Oklahoma has made the news again.
Recently, some atheistic-leaning people invited this Richard Dawkins feller to speak at the University of Oklahoma.
For those who don't know Richard Dawkins: he is a scientist who has written many popular books on science and, more recently, on atheism. Of course, saying that someone is a famous scientist and an atheist is a bit of an oxymoron.
Here is Richard Dawkins talking to a Man of God:
Do you see how arrogant Dr. Dawkins is? Just because he has a Ph. D. in evolutionary biology and has published scores of scientific works which have been cited by other scientists, he thinks that he knows more about evolution than the Rev. Haggard! The nerve!
(side note: Dawkins has produced some popular videos; I once bought one (Called Growing Up in the Universe) just to keep track of what "the enemy" is up to and I found that my pre-teen daughter loved it...so whatever you do, stay away from this site! Don't go there!)
But I digress.
Dawkins got an invitation to talk at the University of Oklahoma and a memeber of the State Legislature decided to do something about it!
This hero for God is named Todd Thompsen:
Mr. Thompsen introduced a resolution:
WHEREAS, the University of Oklahoma is a publicly funded institution which should be open to all ideas and should train students in all disciplines of study and research and to use independent thinking and free inquiry; andWHEREAS, the University of Oklahoma has planned a year-long celebration of the 200th birthday of Charles Darwin and the 150th anniversary of Darwin’s theory of evolution, called the “Darwin 2009 Project”, which includes a series of lectures, public speakers, and a course on the history of evolution; and
WHEREAS, the University of Oklahoma, as a part of the Darwin 2009 Project, has invited as a public speaker on campus, Richard Dawkins of Oxford University, whose published opinions, as represented in his 2006 book “The God Delusion”, and public statements on the theory of evolution demonstrate an intolerance for cultural diversity and diversity of thinking and are views that are not shared and are not representative of the thinking of a majority of the citizens of Oklahoma; and
WHEREAS, the invitation for Richard Dawkins to speak on the campus of the University of Oklahoma on Friday, March 6, 2009, will only serve to present a biased philosophy on the theory of evolution to the exclusion of all other divergent considerations rather than teaching a scientific concept.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 1ST SESSION OF THE 52ND OKLAHOMA LEGISLATURE:
THAT the Oklahoma House of Representative strongly opposes the invitation to speak on the campus of the University of Oklahoma to Richard Dawkins of Oxford University, whose published statements on the theory of evolution and opinion about those who do not believe in the theory are contrary and offensive to the views and opinions of most citizens of Oklahoma.
THAT the Oklahoma House of Representatives encourages the University of Oklahoma to engage in an open, dignified, and fair discussion of the Darwinian theory of evolution and all other scientific theories which is the approach that a public institution should be engaged in and which represents the desire and interest of the citizens of Oklahoma.
THAT a copy of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the University of Oklahoma, the Dean of the College of Arts and Science at the University of Oklahoma, and the Chair of the Department of Zoology at the University of Oklahoma.
That's right! I am so glad that someone is sticking up for the rest of us! Why is the University of Oklahoma only "teaching one side"?
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