Slaughter of the Dissidents -
The Shocking Truth About Killing The Careers Of Darwin Doubters
Dr. Jerry Bergman
Leafcutter Press, 2008
477 pages
This book documents what the movie "Expelled - No Intelligence Allowed" claims is happening in academia in the United States of America - a calculated persecution of anyone who even questions the naturalistic, Darwinian theory of Evolution. This situation is unfortunately backed by the courts in this country and so those persecuting the "Darwin Doubters" do so with impunity. It is now to the point that not only can a creation or design argument not be offered in the origins debate, but even questioning the naturalistic assumptions of Darwinism brings certain harassment and has ended many academic careers. This is true in practically all public schools and in many private schools as well.
Not so very long ago, it was illegal in parts of the country to teach evolution because it clearly contradicts the teachings of the Bible. This, in a certain measure, was evidence of the faith of the people. Since then we have become much more "tolerant" of other ideas not supported or even prohibited by the Bible. Now displays of the Ten Commandments or Nativity crèches are prohibited in the public square. The level of Christian faith has obviously declined significantly.
Academia prides itself on being open to new ideas or even any idea. However, since most college professors are not people of faith, any idea supporting the existence of God is not welcome. This is nowhere more evident than in the natural sciences. Anyone who even questions Darwinism is open to various forms of discrimination. This can manifest itself as derogatory comments, denial of admittance to graduate programs, denials of degrees, denial of promotion or tenure, censorship, demotion, termination, and even threats of physical harm.
Slaughter of the Dissidents documents a long list of actual cases with names of people who have endured one or more of these forms of persecution. Most of them were not overt six-day creationists. Those types just do not even get in the door. Many were sympathizers of Intelligent Design, since there is so much scientific evidence of design in the universe. Some were even evolutionists who made the mistake of questioning some aspect of Darwinism.
One of the more notable persons on the list is Raymond Damadian, inventor of the MRI. Although an eminent scientist, his creationist beliefs cost him a Nobel Prize. A well-known case involves Guillermo Gonzalez, co-author of The Privileged Planet - How Our Place in the Cosmos is Designed for Discovery. Not only did the book and associated film support the idea of design in the universe, it argued against the long-established "Copernican principle," the idea that we are average beings in a run-of-the-mill planetary system in an average galaxy populated by scores of other mediocrities. If questioning Darwin is heresy, denying the Copernican principle is outright apostasy. For this Dr. Gonzalez was denied tenure even though he was obviously more qualified than anyone in his department.
A few creationists have managed to survive academically, but only because they were well established before their views became public or because the department was willing to tolerate them. One case is that of Kurt Wise. He was a Ph.D. student under well-known evolutionist Stephen J. Gould. Even though he suffered some ridicule, he did earn his doctorate degree. He would like to present a "new creationism" that would undo the "Great Divorce" of Galileo's time. He does not intend to attack Darwinism, but to replace it with a theory that is consistent both with scientific data and with Scripture.
Our country has come a long way from prohibiting an established religion or the free exercise thereof, to enforced secularism and naturalism. Dr. Bergman does an excellent job of documenting the current situation in Slaughter of the Dissidents. The level of persecution and the impunity with which it is done should be disturbing to any American, whether creationist or not. A quote from Cal Thomas appears at the end of the book in which he identifies our greatest enemy not as Secular Humanism, but the apathy of people of faith. If the Christians in this country do not become the salt and light that Our Lord intended them to be, they will soon find themselves a persecuted minority in a godless state.
Eric Bermingham
October, 2009
