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Raelian Movement
for those who are not afraid of the future: http://www.rael.org
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Chief scientist who questioned evolution theory fired
Source: www.ynetnews.com
Link: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3964117,00.html
Dr. Gavriel Avital, who called environmental groups 'green religion' and
said, 'There are many people who don't believe evolutionary account is
correct,' dismissed by Education Ministry
Tomer Velmer
Published: 10.04.10, 22:31 / <http://www.ynetnews.com/home/0,7340,L-3082,00.html>
Israel News
The Education Ministry's chief scientist, Dr. Gavriel Avital, was dismissed
on Monday following a scandal-filled trial period of less than a year.
Sources familiar with the affair said Avital was fired over past statements
he had made, in which he questioned evolution and the global warming theory.
Avital, who was named chief scientist in December 2009, said Darwinism
should be analyzed critically along with biblical creationism.
"If textbooks state explicitly that human beings' origins are to be found
with monkeys, I would want students to pursue and grapple with other
opinions. There are many people who don't believe the evolutionary account
is correct," he said.
"There are those for whom evolution is a religion and are unwilling to hear
about anything else. Part of my responsibility, in light of my position with
the Education Ministry, is to examine textbooks and curricula,"
Avital added, "If they keep writing in textbooks that the Earth is growing
warmer because of carbon dioxide emissions, I'll insist that isn't the
case."
His comments sparked a public uproar, with many environmentalists and
scholars calling for his dismissal.
Avital told Ynet Education Minister Gideon Sa'ar fired him "because of an
interview I gave to the press, not because I didn't do my job well."
"In the interview I expressed my opinion on evolution, science and
literature - there was no negative response to the interview, only good
feedback," he said. "The minister thought I should not have granted the
interview."
Avital called the dismissal "excessive" and said, "I did many things in the
field of research, and the result of this work will be revealed soon."
Addressing his comments against environmental groups, Avital said in
articles he had published he claimed that there is "no scientific connection
between global warming and human activity. It has never been scientifically
proven that climate change is the result of carbon-dioxide emissions."
"The minister who appointed me was aware of my opinions," he added.
In the 2006 Knesset elections, Avital ran for 20th place on the Likud part's
list. In the last primary he lost the race for the seat reserved for a
representative of the coastal region and received a low place on the Likud
list.
"Ethics" is simply a last-gasp attempt by deist conservatives and
orthodox dogmatics to keep humanity in ignorance and obscurantism,
through the well tried fermentation of fear, the fear of science and
new technologies.
There is nothing glorious about what our ancestors call history,
it is simply a succession of mistakes, intolerances and violations.
On the contrary, let us embrace Science and the new technologies
unfettered, for it is these which will liberate mankind from the
myth of god, and free us from our age old fears, from disease,
death and the sweat of labour.
Rael
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