Creation/evolution clash at LSU

Educate Truth shares the following excerpts from an article published by The Examiner as a service to readers.

By Adam Hendron

Adam Hendron

…humiliated students and frustrated parents want more than an apology; they want repentance. “I don’t think that an apology or a regret or a remorse really makes you accountable as when you ask for forgiveness,” said Gloria. “My own child was a student there, and I begged my second child to not even consider La Sierra.” The mother thought she was paying for an education in line with Seventh-day Adventist beliefs; including their understanding of the six-day creation account in the opening chapters of Genesis.

…It seems that some faculty have been in denial about the contradiction between their evolutionary beliefs and the Church’s position. Some are not church members, while others are, and apparently have an agenda to redefine the faith.

Churches are sometimes guilty of gaining converts through social pressure rather than an intelligent appreciation for their religion. But at La Sierra, it is Darwinists who have taken that tactic … Along with the honesty issue, such bullying is another evidence that the teaching of evolution is not always just a question of presenting the facts.

While LSU leadership has pledged to be more supportive of the Church’s traditional views, it does not say that those views are correct…

Adam Hendron is the author of several books and has served in the communications department of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Adam enjoys vegetarian cooking and songwriting as well.

22 thoughts on “Creation/evolution clash at LSU

  1. “It seems that some faculty have been in denial about the contradiction between their evolutionary beliefs and the Church’s position. Some are not church members, while others are, and apparently have an agenda to redefine the faith.”

    It doesn’t seem plausible that the faculty is actually in “denial” about the contradiction between Darwinism and Adventism, but the second sentence is unquestionably correct: There is an astonishingly large contingent of cultural, non-believing Adventists who are pushing an agenda to redefine the Adventist faith. Unfortunately, they are often more motivated and tenacious, and almost always more politically skillful, than conservative elements who would like to maintain the doctrines of Adventism.

    By the way, this isn’t a uniquely Adventist problem by any stretch of the imagination. It is a law of human action that any organization that is not explicitly and militantly conservative will eventually be liberalized. When it comes to higher education, this law is on steroids; there are only about a dozen conservative colleges in the U.S.

      (Quote)

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  2. I thought the following was an interesting observation:

    Churches are sometimes guilty of gaining converts through social pressure rather than an intelligent appreciation for their religion. But at La Sierra, it is Darwinists who have taken that tactic … Along with the honesty issue, such bullying is another evidence that the teaching of evolution is not always just a question of presenting the facts.

    Educate Truth interviewed two former LSU students in April 2010, and they related some experiences that demonstrated this type of bullying. If you have the truth, as the professors think, such tactics would be unnecessary.

      (Quote)

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  3. I thought the following was an interesting observation:

    Churches are sometimes guilty of gaining converts through social pressure rather than an intelligent appreciation for their religion. But at La Sierra, it is Darwinists who have taken that tactic … Along with the honesty issue, such bullying is another evidence that the teaching of evolution is not always just a question of presenting the facts.

    Educate Truth interviewed two former LSU students in April 2010, and they related some experiences that demonstrated this type of bullying. If you have the truth, as the professors think, such tactics would be unnecessary.

      (Quote)

    View Comment
  4. David Read said….

    “There is an astonishingly large contingent of cultural, non-believing Adventists who are pushing an agenda to redefine the Adventist faith. Unfortunately, they are often more motivated and tenacious, and almost always more politically skillful, than conservative elements who would like to maintain the doctrines of Adventism.

    By the way, this isn’t a uniquely Adventist problem by any stretch of the imagination.”

    At least in one sense, it is more frustrating that so few church members are willing to “get involved” and simply warm the pews week after week.

    In my evaluation, when people are “sold” on the idea of “church election” as though God Himself can not do anything but patronize the church community, they feel no moral accountability to oppose “the church”.

    “Church election” is a favorite tool of Satan that controls Catholicism and before them, the Jewish nation. Now, apparently, Adventism.

    A fellow I knew was converted to Catholicism on the basis of their contention they are the one and only “true church” and run historically back to Jesus. This was good enough for him, and from there, he had no interest in right or wrong only in the context of “the church said.”

    Believe it or not, more than a few SDA’s hold the same spirituality about the SDA church. Only when this “spell” of evil is exposed and people begin to realize their individual accountability to God on all issues, will there be a viable Holy Spirit revival within Adventism.

    I am doubtful that many will ever “wake up” and when they finally do, like the foolish virgins, it will be too late.

    Bill Sorensen

      (Quote)

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  5. Bill Sorenson,

    In response to your comment “I am doubtful that many will ever ‘wake up’ and when they finally do, like the foolish virgins, it will be too late.”

    It is sad that human nature does not do a good job of causing us to leave the uncomfortable and prepare for tough times. It does a good job of trying to get us to overlook minor warning signals and stay with the comfortable. It is often to our detriment though.

    Look at the times of great turmoil in the Bible that the time of the end of the world is compared to: before the flood, and at the time before the cross. How many of the people prepared for or were studying what was coming? How many were saved or lost? How can we think it will be any different in this time? Matthew 7 says the road to eternal life is narrow and few find it. I am so convinced that extremely bad times are right before us, probably this year in 2011.

    I fear for the Adventist people and the Church. God is so wonderful, but most seemed to be closed to Him.

      (Quote)

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  6. Bill Sorenson,

    In response to your comment “I am doubtful that many will ever ‘wake up’ and when they finally do, like the foolish virgins, it will be too late.”

    It is sad that human nature does not do a good job of causing us to leave the uncomfortable and prepare for tough times. It does a good job of trying to get us to overlook minor warning signals and stay with the comfortable. It is often to our detriment though.

    Look at the times of great turmoil in the Bible that the time of the end of the world is compared to: before the flood, and at the time before the cross. How many of the people prepared for or were studying what was coming? How many were saved or lost? How can we think it will be any different in this time? Matthew 7 says the road to eternal life is narrow and few find it. I am so convinced that extremely bad times are right before us, probably this year in 2011.

    I fear for the Adventist people and the Church. God is so wonderful, but most seemed to be closed to Him.

      (Quote)

    View Comment
  7. @Bill Sorensen, You are absolutely correct about the apathy of most of our SDA Church members. I belong to one of the most “conservative” churches in the Pacific Union Conference. However, the vast majority of the members have no “clue” or even want to have a clue into what’s going on at LSU or anywhere else.

    Those who want to infiltrate secular humanist ideas into our Church have much more enthusiam for what they are doing, even thouth they have smaller numbers, since most of the bible-believing members are simply to lazy to get involved.

    This simple fact is why the “progrssives” have hope that their ideas will prevail; the opposition will simply roll over or just continue to “dialogue” (Jim Pedersen’s favorite phrase) into eternity!

      (Quote)

    View Comment
  8. @Bill Sorensen, You are absolutely correct about the apathy of most of our SDA Church members. I belong to one of the most “conservative” churches in the Pacific Union Conference. However, the vast majority of the members have no “clue” or even want to have a clue into what’s going on at LSU or anywhere else.

    Those who want to infiltrate secular humanist ideas into our Church have much more enthusiam for what they are doing, even thouth they have smaller numbers, since most of the bible-believing members are simply to lazy to get involved.

    This simple fact is why the “progrssives” have hope that their ideas will prevail; the opposition will simply roll over or just continue to “dialogue” (Jim Pedersen’s favorite phrase) into eternity!

      (Quote)

    View Comment
  9. Ron Stone M.D.: @Bill Sorensen, You are absolutely correct about the apathy of most of our SDA Church members. I belong to one of the most “conservative” churches in the Pacific Union Conference. However, the vast majority of the members have no “clue” or even want to have a clue into what’s going on at LSU or anywhere else.

    Which is how the Pacific Union was able to create the multi-decade LSU experiment in the first place.

    To some extent PUC and SECC constituency have to step up to the point of sharing the blame. They cannot simply point to unwatched school administrators operating on behalf of an indifferent, dissinterested constituency – as if those administrators deserve all the blame for what takes place in such a context.

    All that is needed for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing. And that still works even if apathy is the primary driver for “doing nothing”.

    in Christ,

    Bob

      (Quote)

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  10. The LSU board already admitted to the fact that they were in error.

    ==================
    LSU’s board states –

    The survey, though, also showed areas in which we have fallen short of what we andour Church want for our students. We found that only 50 percent of the students surveyedagreed or strongly agreed that our Adventist view of creation was presented, and only 40 per-cent agreed or strongly agreed that our Adventist view was supported. This is not acceptable,and we apologize. We have already begun addressing this in meaningful ways to ensure that our biology program seriously addresses the topic of creation.

    http://www.scribd.com/doc/50401493/OpenLetterReCreationLSU
    =====================================

    They did not insert “but error is a good thing” into that statement.

    in Christ,

    Bob

      (Quote)

    View Comment
  11. BTW, the fact that relatively few SDA progressive are being recruited from traditional evangelism efforts means that the greatest effort by progressives MUST be in our schools, which we see at LSU and PUC especially!

      (Quote)

    View Comment
  12. BobRyan: Which is how the Pacific Union was able to create the multi-decade LSU experiment in the first place.To some extent PUC and SECC constituency have to step up to the point of sharing the blame. They cannot simply point to unwatched school administrators operating on behalf of an indifferent, dissinterested constituency – as if those administrators deserve all the blame for what takes place in such a context.All that is needed for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing. And that still works even if apathy is the primary driver for “doing nothing”.in Christ,Bob

    You’re absolutely correct. We have lots of “good” men and women sitting around doing nothing because of apathy.

    However, I do not think “apathy” drives most leaders. Many, such as those at LSU actually believe what they are doing is correct. Progressives believe our SDA Church is too “backward” and “old fashioned” in its thinking and needs to get into the postmodern era. Changing the Church to fit the World is their greatest goal.

    You see it at LSU, PUC, and in several of our Conferences here in California. They are a “rogue” element in our Church since the vast majority outside California do not believe their philosophy.

    The greatest fear of progressives is that the SDA Church, worldwide, is becoming more “fundamental” and very few “progressives” are being recruited, relative to the conservatives.

    Progressive in our SDA Church thrive where our so-called leaders do NOT lead but simply “dialogue” (Jim Pedersen’s phrase) or just ignore what is going on. The ignoring seems very prominent in the LSU Board, SECC, SCC, NCC, and the Pacific Union Conference leadership.

      (Quote)

    View Comment
  13. BTW, the fact that relatively few SDA progressive are being recruited from traditional evangelism efforts means that the greatest effort by progressives MUST be in our schools, which we see at LSU and PUC especially!

      (Quote)

    View Comment
  14. David Read said….

    “There is an astonishingly large contingent of cultural, non-believing Adventists who are pushing an agenda to redefine the Adventist faith. Unfortunately, they are often more motivated and tenacious, and almost always more politically skillful, than conservative elements who would like to maintain the doctrines of Adventism.

    By the way, this isn’t a uniquely Adventist problem by any stretch of the imagination.”

    At least in one sense, it is more frustrating that so few church members are willing to “get involved” and simply warm the pews week after week.

    In my evaluation, when people are “sold” on the idea of “church election” as though God Himself can not do anything but patronize the church community, they feel no moral accountability to oppose “the church”.

    “Church election” is a favorite tool of Satan that controls Catholicism and before them, the Jewish nation. Now, apparently, Adventism.

    A fellow I knew was converted to Catholicism on the basis of their contention they are the one and only “true church” and run historically back to Jesus. This was good enough for him, and from there, he had no interest in right or wrong only in the context of “the church said.”

    Believe it or not, more than a few SDA’s hold the same spirituality about the SDA church. Only when this “spell” of evil is exposed and people begin to realize their individual accountability to God on all issues, will there be a viable Holy Spirit revival within Adventism.

    I am doubtful that many will ever “wake up” and when they finally do, like the foolish virgins, it will be too late.

    Bill Sorensen

      (Quote)

    View Comment
  15. “It seems that some faculty have been in denial about the contradiction between their evolutionary beliefs and the Church’s position. Some are not church members, while others are, and apparently have an agenda to redefine the faith.”

    It doesn’t seem plausible that the faculty is actually in “denial” about the contradiction between Darwinism and Adventism, but the second sentence is unquestionably correct: There is an astonishingly large contingent of cultural, non-believing Adventists who are pushing an agenda to redefine the Adventist faith. Unfortunately, they are often more motivated and tenacious, and almost always more politically skillful, than conservative elements who would like to maintain the doctrines of Adventism.

    By the way, this isn’t a uniquely Adventist problem by any stretch of the imagination. It is a law of human action that any organization that is not explicitly and militantly conservative will eventually be liberalized. When it comes to higher education, this law is on steroids; there are only about a dozen conservative colleges in the U.S.

      (Quote)

    View Comment
  16. Ron&#032Stone&#032M&#046D&#046: @Bill Sorensen, You are absolutely correct about the apathy of most of our SDA Church members. I belong to one of the most “conservative” churches in the Pacific Union Conference. However, the vast majority of the members have no “clue” or even want to have a clue into what’s going on at LSU or anywhere else.

    Which is how the Pacific Union was able to create the multi-decade LSU experiment in the first place.

    To some extent PUC and SECC constituency have to step up to the point of sharing the blame. They cannot simply point to unwatched school administrators operating on behalf of an indifferent, dissinterested constituency – as if those administrators deserve all the blame for what takes place in such a context.

    All that is needed for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing. And that still works even if apathy is the primary driver for “doing nothing”.

    in Christ,

    Bob

      (Quote)

    View Comment
  17. The LSU board already admitted to the fact that they were in error.

    ==================
    LSU’s board states –

    The survey, though, also showed areas in which we have fallen short of what we andour Church want for our students. We found that only 50 percent of the students surveyedagreed or strongly agreed that our Adventist view of creation was presented, and only 40 per-cent agreed or strongly agreed that our Adventist view was supported. This is not acceptable,and we apologize. We have already begun addressing this in meaningful ways to ensure that our biology program seriously addresses the topic of creation.

    http://www.scribd.com/doc/50401493/OpenLetterReCreationLSU
    =====================================

    They did not insert “but error is a good thing” into that statement.

    in Christ,

    Bob

      (Quote)

    View Comment
  18. BobRyan: Which is how the Pacific Union was able to create the multi-decade LSU experiment in the first place.To some extent PUC and SECC constituency have to step up to the point of sharing the blame. They cannot simply point to unwatched school administrators operating on behalf of an indifferent, dissinterested constituency – as if those administrators deserve all the blame for what takes place in such a context.All that is needed for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing. And that still works even if apathy is the primary driver for “doing nothing”.in Christ,Bob

    You’re absolutely correct. We have lots of “good” men and women sitting around doing nothing because of apathy.

    However, I do not think “apathy” drives most leaders. Many, such as those at LSU actually believe what they are doing is correct. Progressives believe our SDA Church is too “backward” and “old fashioned” in its thinking and needs to get into the postmodern era. Changing the Church to fit the World is their greatest goal.

    You see it at LSU, PUC, and in several of our Conferences here in California. They are a “rogue” element in our Church since the vast majority outside California do not believe their philosophy.

    The greatest fear of progressives is that the SDA Church, worldwide, is becoming more “fundamental” and very few “progressives” are being recruited, relative to the conservatives.

    Progressive in our SDA Church thrive where our so-called leaders do NOT lead but simply “dialogue” (Jim Pedersen’s phrase) or just ignore what is going on. The ignoring seems very prominent in the LSU Board, SECC, SCC, NCC, and the Pacific Union Conference leadership.

      (Quote)

    View Comment

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