La Sierra University Continues Deceptive Spin Tactics

La Sierra University keeps trying to present the argument that they are only teaching “about” the theory of evolution, but not promoting it.  They continue to point out, as they always have when challenged about their promotion of evolutionary theories, that all at LSU are “Creationists” – believing in God as the ultimate Creator (see below an excerpt from an article being handed out by LSU at the  GC and elsewhere).

What LSU deceptively fails to point out is that most if not all of their science faculty do not believe in nor do they promote the SDA Fundamental Doctrine on a literal creation week in their classrooms.  Beyond this, they actively deride, in their classrooms and in other public forums, the idea that life has only existed on this planet for a few thousand years and was produced during just six literal days of time. 

This is the fact of the situation as anyone who has done even a little bit of investigation into this issue knows (especially given the large amounts of information published by Educate Truth on this topic). Why doesn’t LSU address the problem directly?

For example, why doesn’t LSU directly answer the simple question, “Do your science faculty specifically believe in and actively support the SDA Church’s position on a literal six-day creation week?” – Yes or No? It’s a very simple question. Why doesn’t LSU want to directly answer it?

How can an institution who cannot even admit that they have a serious problem hope to substantively address and correct their problem?  And, how can those who do not believe in the fundamental SDA doctrine on a literal six day creation week actually support this belief in their classrooms?  To even suggest that such a thing is possible reveals deep-seated blindness to the importance of this problem within LSU and other SDA schools – a problem that has been an issue at LSU for decades and has had a profound influence on thousands of our youth who are no longer supporters of many of the most cherished Pillars of the SDA Faith due to the very subversive influence of LSU.

– Sean Pitman


From the recent LSU Biology Dept. handout:

“Our biology curriculum offers a selection of classes with both breadth and depth. It should be pointed out that the theory of evolution is discussed, but not promoted, at La Sierra University.

We believe that God the Creator is the source of all life. Students examine our denomination’s voted fundamental belief regarding creation and understand the data used to support our faith in creation. We believe that by providing a complete curriculum grounded in biological principles, paralleled and supported by a strong general education curriculum, students will be able to graduate with an integrated knowledge of their discipline as well as a stronger faith and understanding of God as their Creator and Saviour.

The scientific data are presented just as they are at most other Seventh-day Adventist institutions, often with the same textbook. We believe that it is our responsibility to ensure that students receive a complete and comprehensive education as warranted by their given program of study.

Our biology faculty have heard, and taken seriously, the questions and concerns expressed by some in our church. We continue to take steps to ensure that our students understand the Adventist Church’s voted position on creation and to help them understand the arguments that are used to support the statement of fundamental belief in creation.”

47 thoughts on “La Sierra University Continues Deceptive Spin Tactics

  1. Sean, You’re absolutely correct about the “spin tactics.” However, they aren’t the only ones using them. Everyone should check out the latest Recorder, in which Ricardo Graham takes two pages to assure us “all is well” at LSU, and that he and the Board are working each and every day to do something.

    I won’t analyze at depth, since I will be censored, but Graham is certainly [edit] with the administration at LSU on this issue. So, Graham may appease those at LSU which hope nothing will be done, and so far, nothing is being done.

    Interestingly, in a strange statement, Graham says that at some point in the future at LSU “creation WILL be respected and supported” seemingly admitting that it is NOT at present. He doesn’t use the present tense, and he is using this as a response to his statement, “What are the goals of this process?”

    He also claims he speaks “for the LSU Board and faculty.” I wonder if the faculty agree with this?

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  2. Another great “spin job” by Graham is when he tries to explain why nothing is being done. Why? He blames Ellen White! Yeh, it’s her fault he and the Board have done nothing and are continuing to do nothing.

    Committees and Boards have the authority to make decisions, instead of “kingly, ruling powers!” Well, please explain, President Graham, why you and the Board have not done your job! Don’t blame Mrs. White!

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  3. Dear Sean

    If you cherish the truth and freedom you should not attempt to shackle academic freedom. As long as La Sierra fairly presents both sides of the issue then it remains objective. Once it starts ramming one version of origins down the throats of inquiring young minds it cloaks itself in the strait jacket of dogma. There is no problem with teaching six day creation as religious belief as well as evolution in the classroom. In fact the juxtaposition of both is important for students to experience to decide on the issue for themselves. But when institutions become dogmatic and inflexible in fields of learning they lose pedagogical objectivity.

    Best Regards
    Ken

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  4. Liberty Works Both Ways

    @Ken:

    Dear Sean

    If you cherish the truth and freedom you should not attempt to shackle academic freedom. As long as La Sierra fairly presents both sides of the issue then it remains objective. Once it starts ramming one version of origins down the throats of inquiring young minds it cloaks itself in the strait jacket of dogma. There is no problem with teaching six day creation as religious belief as well as evolution in the classroom. In fact the juxtaposition of both is important for students to experience to decide on the issue for themselves. But when institutions become dogmatic and inflexible in fields of learning they lose pedagogical objectivity.

    Best Regards
    Ken

    First off, LSU is not presenting “both sides” in this creation/evolution debate in the science classrooms. The science professors at LSU are being very dogmatic in their promotion of the modern mainstream evolutionary perspective as the true story of origins in their classes. There simply is no support at all given for the SDA position of a literal 6-day creation week in LSU science classrooms. On the contrary, the concept of a literal six-day creation week is actively derided and scoffed at by many of LSU science professors as “lunacy” – both within the classroom and in other public forums.

    Beyond this, the notion of pure “academic freedom” is nonsense. Not even public universities would tolerate a biology professor promoting intelligent design or creationists theories as viable alternate scientific theories in his/her classroom. The same thing is true for pastors in our churches. A pastor would be let go if he got up into the pulpit and said, “I don’t want to be ‘dogmatic’ here so I’m simply going to give you guys several competing theories regarding a few doctrinal ideas, like the “Virgin” birth, and let you all make up your own minds without letting my own opinions influence your decision…”

    The fact of the matter is that there would be no point in the SDA Church hiring pastors or teachers if these pastors and teachers went around undermining what they were hired to support from the pulpit and classroom. The SDA Church has a particular perspective on many doctrinal issues that are not necessarily popular. If it simply went with the popular view, paying pastors and teacher to teach and preach whatever they wanted independent of the view of the Church as an organized body of believers, the Church would soon collapse into irrelevance.

    Viable organizations simply do not work like you are suggesting. Viable organizations stand for something and maintain internal control over paid representatives – letting those go who no longer support the stated goals and ideals of the organization.

    Is this a restriction of “liberty”? Not really. You are always free and go elsewhere to get paid by those who actually wish to pay you for your ideas. Remember, liberty works both ways. The people who pay your salary are also free to not pay your salary if you are no longer providing the product that they wish to buy…

    Sean Pitman
    http://www.DetectingDesign.com

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  5. Dear Sean

    I appreciate and respect your position and you make many excellent points. Maybe the solution is for two streams of thought to be taught: conventional biology and creation science. Allow the existing professors to teach evolution and bring in creation scientists to teach the latter. That way there is no need to fire anybody or sanction LSU.

    What do you think of that idea.?

    Regards

    The whole purpose of SDA schools is to promote the Church’s goals and ideals – – not to give equal, much less greater, time and support to promote ideas that fundamentally oppose the Church’s stated goals and ideals.

    Again, no viable organization with real goals and ideals functions like you’re suggesting.

    If you want to send your children to an institution that actually believes in and actively supports mainstream evolutionary theories, you are certainly free to do so. It is just that the SDA Church and Church constituents should have to support something they don’t believe in with their tithes and offerings. Again, freedom works both ways.

    Sean Pitman
    http://www.DetectingDesign.com

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  6. @Sean Pitman:

    Remember, liberty works both ways. The people who pay your salary are also free to not pay your salary if you are no longer providing the product that they wish to buy…

    Exactly.
    God bless,

    Rich

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  7. Maybe the solution is for two streams of thought to be taught: conventional biology and creation science. Allow the existing professors to teach evolution and bring in creation scientists to teach the latter. That way there is no need to fire anybody or sanction LSU.

    What do you think of that idea.?

    Sean may give his own answer but I would like to jump and share what I think are some key points in regard to your suggestion.

    We’re not dealing with preferences, flavors, likes, or dislikes. The SDA Church believes that what the Bible says is the truth. So when when LSU biology professors “only discuss” (new word from LSU) the theory of evolution as the truth, then we have a big problem. Teaching both world views is not the answer, because it is allowing plurality on a foundation issue. If you don’t stand for anything, you stand for nothing and that’s essentially was plurality boils down to.

    The theory of evolution should be taught, but not as the truth. We don’t believe it’s the truth so why would we pay professors to teach it as such.

    If the professors do not want to be supportive of the Church in this particular issue by promoting the biblical creation account, then there really isn’t any other alternative, but to fire them or ask them to resign.

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  8. In reading many of the comments and “points”, I have to say wow!

    What about the other schools who have these same issues with faculty? I have heard that Andrews also have some of these teachings. Years ago I read that a number of the learned faculty in our SDA schools did not believe in a literal creation week.

    I have read the responses of some from LSU on this subject, including the current president, and was surprised that there was no outright denial of the accusations. The problem seemed to be blamed on a student who wanted to cause trouble.

    It is not necessary that we teach evolution as a means to educate our students to face the world. In living in our society, it is all around for them to learn. Teachers should be discharged if they continue to espouse these views. If retained, they should be monitored (there goes academic freedom). There was a big bangup on this when a well publicized teacher was let go in a large public university a year or two ago. How much more should this be done at a religious school?

    As for me, I will believe that evolution from a single cell to myself today is impossible. Also, that nothing is impossible for God. Our world’s scientists do not believe this and continually try to prove their theories. That is the reason for their existence, as intimated by a public university PhD’s last comment in a televised debate I watched several years ago between he and a creationist.

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  9. Shane, You and I know these profs are not going to resign. Why should they? The President supports them. The Board is not going to do anything to “interfere” with the inner workings of LSU. They have hunkered down to fight, and I don’t blame them. Besides, up to now, they are “winning!”

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  10. Dear Ken:

    Your talk of “academic freedom” is [mistaken]. It is like a person talking about the “freedom” to cheat on a spouse. Yes, one is free to do that, but there are consequences for the relationship when this occurs. The same is true with one who takes a paycheck from a denominational institution while denying the belierfs held by that denomination.

    It isn’t a matter of “ramming” anything down someone’s throat. It is a matter of upholding where we stand as a church as part of the mission of the church, which is what our educational institutions are intended to help fulfill. When the Democrats have their national convention, and the Republicans likewise, no one talks about “coercion” or a “lack of freedom” because only one point of view is shared from the platform. It’s a free country. Each party and each individual has the right to sponsor their own gatherings, institutions, and representatives, and to thus share their own convictions. But neither party can fairly be called “intolerant” merely because they share only their own perspective in such a context.

    I do disagree with Ron Stone on one thing, when he imples that those supporting evolution are “winning.” I think that with the events coming out of the GC session in Atlanta, liberal Adventism may be about to utter its final gasps. It will likely take profound courage on the part of leadership to administer the coup de grace, but it must be done. Let us pray God gives our new church leadership the wisdom and the strength to do this.

    God bless!

    Pastor Kevin Paulson

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  11. Pastor Paulsen, My opinion regarding those “winning” are simply the analysis that those supporting God’s Truth have done absolutely nothing to advance any change at LSU. I do agree, and have posted, that the “handwriting is on the wall” for LSU and all its supporters of “evolution as fact.” The evolutionists, including Wisbey, are winning the short-term battle, while God and his people will ultimately win the “war!” This is why AT and Spectrum supporters are boiling mad, at Wilson and Educate Truth. [edit]

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  12. LSU is a great institution. Maybe those who are corrupting the student(s), and board members to do their dirty work in leaking confidential information should be scorned; as oppossed to an institution that is bettering the church by ensuring an educated congregation. A congregation that can support the church for future generations. If LSU becomes a “bible college” how is that furthering the church’s mission? If everyone’s a pastor who’s tithing?

    Further, the polarization of the issue and personal attacks are inappropriate. You can’t use God as a backstop for your arguments – I think he may remember that on judgment day.

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  13. I can’t imagine an educational environment without the discipline of critical thinking. If a six day creation week is “truth”, why are people afraid of exposing youth to all the different concepts? If it’s true it will bear up when compared with other points of view. If we apply the freedom of choice model here, which seems to be particularly important in making a decision about accepting God, why wouldn’t that apply to believing church dogma? If you are only fed church dogma what kind of choice is that? There is no freedom of choice in that, it sounds like a dictatorship. Present all points of view and and give people the freedom of choice, and certainly the “truth” shall prevail.

    Pastor Paulson, referring to someone’s opinion as an “absurdity” certainly was not very pastorly. Can you imagine Jesus speaking to someone that way. Defensiveness usually reflects insecurity. It was very disappointing to read unChristlike words from a pastor. Diplomacy is usually the preferred technique used in a dialogue.

    Is there a difference between fact and truth?

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  14. @Karen:

    Present all points of view and and give people the freedom of choice, and certainly the “truth” shall prevail.

    Please do present one example of any institution or organization that teaches all points of view without bias…

    Also, your idea that it is always an easy thing for our youth to separate truth from error is mistaken. It is quite easy to trick young inexperienced minds with very convincing arguments that seem logically, even scientifically, sound, but which are mistaken and will ultimately result in harm to the individual.

    Beyond this, why should the SDA Church spend time and money presenting, on an equal footing, all points of view? No organization that believes in a particular mission, goal or ideal presents all points of view without any indication of preference. If you believe that one particular pathway is the most ideal pathway, why wouldn’t you want to share this with your friends so that they can experience the very best instead of having to wade through all the other stuff to discover the best the hard way?

    Also, the mere presenting of a particular opinion doesn’t remove a person’s freedom of choice. A person can always choose to reject the opinion presented by the Church and consider others. Also, no one is forced to teach or preach in or attend an SDA institution. Yet, the SDA Church does indeed support particular opinions. It does not present, on an equal footing, all opinions. This is why the SDA Church has a unique set of “fundamental” doctrinal positions that define it as a unique entity or organization.

    This is why the SDA Church calls itself the Seventh-day Adventist Church – because it has a particular perspective to promote that is unique from all others. Your notion that all people should always present all perspectives on equal footing is itself a promotion of a particular opinion to the exclusion of other opinions. This is the biggest reason why your postmodern argument just doesn’t work. It is inherently self-contradictory. There simply is no argument until one actually has a biased opinion on the topic at hand – and you certainly have a biased opinion on the topic at hand…

    Sean Pitman
    http://www.DetectingDesign.com

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  15. Karen wrote:

    I can’t imagine an educational environment without the discipline of critical thinking. If a six day creation week is “truth”, why are people afraid of exposing youth to all the different concepts? If it’s true it will bear up when compared with other points of view. If we apply the freedom of choice model here, which seems to be particularly important in making a decision about accepting God, why wouldn’t that apply to believing church dogma?

    Karen, you have defined the problem: Currently students at LaSierra are not given a chance to make an intelligent choice. Evolution is presented as historical fact. So, if evolution is fact, as the profs say, who would choose to believe the creation account?

    One of the most fundamental of Adventist teachings is that God spoke, and it was done in the space of a literal week. The scientific evidence fits this framework as well as the evolutionary framework. (See http://www.detectingdesign.com for some of the evidence.) However, the current staff seem to have such a narrow worldview that they believe only naturalistic evolution to be “the truth.” Thus, they must necessarily teach it as truth. The better they are as teachers, the more powerful is their influence over the beliefs of the students.

    If you are only fed church dogma what kind of choice is that? There is no freedom of choice in that, it sounds like a dictatorship. Present all points of view and and give people the freedom of choice, and certainly the “truth” shall prevail.

    You seem to misunderstand the purpose of EducateTruth. We are not proposing that professors “only feed church dogma.” We want science professors to teach science — genuine science with propositions that are falsifiable. All such science will be in harmony with the biblical text.

    The kind of “science” that has corrupted the La Sierra science department is not that kind of science. The origin of life over billions of years is not a falsibiable proposition. There’s no way to test the proposition. It isn’t hard science at all, but “historical science” or “philosophical science.” It depends totally on one’s presuppositions or world view.

    We want our students to understand what naturalistic science teaches, and we also want them to know that this is not real science, but essentially philosophy. We would also like our students to understand that the very same evidence that evolutionary scientists use to “prove” evolution will fit just as comfortable into a creationist framework.

    There is some evidence for which creationists do not currently have an explanation, but evolutionists do. And there is some evidence for which evolutionists have no explanation, but creationists do.

    How all that has come to be is not something that science can answer. It is a matter for faith to answer. It takes faith to believe in all the improbabilities of evolution, and it takes faith to believe in a God powerful enough to speak and it is done.

    You choose where to place your faith.

    Again, LaSierra students, if they choose to believe their teachers, are denied the choice to believe in a Creator who spoke and it was done.

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  16. Lying about whether they are promoting or merely including the theory of evolution is nothing short of a sneeze for LSU. Both the basis for their studies in science are under attack as well as a general dislike for LSU’s continuing disrespect for the SDA church’s beliefs and all Christian’s beliefs.

    I have only occasionally followed the news releases out of LSU, but it doesn’t take much to know what’s going on.

    LSU has disciplined, put on probation, LSU students for promoting creation on campus.

    LSU has asked alumni and local SDA members to not come and pray with LSU students.

    LSU has asked that their classroom material not be shown to the public or to the SDA Church members.

    LSU classroom footage has been shown that they continue to spit on creation in favor of evolutionary models.

    LSU continues to attack its alumni for believing in Creation.

    LSU continues to isolate itself from its church and the Christian community.

    LSU upholds evolution above its boss, above its financial supporters, above its community, above its church, above all Christians and above God, and do so openly.

    La Sierra University has misplaced priorities and an heir of self righteousness in its treatment of the SDA church people and beliefs. If the professors who are promoting evolution and telling reporters that they think the Adventist Church and its belief in Creationism is bunk, and they continue to do so without apology, then they need to be fired without any further ado.

    As long as no changes are made at La Sierra University, the respect for education there will continue to drop, the respect for the Adventist church to uphold its own values will continue to drop, and most who are merely watching on the sidelines will simply disassociate themselves from the University and eventually, if nothing is done, the church. Why attend a church if it doesn’t believe in God and cannot stand up for its own doctrines before the public?

    The theory of evolution, as most Christians in the world believe, is just a theory.

    The theory of evolution, as most scientists in the world believe, is just a theory.

    Scientists know that the theory of evolution has made no irrefutable scientific contribution toward the field of science and the teaching of evolution in scientific classrooms is irrelevant to the work of professional scientists. The SDA Church has over a 100 Universities all giving out Bachelors and Masters degrees in some form of science. But only 1 of these Universities insists on promoting evolution above everything else while promoting the discrediting of creationism… why? Where do these “professors” come from and what papal society do they belong to?

    If modern day scientists say that evolution is a theory…. why is it being taught as truth?

    …as many wait for hard evidence that supports an old-earth, all that the scientific community has found is more evidence of God. …new and old stars sharing gravitational fields that should be billions of lights years apart because of the big bang but are only a few light years apart instead, dripping dinosaur blood coming from “250 billion year old dinosaur bones” (who consequently the scientists who merely discovered this, she didn’t even promote it, she was let go), giant fossilized bones of humans rather than small hunched over ape like cave man, the discoveries of human foot prints with dinosaur foot prints, complex cells that scientists say require the existence of an intelligent designer, the list goes on and on.

    All that is occurring in the scientific world is a categorizing of discoveries into time periods that are made up. There is no irrefutable evidence to support any part of evolution. The scientists keep finding evidence that support the Bible and creation, while the evolutionists keep trying to cover it up.

    …A scientist working the Hubble telescope takes a picture in space and asks, “How are these 7 galaxies perfectly in a line with the same exact spacing between them all, and they’re all the same size?” It does not support the theory of the big bang and evolution that everything exploded from 1 tiny molecule in space. But they are finding newer stars beyond the ones that are older, the stars on the outside should be older than the stars that are on the inside, based on the laws of Hubble, also known as evolution and the big bang. All that they are finding doesn’t add up.

    Why are all these animals buried with their bones and body parts still in tact? Sometimes with grass still in its mouth? If these layers took millions of years to form, than all the animals and plant life found in them should be utterly decayed to dust, but they’re not and sometimes these animals and plants are in more than just they’re own layer. Always its “localized flood”, “quick natural disaster”. Scientists are finding “local floods” all over the planet! Also no transitional species have been found as the evolutionists keep hoping for. There is no transitional species between human and the ape, for example, all that is found is all the same animals that exist today.

    While scientists (who actually do the work in among life, nature and the world around us) keep finding evidence of God, the professors who involve themselves with nothing more than books containing 200 year old darwinian theories continue to preach the same recycled unproven theories based on the faith and hope that evidence will someday surface to prove them right. So far it hasn’t happened, and so Evolution remains to be a religion taught on faith and assumptions in the classroom.

    Why is time being spent at the La Sierra University in teaching evolutionary theories when evolution is nothing more than a humorous side dish to the actual work of science in the field, provides no real added benefit to the field of science, and is counter intuitive to the Christian walk? And why is it taught as the true philosophy with no room for creation? Especially since science provides more evidence for creation than it does for evolution? The theory of evolution is both counterproductive to the field of science and to Christianity.

    Evolution is not based on science, it’s based on motive. Darwin’s theories were manufactured at the time he wrote his book for the intent to keep the various races of man separate from each other and keep slavery alive throughout the world. The full title of his book is, “The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection: The Preservation of Favored Races in the Struggle for Life”. Now the use of his theories have been recycled for other motives, and yet none of it to this day has been proven by science, including the support of an old-earth.

    Yes, LSU has refused to take this 200 year old garbage out and the stink is filling up everywhere you go. How much longer are we going to have to deal with the smell of it LSU?

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  17. Jon, a most excellent post. However I must take issue with you when you wrote: “LSU continues to isolate itself from its church and the Christian community.” IMO LSU is following the Christian community as the community moves further away from it’s Biblical roots. Evolution discredits Christ and especially the 4th Commandment and it is thus one of the most crowning achievements of Satan as he tries to negate the importance of the Sabbath.

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  18. Richard, find 1 athiest who attends church regularly on a Saturday or Sunday and bring him to this website. Provide his/her church name/denomination and phone number and name of pastor for me to call and verify his regular attendance and the amount of tithe he/she has given in the last year and why he supports a church but doesn’t believe in a creator God.

    I sit with many various church denominations. LSU has no friends in any church community.

    Will churches also be preaching that Jesus’ death was a result of not being the fittest in the survival of his species? How did he miraculously put himself back together in less than a day? That’s a pretty strange church my friend.

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  19. I’ll also need an explanation from the pastor as to how the athiest can maintain his/her membership and baptismal vows of being baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit when he/she doesn’t believe in them.

    Can you imagine calling yourself a Christian and not believing in the existence of Christ? What would you talk about with the other Christians? How could you sit through all those sermons about Jesus and His miracles week after week? And to quote lead pastor Mike Howerton of the Overlake Christian Church whose non-denominational attendance is running roughly 7,000, who just a few weeks ago in discussing their series on End Time Events with him on the side walk he said, “and what would be the purpose and existence of Christians if we didn’t believe in the Second coming of Christ”. “Preach it brother, preach it!” I told him.

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  20. Dear Karen:

    When you say I was not “pastorly” when denouncing as an absurdity the so-called “academic freedom” certain ones apparently want, you seem to be invoking a “christ” not found in the Bible. As I remember from Scripture, Jesus used such words as “hypocrites” and “vipers” to describe those who were leading others astray in His day (see Matt. 23). Tragically, too many among us have contrived a false christ, based on the expectations of postmodern, feel-good spirituality. I pray you are not one who has embraced this [perspective].

    Relativistic ambiguity has nothing to do with the Christ of Holy Scripture. The Biblical Christ declared that man shall live “by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matt. 4:4). Elsewhere He stated, “If ye continue in My Word, then are ye My disciples indeed” (John 8:31). “Sanctify them through Thy truth; Thy Word is truth” (John 17:17).

    A pastor’s duty does not include pretending that wolves are really sheep. His duty is not just nurture and gentle tending of the flock, but also includes defending that flock against those who prey upon it, even if the latter appear in sheep’s clothing.

    God bless!

    Pastor Kevin Paulson

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  21. It was very disappointing to read unChristlike words from a pastor.Diplomacy is usually the preferred technique used in a dialogue.Is there a difference between fact and truth?  

    As the Pastor has stated, Jesus used words that were inflammatory when needed. If only we had more pastors like Pastor Paulson out here in California, instead of secular humanists who constantly try to undermine God’s Truth.

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  22. You do not need to know all that there is about evolution to be able to further your studies unless you want to teach evolution. Just as you don’t study couterfit money but the real ones to be able to distinguish between the two.

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  23. Obviously there needs to be definite action by the LSU Board. With the present chairman of the Board and President of LSU it looks dubious. However, things can change rapidly in ways that we have not even thought of. Let’s continue to pray as well as be active in rooting out this evil in LSU.

    Hopefully the new GC President will in time make this a priority. I have no doubt that he is troubled by the evolutionary teachings at LSU.

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  24. Personally, I agree with Vern. I believe that evolutionary teaching should NOT receive equal time to creation, but rather relatively little time. If our efforts were aimed at the true conversion of students, no amount of evolutionary thought presented in the so-called “real” world would shake their belief in the scriptures. I, personally, make my stand upon the scriptures for it has given evidence enough that it is indeed the word of God. Why should the word of any feeble man cause me to question the infinite God? If there are those whom the Lord burdens to reach atheists and evolutionist at the level of science so be it… But would we as a church present the word of God in the spirit and power of Christ, it would not be necessary to even mention evolution, for hearts would be moved by God’s Spirit alone. That is why Paul determine to preach nothing but Christ crucified… his attempt to meet mind with mind bore with little success.

    Lee Folkman
    http://www.NarrowWayMedia.org

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  25. I was sad to see that LSU is still represented at the GC as an SDA Institution. In the words of my 17 year old daughter, when Jan Paulsen came up to speak, she said: ‘If only the GC President had been willing to speak out against Evolution and what is happening at LSU. This is one mistake the President has made.’
    LSU does not uphold the Fundamental Beliefs of the SDA church. Why is it still listed as an SDA institution? It can teach what it wants, it must just not be hypocritical and pretend to be SDA yet not uphold the church’s beliefs.
    Sincerely
    Elma Heldzinger

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  26. “Voted position”??? How undermining. And they teach all about what the church teaches. That means they do not teach it as fact, just that the church happens to have voted to promote the literal creation. Get these men out of our school immediately or shut the thing down at once. [edit] The longer these people can influence our sons and daughters, the more converts to falsehood [will be made]. I am appalled, and this statement is, for me, the decisive proof that the church has been undermined and young minds – and lives – lost through subtle, insidious lies. Where are the real men in this church? Stumbling around trying not to hurt feelings? Get them out.

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  27. Is LSU an SDA institution? Does it believe the testimony of Scripture, which the church adheres to in fundamental belief #1, regarding the Word of God? If it does, it’s in agreement with the following:

    1. The Holy Scriptures:

    “The Holy Scriptures, Old and New Testaments, are the written Word of God, given by divine inspiration through holy men of God who spoke and wrote as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. In this Word, God has committed to man the knowledge necessary for salvation. The Holy Scriptures are the infallible revelation of His will. They are the standard of character, the
    test of experience, the authoritative revealer of doctrines, and the trustworthy record of God’s acts in history.” (2 Peter 1:20, 21; 2 Tim. 3:16, 17; Ps. 119:105; Prov. 30:5, 6; Isa. 8:20; John 17:17; 1 Thess. 2:13; Heb. 4:12.)

    The above is straight out of the official SDA website containing our beliefs, as shown here:

    http://www.adventist.org/beliefs/fundamental/fundamental-beliefs.pdf

    My next question is, “If LSU accepts the above declaration of faith in the Holy Word of God, what is their response to the following …?

    “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.

    “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,

    “because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were they thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

    “Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools …” Rom. 1:18-22

    How does LSU reconcile the above with what is being taught in their classrooms, and, how anxious are they to stand before God someday and debate Him regarding the faithfulness of His Word? Because that day will surely come.

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  28. This “academic freedom in our schools” argument is simply hogwash. Oh, pardon me, I meant whitewash. As clearly pointed out by an earlier responder, a SDA preacher does not, or should not, pontificate from the pulpit all the various views on a certain Bible doctrine and then tell his congregation that they can cherry-pick the version they like. That SDA preacher would soon be finding another profession one would think. He should be preaching the “straight testimony,” or the “three angels message” without any equivocation. Of course, our college professors can teach about the salient points of Darwinian evolution but their stress should be on the Bible concept of a six literal day creation about 6,000 years ago.

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  29. This “academic freedom in our schools” argument is simply hogwash. Oh, pardon me, I meant whitewash. As clearly pointed out by an earlier responder, a SDA preacher does not, or should not, pontificate from the pulpit all the various views on a certain Bible doctrine and then tell his congregation that they can cherry-pick the version they like. That SDA preacher would soon be finding another profession one would think. He should be preaching the “straight testimony,” or the “three angels message” without any equivocation. Of course, our college professors can teach about the salient points of Darwinian evolution but their stress should be on the Bible concept of a six literal day creation about 6,000 years ago.  

    Ellis, I agree with you completely. “Academic freedom” is an excuse given to undermine our biblical beliefs. I am totally for teaching ABOUT evolution, as I was taught in public universities. But, as we see here, teaching “evolution as fact” has no place in and SDA institution or church!

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  30. Virgil, “Is LSU an SDA institution?” Well, technically it is, since it is supported by the SDA Church, has an SDA Board, some actual SDA teachers, etc.

    However, is LSU an SDA institution as far as teaching biblically-based knowledge? Well, that’s certainly not true, at least in its Biology and Religion Depts.

    Is it the only pseudo-SDA institution? Certainly not, but appears to be the worst example!

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  31. If LSU becomes a “bible college” how is that furthering the church’s mission? If everyone’s a pastor who’s tithing?

    WM, I don’t know for sure….but maybe if we all became ‘pastors’ (in a certain sense), we could all go ‘Home’ and the need to pay tithe would be gone completely…..just a thought…..

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  32. This idea of hiring two sets of professors to present competing philosophies of the origins of life can be compared to the following example. (Aside from the FRIVOLOUS waste of precious funds which would be a whole other set of issues).

    You bring into your home two opposing teachers on the use of tobacco to educate YOUR young children on the matter. Each teacher is allowed to use their greatest persuasive powers, money and glitz being no object, to make their respective convincing arguments. You do this because you want to provide them as an OBJECTIVE a choice as possible. Is this sound parenting?

    What would be the outcome of this contest? How would your parenting be rated having knowingly exposing your impressionable children to such needless danger/death? What does this say about YOUR own character? Does this have the appearance of compromise with a known deadly danger?

    Why then did the US govt BAN such advertising in many media formats? Was is it because the counter argument against tobacco and associated health dangers was more attractive and compelling to the youth?

    Does the argument for teaching opposing opinions STILL sound logical and safe? Even Satan and his followers were weeded out of heaven after his declaration of open rebellion and war. That poison could no longer be allowed to stay and cause the destruction of all present. Therefore it was routed by force and eternally ejected. How much more so should ALL those who have taught this falsehood, those who have protected and defended them, from instructors to board of director members to even the President and faculty of LSU. Let the chips fall where they may. There is no other option. They have dug in their heels and refused to do that which is right despite many pleadings. Their decisions have been made. Now is the time for our decision to made.

    We will forgive and even miss you, however, you need to exit your positions. Intransigence to correction makes you unsafe to remain in these entrusted places where your immense influence on impressionable SDA youth is vast. Sadly, it is highly likely these persons will need to be forcibly ejected also. I say this in the spirit of love, better to amputate a incurable body part than let the whole person die.

    Respectfully submitted,

    Frank

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  33. Another great “spin job” by Graham is when he tries to explain why nothing is being done. Why? He blames Ellen White! Yeh, it’s her fault he and the Board have done nothing and are continuing to do nothing. Committees and Boards have the authority to make decisions, instead of “kingly, ruling powers!” Well, please explain, President Graham, why you and the Board have not done your job! Don’t blame Mrs. White!  (Quote)

    Ron, please be careful with accusations such as this. It doesn’t help our cause. Ricardo Graham doesn’t “blame Mrs. White”–he is simply crediting her as a major influence in the organizational structure of our church, and that is one reason why it is taking so long to deal with the matter.

    For the record, I am a biblical creationist, and I completely agree that what is apparently happening in La Sierra’s biology classrooms is wrong and needs to be corrected as soon as possible to be in complete and open harmony with the church’s Fundamental belief #6, and with no “spin” attached. But let’s keep our comments truthful and charitable, with no “spin” attached, either.

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  34. Weeding out those who have promoted this falsehood doctrine and protected/aided/defended them will be very difficult.

    Why? Because of the federal funding many SDA learning institutions receive. Therefore firing them may well have to be due to other reasons than those which have caused this furor. And if they are “on their games,” respectively, it may be years before they leave or (gasp) retire.

    After all when one accepts federal funding, one has to abide by the rules that come with such monies. Attendance at worship services may no longer be able to be enforced, certain open life styles may no longer be reasons for termination of students or faculty, certain publicly known and voiced/printed personal beliefs that are not in line with SDA doctrines may not be used as cause for firings. Standards are lowered to reflect those of public universities because of federal guidelines that now come into effect and supercede usual institutional standards.

    Imagine how complex this really is and not how simple it may seem to appear on the surface. These professors are not just paid with church monies but with federal government monies too. Fire the professors for these reasons and the ensuing lawsuits for wrongful termination would be financially painful and a public relations embarrassment that would last for years. After all aren’t they entitled to “equal opportunity employment” in an federally funded university?

    Perhaps this is why LSU has been “working on the matter” in their own way. Truth is there is likely precious little they or anyone can do now except wait this group out. Think of the negative spiritual fallout for these government dollars. Not such a “bargain” anymore is it?

    Fire them and return ALL the money accepted for the “x” number of years having received it OR shut up and suffer in silence. These are the options as I see it.

    Where did the institutions go wrong? Hmmm, could spiritual advice have been correct about from whom the institutions should or should not accept money??? Once again the adage of the “golden rule” is recalled, “He who has the gold makes the rules.” How sad the situation.

    This is the only result one can expect when compromise for institutional monetary income occurs.

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  35. I am confused on the “spin tactic” claim. If LSU is educating their students about evolution so they can be familiar with the material, why is it to imperative for all the faculty to have a belief in a literal six day creation? In science, are we not to have an impartial look at the facts? Isn’t it the faculty’s job to present the information impartially while abiding by school policy? No one is forcing the students to believe in evolution and no one has called it fact or truth. So I am confused, what is the conflict here?

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  36. @Robert: Thanks for your comment. I’ll do my best to explain things.

    1. LSU is not just educating students about the theory of evolution. This is a fact that has been substantiated by class room material, the professors, and LSU students.

    2. It’s more imperative that faculty promote the biblical creation.

    3. There is no such thing as an impartial look at the facts.

    So the conflict is this: LSU is undermining the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s position on creation by promoting the theory of evolution as fact, thus undermining the Bible which the church believes is the inspired revelation of God’s will and all of our beliefs.

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  37. It is a myth and poor policy that our schools should be academic neutral zones where students will hear all sides and make up their own minds from a neutral context (as if such a thing as pure academic freedom or neutrality existed). Every institution of the church needs to embrace the mission of the church, which is to make disciples of all nations and teach truth. Our universities teach other subjects besides the Bible because it is practical and necessary, but worldly educational values should never be embraced there.

    And please, no more arguments that “it’s the parents’ job, the students should know before they come.” The fact is that not every student has good, spiritual, biblically grounded parents. Some students are not from Adventist or even Christian backgrounds. The university should have a goal to reach everyone who can be reached, and teachers chosen who will support this goal.

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  38. Re: Life before creation week.
    Those who hold this view don’t believe the Bible AT ALL! Revelation 21:1 clearly states that we are now living in the time of the “first heaven and the first earth”. John, in vision, saw them passed away, and the new heavens and earth that will come. Ergo: if we afre in the first heaven and earth there could not have existed life, nor earth, nor heavens before. [edit]

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  39. When in a losing argument always try to attack the person!!!

    I can’t imagine an educational environment without the discipline of critical thinking.If a six day creation week is “truth”, why are people afraid of exposing youth to all the different concepts?If it’s true it will bear up when compared with other points of view.If we apply the freedom of choice model here, which seems to be particularly important in making a decision about accepting God, why wouldn’t that apply to believing church dogma?If you are only fed church dogma what kind of choice is that?There is no freedom of choice in that, it sounds like a dictatorship.Present all points of view and and give people the freedom of choice, and certainly the “truth” shall prevail.Pastor Paulson, referring to someone’s opinion as an “absurdity” certainly was not very pastorly.Can you imagine Jesus speaking to someone that way.Defensiveness usually reflects insecurity.It was very disappointing to read unChristlike words from a pastor.Diplomacy is usually the preferred technique used in a dialogue.Is there a difference between fact and truth?  

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  40. “The work of creation cannot be explained by science…..In the creation of the earth, God was not indebted to pre-existing matter. ‘He spake, and it was;….He commanded and it stood fast……The mastermind in the confederacy of evil is ever working to keep out of sight the words of God, and to bring to view the opinions of men. He means that we shall not hear the voice of God, saying, ‘This is the way, walk ye in it.’ Isaiah 30:20. Through perverted educational processes he is doing his utmost to obscure heaven’s light.

    Philosophical speculation and scientific research in which God is not acknowledged are making skeptics of thousands. In the schools of today the conclusions that learned men have reached as a result of their scientific investigations are carefully taught and fully explained; while the impression is distinctly given that if these learned men are correct, the Bible cannot be. Skepticism is attractive to the human mind. The youth see in it an independence that captivates the imagination, and they are deceived. Satan triumphs. He nourishes every seed of doubt that is sown in young hearts. He causes it to grow and bear fruit, and soon a plentiful harvest of infidelity is reaped.

    It is because the human heart is inclined to evil that it is so dangerous to sow the seeds of skepticism in young minds. Whatever weakens faith in God robs the soul of power to resist temptation. It removes the only real safeguard against sin. We are in need of schools where the youth shall be taught that greatness consists in honoring God by revealing His character in the daily life. Through His word and His works we need to learn of God, that our lives may fulfill His purpose. ……..The tempter has his agents, educated according to his methods, inspired by his spirit, and adapted to his work. Shall we co-operate with them? Shall we receive the works of his agents as essential to the acquirement of an education?

    If the time and effort spent in seeking to grasp the bright ideas of infidels were given to studying the precious things of the word of God, thousands who now sit in darkness and in the shadow of death would be rejoicing in the glory of the Light of life.” Ministry of Healing pp.414, 439, 440.

    I truly believe if we as a church body would by the grace of God would be willing to put the Bible as central in all our education process from the very youngest to the most advanced and humbly submit to the counsel He has so graciously blessed us with in the Spirit of Prophecy this problem would not have surfaced. I believe we are reaping that harvest of skepticism. Why oh Why do we think we have to teach even the rudiments of evolution?? Cannot we not hear the prophet????? If we are so familiar with the True, won’t we recognize the false??????

    May God help us all the recognize our high calling in Christ Jesus.

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  41. “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.
    “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,
    “because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were they thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
    “Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools …” Rom. 1:18-22
    How does LSU reconcile the above with what is being taught in their classrooms, and, how anxious are they to stand before God someday and debate Him regarding the faithfulness of His Word? Because that day will surely come

    You said this so well. And now they have the ravening wolves in charge of caring for the henhouse. Did you all see the plan for LSU to gather up all the educators to make plans for the future? Its like scar tissue that sometimes forms after surgery, snakes around many organs of the body and messes them up. Freeing oneself from this problem can cause a lot of pain but if not, organ function can be limited and the body frozen and mishapen (i’m not a medical person but know this from personal experience 🙁 WE must not let this problem continue at LSU or any of our other schools at any level. As Sister White said 100+ years ago, “Meet it!” She did not say to also teach Kellogg’s theory in the name of academic freedom, and neither should we. It is time for our conferences to follow Michigan’s lead. I personallly know students whose walk with the Lord and support for the church has been attacked and in some badly damaged by their college professors (not all at LSU). What happened to the watchmen on the walls?

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  42. @Robert:

    I am confused on the “spin tactic” claim. If LSU is educating their students about evolution so they can be familiar with the material, why is it to imperative for all the faculty to have a belief in a literal six day creation? In science, are we not to have an impartial look at the facts? Isn’t it the faculty’s job to present the information impartially while abiding by school policy? No one is forcing the students to believe in evolution and no one has called it fact or truth. So I am confused, what is the conflict here?

    Robert – you are missing some “details”.

    1. All of our colleges and universities teach “About” evolutionism. Not all of them are ‘in the tank’ for evolutionism as we see at LSU however.

    2. LSU’s biology Professor Bradley did make a statement to the press stating that he did not consider the Bible view on origins to be anything other than trash – and that evolutionisms doctrine on origins is in fact the correct belief that he presents in his classroom.

    3. Evolutionism is non-science, worse it is junk-science and poor religion as even atheist evolutionists like Collin Patterson of the British Museum of Natural history admits to the distinctively religious nature regarding the argument for evolutionism based on stories from the fossil record about how one thing came from another “stories easy enough to make up” (in Patterson’s words) “but they are NOT science since there is no way of putting them to the test”.

    The widespread myth and fiction that “belief in evolutionism” is inexpelicably ok to refer to as “science”, is a testament to the effectiveness of evolutionist propaganda.

    Dawkins’ totally flummoxed response of “dead silence” in a video taped interview when he was asked for even ONE example of new coding gene information being added to a genome in real life – shows the extent to which “the emperor has no clothes”. He ended that long period of silence — staring at the ceiling and finally coming up with the brilliant science response to that evolutionism 101 softball lob – saying “stop the tape”.

    in Christ,

    Bob

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  43. @Michael Prewitt:

    It is a myth and poor policy that our schools should be academic neutral zones where students will hear all sides and make up their own minds from a neutral context

    True – but what if “the MISSION” in all Adventist universities world wide was in fact no higher than “be the BEST neutral public university that Adventist tithe, tuition and gift dollars can buy”?

    Have you considered how wonderful it would be to divert Gospel outreach and soul-winning evangelism funds and resources to a “best netural public university” mission?

    Suppose for example that the real reason for the existence of Adventist universities was

    1 – to find a place where Adventists can marry each other

    and

    2 – to correct the lousy state of science ( biology, chemistry, calculus, physics etc) teaching going on in other public universities – and show the right way that a public university should be run!

    and

    3. To provide a money-well for excess Adventist funds – so that all that extra money that clutters Adventist homes and businesses can be swept out clean.

    and

    4. To so severly challenge SDA young people to dump their bibles and embrace evolutionism “instead” – that if they should “survive” our science education and still choose the Bible over the doctrines on origins found in evolutionism — well then they would be “battle hardened” and ready for anything the real world might throw at them – because they have already survived “the worst”. (the “worst” being disguised infidelity were actual Adventist leaders, instructors, professors actively and sincerely promote total compromise with the doctrines on origins found in evolutionism.)

    Surely such an imaginary world would finally provide support for what LSU is trying to do in their biology and religion departments.

    But if we contrast that to the “real world” — then LSU “has a problem”.

    in Christ,

    Bob

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  44. Ron, please be careful with accusations such as this.It doesn’t help our cause.Ricardo Graham doesn’t “blame Mrs. White”–he is simply crediting her as a major influence in the organizational structure of our church, and that is one reason why it is taking so long to deal with the matter.

    Ellen White has nothing to do with the Board’s delaying tactics and their total incompetence in handling the situation at LSU. To even mention her name is ridiculous. The “church structure” also has nothing to do with why the Board has done nothing and is currently doing nothing. Please read the LSU website regarding the powers of the Board.

    They are doing nothing because they are a major part of the problem, as they have allowed LSU to become a rogue institution. Look at the last 3 Presidents–Guy, Geraty, and Wisbey–all three liberals who cherish humanistic philosophies, such as evolution, over God’s Truth.

    BTW, I spoke to Graham personally (at the Market Street Church in Oakland) but he completely “blew me off” when I simply asked him “to do the right thing.”

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