"Hi, I'm a friendly ID supporter. Got any secret plans?"
by KrauzeThese days, it seems that getting contacted by ID critics badly disguised as ID supporters is even more likely than getting an e-mail from a Nigerian prince who wants to make you rich.
Celeste Biever, Bob Holmes, Donald M. O'Malley… The list of ID critics going undercover to get supposedly embarrassing information from ID supporters is getting longer and longer. From Larry Caldwell at Evolution News & Views comes the latest example: Mark A. Farmer, biology professor at the University of Georgia, who sent Caldwell and his wife e-mails, asking them if they "support the word of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ being taught in our public schools." Only one little snag: He's an anti-ID activist, involved in letter-writing and petition-signing against intelligent design.
Figuring him out was no trouble - he even used his real name and university e-mail address. What's the thinking behind that? Hasn't he heard of Google?
November 23rd, 2006 at 9:07 am
Oh $#@#$.
I wish you would have told me sooner. I just spilled the beans on our secret plans to Mr. Farmer.
Dr. Dembski! Plan Echelon Beta Delta has been compromised! Abort! Abort!
Comment by johnnyb — November 23, 2006 @ 9:07 am
November 23rd, 2006 at 10:13 am
Hmmm…
Stealth ID critic - bad
Stealth ID proponent - good
Some more of that good ol' Post Wedge World moral relativism.
Comment by Art — November 23, 2006 @ 10:13 am
November 23rd, 2006 at 10:43 am
Hi Art,
If you'd go through my postings about undercover critics, you will notice that none of them dish out moral judgement. In fact, I think going undercover is perfectly justifiable if you suspect that people are putting on a different facade when in front of the public than they do with their followers.
Instead, I've taken a lighthearted perspective, poking some fun at the Clouseau-like disguises used by some of the critics out there, who've apparently never heard of Google, or who don't think their targets know how to use it.
Comment by Krauze — November 23, 2006 @ 10:43 am
November 23rd, 2006 at 12:48 pm
Art:
You just don't get it do you. Stealth ID critics - stupid. The ID community is not a secret society with separate goals hidden stealthfully under the surface. Stealth ID proponents, necessary, at least in the university setting. If you read other threads on this site you will see that there are a number of professors quite prepared to admit that they would fail students who have learned the material presented for no other reason then that the student does not hold to the RM+NS extrapolation. One of those asshole professors, by the way, was named Art.
Comment by bFast — November 23, 2006 @ 12:48 pm
November 23rd, 2006 at 12:50 pm
I actually think that Dr. Farmer is badly misunderstood in this matter. As he is an elected counsel memember in his local community, I suspect that he waves the "Lord Jesus Christ" flag and the "challenge evolution" flag for no reason other than to get votes.
Comment by bFast — November 23, 2006 @ 12:50 pm
November 23rd, 2006 at 8:12 pm
Don't these people have anything better to do ?
What exactly are they expecting to find ?
Perhaps these investigative types could spend the time investigating genuine hidden agendas from the like of Dawkins and Harris, who actually want to hijack the scientific discipline to promote their pet philosophy.
It is that sort of attitude that is the read danger to science.
Comment by thesciphishow — November 23, 2006 @ 8:12 pm
November 23rd, 2006 at 10:18 pm
thesciphishow:
Dawkins and Harris's adjenda isn't exactly hidden either. You read what they write, and you know exactly where they are coming from, and what they are hoping to achieve.
Comment by bFast — November 23, 2006 @ 10:18 pm
November 24th, 2006 at 1:05 pm
After 30 years of stealth creationism and stealth intelligent design, how dare those theistic evolutionists announce they are for God and evolution!
I'd have an easier time thinking the doloroso crocodilia on Telic Thoughts was an issue if TT were to condemn creationists and ID advocates for the same tactics.
Comment by edarrell — November 24, 2006 @ 1:05 pm
November 28th, 2006 at 8:31 pm
That is a misrepresentation Art. A student's answers on a test question do not amount to a profession of faith.
If a professor asked me of my personal beliefs with the intent of outing me, I'd either tell him it's inappropriate to ask or have him put in writing why my personal beliefs should affect the grade I'm awarded even when have demonstrated I can articulate the details of the claims of a theory.
In the case of these stealth ID-critics, they intentionally devised a plan to decieve. In the case of students, test answers should not be regarded as a profession of belief. If I said Apollo was the sun god on a mythology exam, that in no way is a profession of belief that:
1. Apollo is a god
2. Apollo is the sun god
3. The greek Gods are real
Comment by Salvador T. Cordova — November 28, 2006 @ 8:31 pm