A Washington University computational biologist is calling for creationist courses and degrees to be labeled on a student’s transcript to maintain “national norms”.
Dr. Joshua Swamidass claims this “constructive solution” would hold Christian institutions to a higher academic standard.
“Credit from courses that include creation science should not be used toward science degrees,” he wrote in a Wall Street Journal op-ed. “Nor should they be eligible for transfer to secular institutions.”
“But deviations from national norms in a science curriculum need to be prominently disclosed, tracked and reported,” he added.
Swamidass offers this response to the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) who recently debated if they should still consider the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (Tracs) as an accrediting agency.
Schools under Tracs include Bob Jones University which adheres to the belief that life is created by God rather than by natural processes such as evolution.
“This might seem like a classic instance of the tension between religion and science,” Swamidass writes. “But the real issue is whether Americans can live alongside each other while disagreeing about the most important issues.”
David Klinghoffer, Senior Fellow at the Discovery Institute, warns that Swamidass’s suggestion is troubling.
“Creationist thoughts and those who think them, are indeed penalized in his system,” Klinghoffer writes in Evolution News & Science Today. “Invidious labeling is all about reward and punishment….and this is a very dangerous concept.”
Steve Pettit, the president of Bob Jones University, criticizes Swamidass’s claims calling them misleading.
“Our students, while adhering to biblical viewpoints on the origin and diversity of life, must be fully conversant with, and able to think critically about both models,” he explained. “Dr. Swamidass’s ‘compromise’—excluding credit from courses presenting evidence for multiple models—would marginalize outstanding scientists with biblical viewpoints about origins,” he continued.
Klinghoffer adds that Swamidass’s suggestion is also a move toward tighter censorship.
“I don’t see any reason why the labeling or othering concept should not be expanded to cover areas of education where other out-group ideas are discussed, whether political, cultural, or philosophical,” he writes. Where would it end?”
“With increasingly aggressive censorship by Big Tech, racial indoctrination in the workplace, and state-imposed lockdowns approaching a one-year anniversary, it has felt, more and more, like we are living in China. If the Swamidass proposal were accepted, it would be a step further in that direction,” he added.
HD Editor’s Note: Why Is This News Biblically Relevant?
The “scientific community” of today is not the group of people they claim to be. They are not without bias. They do not have minds that are entirely open to what facts reveal. Overwhelmingly, the scientific community is one that is wholeheartedly bound to the religion of secularism.
Despite nearly constant alterations in theory, ‘scientists’ claim that their ideas of creation are above and not to be refuted by the common man.
Due to their disclosed or undisclosed devotion to godlessness, Biblical Truth may appear ridiculous to them; however, it is, in fact, the ‘great wisdom’ of man that is foolishness to God:
1 Corinthians 1:19-25 KJV – “For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.”
Christians in all fields, including within churches, are being targeted like never before to accept or modify the Bible to be compatible with this religion of secularism.
This persecution was spoken of in Scripture as being a vital characteristic of the Last days. Men would be corrupt, “despise the truth,” and be “reprobate concerning the faith” (2 Timothy 3:8-9). All that “live godly in Christ” would suffer persecution, while evil men would wax worse “deceiving and being deceived” (2 Timothy 3:12-13).
Even in churches, those like the Laodiceans in the last days would seek out churches to tickle their ears and give heed to “doctrines of demons” (1 Timothy 4:1-2, 2 Timothy 3:3-4). Sadly, many find false teaching more palatable than Biblical truth in a sinful world increasingly hostile to such messages.
On this earth, which God created, His creation is not allowed to recognize Him or demonstrate the evidence of His handiwork without being disgraced and belittled by the men who claim to be un-bias experts.
Facts don’t matter in a godless world that says, “fall in line or be removed.”
Christians need to stand firm and be uncompromising in this present age, no matter what that means. On this earth, it will be difficult, but eternally, it is incomparably better to stand with the Almighty God than stand against Him.
