Slaughter of the Dissidents [Paperback]

Jerry Bergman (Author), Kevin Wirth (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 8, 2011

Volume 1 of a trilogy, the disturbing premise of this book documents widespread discrimination by Darwin loyalists against Darwin skeptics in academia and within the scientific community. Multiple case studies expose the tactics used to destroy the careers of Darwin skeptics, denying them earned degrees and awards, tenure, and other career benefits offered to non-skeptics. The book exposes how freedom of speech and freedom of expression are widely promoted as not applicable to Darwin doubters, and reveals the depth and extent of hostility and bigotry exhibited towards those who would dare to question Darwinism. The book also shows how even the slightest hint of sympathy for Darwin Doubters often results in a vigorous and rabid response from those who believe such sumpathies represent an attack on science itself.

--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 422 pages
• Publisher: Leafcutter Press; 1st edition (April 8, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0981873405
• ISBN-13: 978-0981873404
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (41 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #246,877 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Product Details

• Paperback: 422 pages
• Publisher: Leafcutter Press; 1st edition (April 8, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0981873405
• ISBN-13: 978-0981873404
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (41 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #246,877 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 40 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Systematic Discrimination, Yes. But why.... March 1, 2009

By Fritz R. Ward TOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

There is no question that those who doubt Darwinian orthodoxy are subject to personal discrimination in academe. Dissenters from any orthodoxy are rarely treated well, but in the case of those who doubt Darwinian conclusions about the development of life on earth, this discrimination is systematic and comprehensive. In this extended book, the first of a projected 3 volume set, Dr. Bergman highlights how this discrimination occurs, who is behind it, and provides a substantive discussion of the promising careers that were lost to science because of this systematic discrimination.

Of the 3 focal points in this book, the third was the most interesting to me. No matter how promising the career, no matter how impressive the publications, and no matter how significant the research, a failure to abide by Darwinism is a career killer in almost any academic field. Those who defend "evolution" usually claim that their opponents are not "scientists" so perhaps the most important contribution of this book is to show what an outrageous lie that claim is. Not only are the critics of Darwinism scientists, but they are often top flight scientists who make important contributions in the field. Among the hundreds of examples Dr. Bergman provides, the cases of E. Norbert Smith, a pioneer in the development of radio telemetry for zoology, Raymond Damadian, inventor of MRI technology, and Guillermo Gonzalez, a prominent physicist formerly of Iowa State University, all provide sound evidence that subscribing to a belief system is of more importance than scientific accomplishments in today's academic environment. Indeed, the main value of this book is that it demonstrates the most common claim of Darwin defenders (DDs hereafter), namely that no scientists oppose their view, is not a fact.... It is rather a statement of intent.

But Bergman's book is on somewhat weaker ground when it comes to explaining why those who disagree with Darwinian thought are the objects of discrimination. Bergman seems to feel that antipathy towards traditional western religions is a major culprit. And it is hard to argue with this conclusion, so far as it goes. Anyone who has spent any significant time in higher education is aware of the shockingly ignorant nonsense that passes for intelligent conversation when religion is the topic. And certainly, it is fun to watch Dr. Bergman skewer the hypocrisy of the DDs as they simultaneously maintain that no one could oppose "evolution" except on religious grounds, and then deny that they are engaging in religious discrimination (patently illegal) when they destroy the careers of those with whom they disagree. But I think the real problem is deeper, and if anything even more pervasive, than what Dr. Bergman describes, and the reasons are as much structural as they are based on the secular ideology that currently pervades academe.

In the first instance, it is hard to find a "religious" perspective on Darwinian thought. Yes, some fundamentalist groups are wedded to a literal interpretation of Genesis, and this puts them at odds with a lot of contemporary science. But anyone even remotely familiar with the literature on the subject knows that opposition to Darwin goes far beyond this sort of knee jerk defense of Genesis. On an NPR Science Friday debate, catholic biologist Kenneth Miller tried to get catholic biologist Michael Behe to agree with the proposition that "God" could have created with evolution. Behe, to his credit, was utterly uninterested in such blatant theological speculation. Yes, he noted, God could have created that way, but the evidence suggests He did not. For Behe, and I would add, having read many of the ID writers in this debate, theological concerns are somewhat secondary. Indeed, one could go further and suggest that in fact, certain trends in 18th century Anglican theology lay the groundwork for evolution, and it is unlikely Darwin's speculative findings would have ever been accepted but for this prior theological speculation. Today, of course, the only "religion" that is absolutely wedded to a position on Darwinism is atheism, which cannot allow for any non natural cause, no matter what the evidence may suggest, be it in cosmology, biology, or anywhere else. And as for the rest of us skeptics, our position is well summarized by agnostic David Berlinski. There are really only two reasons to doubt Darwinian Evolution: 1. It makes very little sense and 2. It is supported by very little evidence.

But if viewpoint discrimination is not fully adequate to explain the discrimination Darwin skeptics face, what is the best explanation? I think the answer here lies in an area Bergman never considered, namely the public funding of science and science education itself. Scientific progress is a good which many people in society think merits funding. It is one of the least controversial areas of government funding, along with "education" in general. The idea is that government is somehow a neutral arbiter of good science and good thought, and that public funding will promote these values. The problem, however, is that government is not neutral, and funding always comes with strings attached. Indeed, it is very easy for special interest groups to seize control of education and research funding just as special interest groups seize control of other regulatory features of government and use them to promote their own agenda. And criticism of Darwinian thought is hardly the only area where this happens. Left wing critics hoping to remake American culture have had great success tampering with, and often destroying, the literary foundation of the language arts class. 'The Language Police' by Diane Ravitch details this sorry state of affairs as classic literature has been systematically replaced with outright drivel as pressure groups try to influence young minds above and beyond state standards that they understand the proper pronunciation of vowel dipthongs. The result, people, especially recent graduates from the public education system, read less and less. No wonder. And one could go on and on. I personally know someone who, interviewing for a math position, was asked how they would use math to promote "cultural inclusion." The person was not asked how they would explain fraction concepts to children. In short, public education and publicly funded research is always open to manipulation by special interst groups. That some of these groups find Darwinian thought particularly useful to their own ends is hardly a surprise.

Nonetheless, many people reading this book will be shocked. There are basic principles involving fair play and censorship which are systemically violated in the attacks on dissenters. For my part, I am always on the side of those who find their academic freedom, speech, and livlihoods threatened by their political, scientific, philosophical, or religious views. Increasingly, these dissenters are from one or another part of the political right, if only because the political left finds it easier to work within the institutions of government to impose their ideology. But not always. I am personally on the side of Noam Chomsky whenever he gets a death threat for telling the truth as he sees it. I am even sympathetic to global warming fearmonger James Hansen when he gets an occasional public rebuke from his employers for falsifying data. I think people like Hansen are easier to expose when their views can be found in a public forum. And I am very skeptical of those who would try to systematically remove dissenters from academe. The implication is that the DDs cannot win in a public debate so they hope to avoid one instead. Hence the repeated insistence by Darwinists that "there is no debate" and my continued skepticism of any and all such proclamations. It is a skepticism that this book has furthered considerably. Read more ›

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars It seems people are not allowed to have their own beliefs and get credit for their accomplishments. April 9, 2010

By Shanda Eisel

Format:Paperback

I have only read one chapter out of this book, the one on Raymond Damadian, the man who invented MRI. It is terrible that a man could make such sacrifices and invent something that really helps people, and not get the recognition he deserves, all because he does not follow the norm of the mainstream scientific community and believe in evolution. I think that people's accomplishments don't mean anything in some groups unless you think like they do, and if you invent something important, they will give credit to someone else instead. That is what is going on in some of our universities and the mainstream scientific community. Dr. Bergman does a great job of documenting many cases similar to Mr. Damadian's, in that they are being shunned by the academic and scientific community based on their creationist beliefs. I think they should be judged based on their accomplishments.
Dr. Bergman is my professor and he does a great job of making class more interesting by talking about all the different things he has done in his life. He also encourages us to look at all sides of issues, such as evolution, which is very important since it gets us to think about things, rather than being told how to think by a teacher. He says "Beware of a man who has read one book", because that person hasn't looked at the other side of things, and I would have to agree. I would recommend this book to people who have interest in case studies and even to people who disagree with creationism, because they would not want to be told that they have to believe a certain way to get the recognition they deserve for their accomplishments.

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Destruction of Independent Thinking in Academia December 4, 2009

By Duane Magnani

Format:Paperback

I am pleased to see Dr. Bergman take a strong stand against the anti-Christian religious bias exhibited at the university level. Frankly, he is exposing a dangerous cult-like activity. As one who has helped to reveal a cult's discouragement of "independent thinking" during many court cases, I believe the authoritarianism of the Darwinian secular cult needs to be exposed. The general pubic needs to wake up and learn about the mind-control that our university system is promoting.

Indeed, the question before us is simple: Is this truly an activity of "higher" education or actually a deliberate process chosen to dumb down our students? Dr. Bergman has answered that question in his excellent overview of the serious problem before us. There is a "religious" war being waged on our university campuses. It is a war against intelligent design advanced by those of the secular cult-like "religion" of the Darwinists.

Why have a policy of squashing academic discussion with those who dissent from the Darwinian cult--unless there is fear that the dissenters are gaining ground. How? By presenting the facts! As one who is fact-oriented, I believe Dr. Jerry Bergman is a leader in exposing the plan to destroy "independent thinking" in the academic community. If you want the truth, you've come to the right place.

Duane Magnani
Founder of Expert Custody Consultants
Award Winning Author of The Watchtower Files

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars If you've ever wondered why it appears that "all" scientists believe that evolution is fact, here's your answer. June 5, 2010

By Kitty Foth-Regner

Format:Paperback

Take it from world-renowned evolutionary atheist Richard Dawkins: "One thing all real scientists agree upon is the fact of evolution itself," he wrote in the November 2005 issue of Natural History. "It is a fact that we are cousins of gorillas, kangaroos, starfish, and bacteria. Evolution is as much a fact as the heat of the sun."

Well, then, it's settled. All real scientists agree, after all. It must be so.

Just one problem, Professor Dawkins: It turns out there are literally thousands of real scientists who have publicly proclaimed their doubts about Darwinian evolution. And no doubt there are many thousands more who keep their doubts under their hats - for good reason, it turns out.

That reason is revealed in horrifying detail in Dr. Jerry Bergman's eye-opening book, Slaughter of the Dissidents: The Shocking Truth about Killing the Careers of Darwin Doubters. In it, Dr. Bergman describes the discrimination experienced by more than a dozen Darwin-doubting scientists, primarily in academia. And we're not talking insults at the water cooler. These men and women have been denied tenure and awards, forced out, fired, blackballed, even subjected to death threats - not because of what they did or said, but because of what they believe.

Dr. Bergman experienced this sort of Orwellian discrimination himself in the late 1970s; he had become disillusioned with Darwinism, and lost his job at Bowling Green State University for saying so. Professor Dawkins would no doubt try to slap the "not a real scientist" label on him. But it wouldn't stick, because Dr. Bergman:

* Has nine college degrees - two of them Ph.D.s - from the Medical College of Ohio, Wayne State University, The University of Toledo, and Bowling Green State University....
* Has taught college-level biology, genetics, chemistry, biochemistry, anthropology, geology, and microbiology for more than three decades.
* Is currently adjunct associate professor and research associate at the Medical University of Ohio and professor of Biology and Chemistry at Northwest State Community College.
* Has 800 publications appearing in 12 languages, including 30 books and monographs, and has contributed to dozens of textbooks.
* Has presented over 100 scientific papers in the U.S., Canada, and Europe.

In fact, the "not a real scientist" label doesn't fit any of the Darwin doubters whose cases are presented in Slaughter of the Dissidents.

Some of these scientists have already gained recognition through the amazing documentary Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed; Dr. Bergman picks up where Ben Stein left off, delving more deeply into the cases of Caroline Crocker and Guillermo Gonzalez. He also introduces his readers to many other highly qualified scientists who saw their careers derailed when their doubts about Darwinism came to the attention of their superiors.

So aside from their personal sacrifices, what's the harm?

Dr. Bergman points out that so far, the majority of Americans side with the Darwin doubters. Surveys indicate that at least 44% believe God created the earth and all the basic kinds of life, another 38% fall somewhere along the continuum between creationism and theistic evolution, and only 9% are pure evolutionists.

But as the product of public education myself - including a journalism curriculum teaching, as far back as the `70s, that what we can't see is a figment of our imaginations - I worry about my own exhaustively educated generation, and those of the future. Now that atheistic Darwinism is the only subject that can be safely taught in our schools and universities ... now that even a whiff of sympathy for Intelligent Design is punishable by immediate dismissal ... and now that the God of the Bible has been booted clear out of public life ... what will become of our biblically ignorant citizenry not only in this life, but far more importantly, in the life to come?

Dr. Bergman provides suggestions for supporting the fight to restore academic freedom in this country, but it seems like an uphill battle. The politically correct evolutionary worldview is championed by groups like the ACLU and Americans United for Separation of Church and State; such groups are always standing by, ready to snuff out any suggestion of a Designer with lawsuits that few schools can afford to fight.

Darwinism is also part of the mainstream news media's dogma, as readers of most daily newspapers can attest - and as Dr. Bergman demonstrates again and again.

Take, for instance, the case of Rod LeVake, a Minnesota biology teacher who was removed from his high school biology class because he dared to criticize Darwinism. Incredibly, at least one national news magazine felt compelled to weigh in on his case. "Time portrayed creation-believing scientists as an almost non-existent minority," Dr. Bergman reports, "claiming `reputable scientists who agree with LeVake can be counted on one hand' ... Time went so far as to portray Mr. LeVake (in a full-page article) as a hillbilly."

No wonder we creationists and Intelligent Design advocates are so often mocked by the highly educated, who greet any suggestion of an alternative to Darwinism with some version of: "Real scientists believe in evolution!"

Now, thanks to Dr. Bergman's efforts, we can at last explain why that may seem to be the case: Darwinism appears to be the prevailing worldview because it is the only one that is allowed in our classrooms, on our campuses, on the pages of our mainstream newspapers and the lips of mainstream broadcast reporters.

I finished Slaughter of the Dissidents more convinced than ever that it's time for those of us who care about academic freedom - and about proclaiming the truth of the Bible - to fight this unconscionable censorship. Read this outstanding book, and you'll no doubt agree. Read more ›