online at www.strengthsandweaknesses.org/news.htm

September 23, 2006 - News

"The Bible carries with it the history of the creation, the fall and the redemption of man, and discloses to him, in the infant born in Bethlehem, the Legislator and Savior of the world." -- President John Quincy Adams, Feb. 27, 1844

(%Greeting%):

Tampa, Florida AND ONLINE - World's largest intelligent design conference - Next week, the largest conference on Intelligent Design ever held is being sponsored by Physicians and Surgeons for Scientific Integrity (PSSI - see below). This sponsorship by medical doctors, helps show that ID is not just a "religious idea" promoted by the ignorant. The PSSI conference will unfold in Tampa Bay on September 29-30. The Friday night September 29th kickoff event will be emceed by Dr. Tom Woodward of the C.S. Lewis Society and brings Dr. Michael Behe, Dr. Ralph Seelke and Dr. Jonathan Wells to the University of South Florida's Sun Dome arena. All students attending in person will be given a complimentary DVD copy of "Unlocking the Mystery of Life". Pray and spread the word - we want to help PSSI fill the 7,700 seats! More info at: http://www.pssiinternational.com/save_the_date.htm. Importantly, the conference will be webcast online live Sept. 29th at www.860wgul.com.

Darwin vs. Design: Separately, the C. S. Lewis Society is hosting an additional event November 3-4. The November 3-4 conference will feature a Darwin vs. Design event on Friday night, plus on Saturday Dr. Woodward will give an overview of his sequel to Doubts About Darwin, called Darwin Strikes Back: Defending the Science of Intelligent Design (due out November 1). See the C.S.Lewis Society website at www.apologetics.org for more information.

Medical Doctors Doubting Darwin! A growing international group of medical doctors who are formally skeptical of Darwinian macroevolution - Physicians and Surgeons for Scientific Integrity (PSSI) are banding together to challenge the theory. While confidential surveys have found that a majority of medical doctors do not believe in a godless random materialistic evolution, these doctors are stating it publicly. Their website is www.doctorsdoubtingdarwin.org and they encourage physicians and surgeons of like mind to join PSSI. Their statement reads:

"We are skeptical of claims for the ability of random mutation and natural selection to account for the origination and complexity of life and we therefore dissent from Darwinian macroevolution as a viable theory. This does not imply the endorsement of any alternative theory."

Ask doctors you may know to join and spread the word!

Dallas area ICR RATE Conference - Dallas - September 30, 2006 - The Institute for Creation Research is presenting a live "RATE" conference in Dallas September 30, 2006. This conference is specifically addressing recent ICR research regarding the age of the earth tied to recent research into radioactive decay and radiometric dating. The conference is titled "Thousands...Not Billions", just in case you haven't heard ICRs position on the 'age' question. The data in this new research strongly support that view. If you have friends or family in the Dallas area, or others who may wish to drive and hear the ICR scientists live, please let them know. More information is at: http://www.icr.org/events/search/0/4/

Hope for Baylor? Baylor Professor Dr. Francis Beckwith, originally denied tenure at Baylor in spite of a stellar academic and writing career, and whose denial of tenure was profiled in this month's WORLD MAGAZINE, has won on appeal. Reports are that "Baylor's president John Lilley has overruled the tenure committee, granting academic protection to a renowned Christian scholar and frustrating the efforts of secularist faculty seeking to undermine Baylor's Sourthern Baptist heritage", according to World Magazine's online blog, located at: http://www.worldmagblog.com/blog/archives/026639.html. You may recall that Dr. Beckwith testified before the Texas State Board of Education in 2003 that it should enforce teaching 'strengths and weaknesses' in TEKS, specifically applied to biologic evolution. Dr. Beckwith is author of the book, “Law, Darwinism, and Public Education” (Rowman and Littlefield, 2003).

Good News for Texas Voters and the State Board of Education - Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott issued several opinions this week, one of which overturns a faulty prior AG ruling from years past, that had been erroneously used to justify ignoring content problems with Texas textbooks and leaving that up to textbook publishers and the Texas Education Agency. Abbott found that a former Texas AG, Democrat Dan Morales (who was later tried and convicted of Federal crimes), had misapplied Texas legislative intent. Mrs. Terri Leo, (R-Spring) requested the ruling with Mrs. Geraldine "Tincy" Miller (R-Dallas) on behalf of the Texas State Board of Education. Mrs Leo, reacting to the ruling, said,

"I have always contended that since the [Texas Education Code] specifically addresses this area dealing with textbook content, it should remain in the Board's rules. It has been a long and hard-fought battle. I am thrilled with the Attorney General’s opinion. The SBOE now has clear authority to reject textbooks by majority vote that do not foster ‘the continuation of the tradition of teaching United States and
Texas history and the free enterprise system."

Mrs. Miller added separately that,

"Texas continues to lead the nation in the best review and adoption of textbooks and instructional materials. Quality instructional materials are critical to student learning. Our teachers and students deserve the best. This ruling helps maintain the high quality instructional materials that Texas is known for."

Respected conservative Texas political analyst Will Lutz termed it a "victory" for the "elected board of education", while the far-left, ultra-liberal, pro-abortion, pro-homosexual agenda Texas Freedom Network (whose founder, Cecile Richards, is now president of the national Planned Parenthood Federation of America) tried to downplay the importance of the ruling.

At the very least, this ruling strengthens the ELECTED State Board of Education's ability to ensure textbooks are accurate and reflect the values of Texans who elected them. Somehow the far-left finds this hard to "tolerate"!

Thanks for all you do.

Very truly yours,

Mark

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Texans for Better Science Education -www.strengthsandweaknesses.org