Comment on LSU Board says ‘we apologize’ by Angelina.
Professor Kent,
Thank you for your reply, but I’m not sure you answered my question, at least I hope you haven’t: How exactly are these professors (administrators etc) held accountable? From your relatively non-commital comments above, it seems you would leave it up to these professors (and I include administrators and any others in position of authority who should have taken action but didn’t) to decide whether, under new, more explicit job descriptions they choose to stay or leave. Really? Is this what you would do? Are you implying that the church does not have cause to terminate their employment? Are you saying that after a decade or more of their lies and deception, this is all we can do, revise the job description? Are you telling me that it is not a condition of employment to uphold the church’s fundamental beliefs, whether implicit or explicit? Please tell me this isn’t your solution.
Many years ago, I worked for a Catholic charity organization. At worship one morning the President who was also a Priest, made a jaw-dropping statement. He said, “There is no such thing as good and evil. God and Satan don’t really exist.” What do you think happened? He was quietly relieved of his duties and sent to work in a mission field with natives struggling with addictions such as glue sniffing, alcoholism and pornography, to see first hand the effects of evil. Unfortunately, the Catholic Church’s track record is abysmal when it comes to taking action for wayward priests, but in this instance their reaction was swift and unequivocal. Do you think it was stipulated somewhere in this Priest’s contract that he has to believe in good and evil?
Since we are also short on pastors, maybe we should hire a few from the Presbyterians, or from Jehovah’s Witnesses….Doesn’t matter, does it?
Keeping these professors because there may not be others would be a testament to our lack of faith. God will provide in His time. The primary concern, as I see it, is not who will replace these professors, but rather, how to restore trust and credibility so that our youth and their parents, past, present and future can feel certain once again that we are all on the same page.
I fully agree with your final point. However, firing these employees would not be punitive in my perspective. They repeatedly made choices, and perhaps still stand by those choices, that went counter to what our institution is about. They lied when questioned, conveniently “laid low until it blew over”, openly ridiculed students for their bible-based beliefs and on and on. By making these choices, they also chose the consequences that they should have faced ions ago. Did Jesus stand by and give the moneychangers the choice to stay if they changed their behaviour? No. He loved them none the less, and undoubtedly prayed for them, as we should too for these employees, but our Christian duty, to protect and promote Truth, demands we do more.
Thank you
Angelina
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Angelina Also Commented
LSU Board says ‘we apologize’
@Professor Kent:
Unfortunately, I am not at all in a position to comment on SAU’s search for biology professors. I can only imagine how hard the task would be for them, and as you have described how frustrating, on the flipside, it would be to be interviewed for such a position. I’m afraid I don’t have answers, even any suggestions (strange because I always have something to say), only that I would leave it in the Lord’s hands. He is my go-to person.
You said:
“Who would want to teach at an institution with constituents who assume a priori you’re an evolutionist, dissect endlessly any statement that could be twisted to mean something sinister, expose to public ridicule on the internet anyone who fails to state “the weight of evidence favors the traditional SDA position” (Sean Pitman’s favored tactic), and send blanket hate mail to every biologist on the staff?”
In all fairness to Sean/Shane, you know that going viral was preceded by their repeated attempts to draw attention to the issue in other ‘quieter’ ways: in person and through letters. Didn’t work, did it? I’ve been on that end with my own battle, and believe me it’s no picnic. Being ignored, or politely listened to THEN ignored when there is a pressing issue at hand, certainly one which involves our youth, or in my instance young children, you don’t have time to sit back and wait hoping something will happen. You act. And, as a parent I am grateful to people like Sean/Shane for their willingness to take a public stand. You may not like their ‘tactics’ and mine were also criticized, but if standing for what is right means ruffling a few feathers resistant to change, then so be it.
Sincerely,
Angelina
LSU Board says ‘we apologize’
Professor Kent,
And exactly how are these people then held accountable? For so many years/decades, our youth has been misled even humiliated, concerned parents have been lied to, and the Lord’s money, wasted. Charitable? That’s exactly what the church(on every level) has been until now, and I believe our church leaders will answer one day for being asleep at the helm.
Teaching in our schools is not just another job. It is an awesome responsibility, the effects of which will have repercussions for generations of people and either help steer them to Christ or away from Him. When one accepts this responsibility, wouldn’t you agree that this is far different than a single person’s choice to drink alcohol and the effect it has, on one or a small number of lives? Personally, I believe that the church should stay consistent with expectations for its employees on all levels, even “general positions on faith and behaviour”, but if it does not, then can what LaSierra’s professors have done really fall in this same category, or do we need to asses first and foremost what the fallout has been, and what the potential risk is if they were to continue to teach?
One more point: If we have any hope of winning back any of the precious souls lost because of this, then the message has to be clear and unequivocal — What happend was not right. What you were taught was not right. These professors have no place teaching at our schools — The charity we extend has to do with continued patience and love for them as church members, not as employees. Just like you would not award custody of an abused child to his abusive, albeit remorseful parents, neither should we leave these professors to continue teaching our youth. How could we trust them again, or ever?
I look forward to reading your suggestions.
Angelina
@Angelina: …As he has done so generously at Southern Adventist University with, what is it, four Biology positions open?
Perhaps this 4-year wait speaks to how far SDA scientists have strayed from Truth, scientific or not. I don’t know, but I choose not to question God’s ways. Not always easy, but liberating for sure.
