by Dave Thomas : nmsrdaveATswcp.com (Help fight SPAM!  Please replace the AT with an @ )

 

Recently, science teachers from Socorro to Los Alamos received copies of Michael Behe's book "Darwin's Black Box." The books arrived with a letter that read as follows:

John L. Omdahl, Ph.D.
Assoc. Dean of Research
Office of Research
UNM School of Medicine
915 Camino de Salud NE
Albuquerque, NM 87131-5221

Science Colleagues,

A few weeks ago Dr. Michael Behe visited the University of New Mexico, NM Tech, Sandia Labs and Los Alamos Labs. He gave lectures on biochemistry and the role of irreducible complexity in biological systems. These thoughts are contained in his book "Darwin's Black Box" that contain [sic] a fresh approach to features of Darwinian evolution that are not currently explainable on the basis of non-ordered random chance events. Behe's perspective provides a good foundation for new experimental approaches that can provide answers to several non-validated aspects of evolutionary theory. It is in this context of a new thought paradigm that Behe's book will find eager readers within our science classes. Students who read his book will find the topic interesting and directly applicable to their studies in the biological sciences. Questions raised today will prompt our students' answers in the future!

Please circulate the book in the science department then have it put in the school library.

Respectfully,

John L. Omdahl, Ph.D.
jomdahl@salud.unm.edu Organized PBR

*** See Dr. Michael Behe's response to challenging questions that have been raised by his book. Go to the web site www.crsc.org/fellows/MichaelBehe/index.html click on Articles by Michael J. Behe

[Link is now here]

Now, since the only affiliation present on this letter of transmittal was the Office of Research of UNM's School of Medicine, teachers who received this book might have gotten the impression that it was approved by the University of New Mexico, even though the letter was not sent on official UNM letterhead. But the group that invested a considerable sum to distribute Behe's book to science teachers is not connected to UNM in any way. The group that sent the books is called the New Mexico Family Council (NMFC). On March 27th, 2002, Phil Robinson, on behalf of NMFC, said "Monday we sent out Michael Behe's book 'Darwin's Black Box' to every middle and high school science department from Socorro to Los Alamos, all of Albuquerque including St. Puis [sic] and the Academy, from Moriarty to Jemez Valley, Santa Fe, Estancia and every outing school district. (77 schools in all) The books will be waiting when the science teachers return on the first of April. We are asking that the books circulate through the science departments then be put in the school library. Please pray for these schools, and anyone that comes in contact with the book and for their receptiveness."

What is the NMFC? Their page at http://nmfamilycouncil.org/meetTheJacksons.htm formerly said "Kevin Jackson is the founder and president for the New Mexico Family Council (NMFC), one of 40 Family Policy Councils throughout the country which works closely with Focus on the family..." Jackson's three daughters attend Hope Christian School in Albuquerque. NMFC's Mission Statement says their mission is "To strengthen and preserve the traditional values of New Mexican families, to serve as a voice for the families of New Mexico, and to assist advocates for family values in recapturing the moral and intellectual high ground of the public arena."

The NMFC website once contained the NMFC positions on several issues, including abortion ("The sanctity of human life should be legally protected from the moment of conception until natural death. To help encourage government to fully recognize this basic right, we strongly support policies that discourage abortion, educate women about abortion and involve parents in minors' decisions about abortion"), Family Structure ("The two-parent family < a man and a woman united in marriage > is the best environment in which to raise children, and public policy should uphold this model"), Sanctity of Marriage ("We believe that the marriage is a treasured institution and has been the backbone of our nation and culture. We stand for marriage being defined as one man and one woman and that marriage is designed for a lifetime"), Divorce ("No-fault divorce policy should be repealed or limited, and a man and a woman should be encouraged to make every effort toward reconciliation before considering divorce"), the Bible ("The Bible Is the basis for all our founding documents, criminal codes, and our value system in our country. Our founding fathers quoted and referenced the Bible more than all other references together"), and education ("NMFC endorses parental involvement and parental choice in education and works to reduce the federal government's intrusion into local schools, including private and religious schools.... NMFC supports parent-centered policies that leave sensitive educational issues in the control of families. When sex education is offered, NMFC believes abstinence-based curriculum are most beneficial to children and teens."). NMFC also opposes gambling, homosexuality, illegal drugs, and so on.

So, a religious group has distributed a creationist text to hundreds of public school teachers, in such a way as to make it appear that UNM supports the action. Something smells funny in Denmark!

 

Read a Copy of the NMFC E-Mail Revealing NMFC as the Source of the Mailing

 

Note: John Omdahl died on Feb. 10th, 2005

Info: http://www.unm.edu/news/05-03-14/memoriam.htm

 

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