religions would have their sheep believe.

For a paid scientist to say/believe we poofed into existence is retarded and he shoulda been fired.

As for the rest... come on bro. Turn off the fucking Spounge Bob and turn on History International, The Science Channel, The Learning Channel, National Geographic channel and learn some science before you go bashing the scientists please.

[Mathias 426]

Yeah, its comments like these that have turned me off from replying to these posts. I don't like personal attacks. I respect your point of view, I'm sorry you don't respect mine or me. I'm done here.

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

All of science refers to Evolution as a theory, not Christians. Its not a fact, its a theory with gaping holes and more lacking evidence than a lot of people think. Its just like relativity and plate tectonics. There is no need to put a sticker on the book claiming Evolution is a theory. There is no point.

I am of the Christian faith. I find it funny how people that worship try to limit the power of our almighty God. He is all powerful but yet he couldn't make science? The theory of evolution in no way disproves the existence of God, and I find the ridiculous Christians take this stance. Oh but the Bible doesn't say so! Of course it doesn't! It was written in a time where people were uneducated. How could you expect farmers and shepherds to understand quantum physics, black holes, atoms, and elements? They couldn't, the Bible is written in metaphorical explanations to paint a picture as best that it could be presented so that the current inhabitance of the planet at that time could understand. Some people take it too far and make themselves look stupid, and give a negative stereotype to people that beleive in Christ.

[Ladywriter 7,783]

I find it funny how people that worship try to limit the power of our almighty god. He is all powerful but yet he couldn't make science? The theory of evolution in no way disproves the existence of God, and I find the ridiculous Christians take this stance.

exactly

[Kelene 268]

Evolution and creationism are both theories. Neither has proof, just beliefs. Let people believe what they want. And who is to say that One day of God's life (if there is a great being) could be millions of years in our life. This may sound like a silly idea but there have been debates on that. No one knows.

Though the guy being fired... there has to be more to the story then the public knows. Freedom of Religion is the first amendment. But if he stated his theory in a derogatory way or was violent in his belief then yes, he should be fired. But to just say that I believe this or that does not give a company legal standings to fire the man.

[Ladywriter 7,783]

his theory went directly against the work he was being paid to do and no laws were broken by firing him

[Kelene 268]

He could have shared his theory with others without being fired. Now if he refused to do the work he was being paid for or wasn't good at it, then yes fire him.

[Dubird 6,815]

what about the day-age theory?...that one day to God is a thousand, thousand years to man...(or however the numbers work out)...that always made the most sense to me....and what if the scientific processes we're just now discovering is the how of how God made everything?,....the Bible doesn't say how, it just says He did....*shrugs*....i don't think science and religion have to be completly seperate....i think that together, they provide both sides of the answer....

And I always get annoyed at Christians that completly dismiss evolution. They do so because they don't believe we have a common ancestor with apes (not that we evolved from apes!). I have yet to see any evidence to support this theory, yet that's only a small part of what evolution is. Humans have evolved over the centuries. How else do you explain all the different races and traits that humans have? Espically if we did come from one couple, Adam and Eve. I don't recall it specifically stating anywhere in the Bible that at one point God changed various groups of people to black, white, and whatever, along with various hair colors and styles and so on. That's really what the theory of evolution encompasses. Not that we have a common ancsestor with apes, but that all living things evolve to adapt to their environments. These changes are very small and take a long time, but they do happen. You can just look around as you're walking down the street to see that. I personally don't believe that humans and apes come from the same genetic pool, but I don't completly dismiss the theory of evolution because it has occured.

*climbs off her soapbox* Sorry, got a little carried away there. ;

[Ladywriter 7,783]

time is yet another reason I find the bible and related texts to be unreliable bs

[Myk JL 1,731]

As an Atheist I don't find the bible as complete load. Although parts have been misinterpreted & in others completely remade into loads. Finding out the real Adam & Eve, and Noah was more interesting when decoded on the History Channel. But that's because people tried to find the truths that weren't really written in the Bible.

In other cases I have been shown by people interpretations wakening of Consciousness from the Old Testament to Jesus's oneness with "God". And before I was just an Atheist I was an Atheist For Jesus. So my only real problem with most Christians is this idea that "God" is this more mystical version of "Santa Clause".

[Dubird 6,815]

Well, the Bible is not the 'Word of God' as if He came down to the typewriter and typed it all out himself. A lot of Bible-thumpers don't want to realize that. In fact, a large part of the OT was oral tradition before it ever made it down on paper. And as we all know, when stories are retold, they change. Espically over a long time. Not to mention that the Bible as we know it was last fully translated back in King James' day, which was not really a good time for the Church to be doing that. I accept the stories in the Bible as stuff that happened, but not exactly as they are written. A lot of fundies can't accept that, so they use the Bible as a weapon, interprit it in their own way, and screw up Christianity for the rest of us. In fact, a lot of scholars do accept the Bible as a written record of oral history (at least the OT), but they realize that everything described in there can't be taken as gospel truth.

[Kelene 268]

Even looking at the New Testament, each of the writers have their own interpretations of what Jesus did. And those writers supposedly lived during the time. And of course there are many more gospels that were written that did not make it into the Bible, gospels written by Mary Magdalene, Judas, and even Jesus himself. I wonder what is in those gospels that the Church does not want us to know?

Anyhow, getting back on topic... wait what was the original topic? Sorry!

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

Each person cant have the same exact interpretation. The Apostles were all different people, with different personalities, and different ways of analysis. They all had there separate moments with the man, and all had their time together.

A wreck can happen in front of 5 witnesses, and all 5 of them will tell it in a different way. If you read each book, there is no difference in the events in which they were all present, each book has different events and then the same events are emphasized differently or referred to very obscurely. None of them have the same event in which a contradiction occurs.

As far as these other gospels go, Its not like the church is hiding these things from the public. Anyone can read these texts as they are pretty readily available. Its not some huge conspiracy that proves the Bible is a fraud. There is actually nothing special about the texts, and they weren't added because there was not enough relevance to include them.

[Kelene 268]

Where can the other texts be found? In a language that I can read?

[Ladywriter 7,783]

Look for the gnostic gospels. Thomas Phillip Mary and Judas

What didn't they want us to know? Well, God is love not some pissed off invisible man in the sky that will send you to hell, Jesus and Mary of Magdela were married in Cana, Jesus had biological brothers. Jesus wasn't poor, women are equal to men in the eyes of God. Jesus spoke to Mary about enlightenment post 'resurection' .... yada yada yada

ps the writers of the canonical gospels are in heated debate. they were written after the crucification, some say decades later, some argue almost 100ish yrs later. History international channel does a lot of biblical era programing.