Academic Freedom in Missouri Wins Round One
News Commentary by Abram Messer

    Today, there are many different educational environments available for students and their parents to choose from; public, private, religious and home schooling. The purpose of a good education is to provide students with basic and advanced knowledge, which hopefully will enable them to think and reason for themselves. A well rounded education should expose students to all facts and theories surrounding a subject so that they may formulate their own opinions on any given subject. The overall object is to equip a student to become a well rounded, well informed and productive citizen.
    However, what happens when one of the largest and most influential of these educational systems chooses to purposefully omit, distort, or censor vital information related to a subject? Worse yet, what happens when that system is actually hostile and vindictive toward educators who wish to provide their students with complete information about a subject and, just as hostile toward students who, for whatever reason, question the status quo? Such a system is no longer an ‘educational’ system, it has become a dictatorial, ‘indoctrinational’ system controlled by intellectual ‘elitists’.  Elitists who believe ‘they’ have all the answers and ‘know’ what’s best for those who they consider to be their ‘intellectual inferiors’.  Folks like you and me and practically everyone (if not everyone) reading this article who they refer to as “the uneducated,” “uninformed,” “backward thinking,” “close minded,” “religious nut cases” or, in general, “the ‘ignorant’ masses.”
    Recently this very subject has gotten a lot of national attention, much to the excitement of the faithful few who have been fighting the good fight against such tyranny for many years. Much of the excitement is a result of the new documentary film Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed, produced by Premise Media, starring Ben Stein. The film really does a fantastic job of framing the debate in a way that is both easy to digest and entertaining. But, perhaps the most exciting element of the film is the way the film looks beyond itself and calls its audience to action. A challenge that State Representative Robert Wayne Cooper, MD (155th District – Camdenton, MO) decided to accept.

 HB 2554
    On April 1, 2008 Dr. Cooper introduced House Bill 2554 (HB 2554); a one page bill that addresses a very significant issue within the evolution-Intelligent Design (ID) debate. It also approaches the issue in a way that makes it hard for the academic and scientific communities to oppose it.  Rep. Cooper’s legislation does not mandate the teaching of ID or creationism, it simply states, “teachers shall be permitted to help students understand, analyze, critique, and review in an objective manner the scientific strengths and scientific weaknesses of theories of biological and chemical evolution.” In other words when you teach evolution you may also present the scientific evidence that contradicts it. In addition to the impact this legislation will likely have on school children, it also protects teachers and professors across our state who are forbidden from telling their students about science or theories that challenge Darwinian evolution. The bill is NOT about introducing religion into the classroom but rather protecting the freedom of speech and inquiry of teachers, professors and students.
 
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Christian Family Day at Busch July 19th
By Jim Day

     What does the smiling face of a child, a concert by Casting Crowns, and a hotdog at a Cardinal baseball game have in common? Try the 18th Annual Christian Family Day (CFD) at Busch Stadium on July 19th! “How cool is it that that we have Casting Crowns performing at this year’s Christian Family Day?” said Judy Boen, Chairman and Founder of CFD. “We’re also very excited to have Evangelist Tony Nolan as our featured speaker. His story of abuse as a child and how God healed his heart through his faith in Jesus is incredible!” continued Boen.
    The event takes place behind the Cardinal’s dugout after the 2:55 p.m. Cards and San Diego Padres game on July 19th. Cardinal and Padres players will share their Christian testimonies; and the Christian musical group Casting Crowns will lead everyone in praise and worship. Andy McCollum of the St. Louis Rams will be this year’s Honorary Chairman and KTRS AM 550’s McGraw Milhaven will serve as the day’s Master of Ceremonies for the post game event.
    The theme for this years’ Christian Family Day was inspired by a long time CFD Committee member, John Rybenski. Lisa Frank, current Committee member, was touched by John’s favorite Bible verse II Corinthians 5:17. John died of cancer last November and during his funeral Lisa knew that by his life, as the verse says, Jesus had come into his life and he had become a new Creation.  Lisa chose a “New Creation” as her theme for 2008 and designed tee-shirts to reflect that theme with, “Request, Receive and Rejoice when you become a New Creation in Christ” on them. “We are so blessed to have such a creative committee.  Lisa, her husband Rob who put together our promo DVD, Stel Pontikis of Y98 radio who did the voice-over for the DVD, and Buz Phelan of  Phelan Designs who designed our brochure, poster and banner; I’m just in awe of their talent and how God continues to put our event together each year,” said Judy.
    The CFD Committee asked Matt Rybenski, one of John’s sons, to throw out one of the first pitches in honor of his dad. Matt is a big Cardinal’s fan and is really looking forward to throwing out one of the first pitches. Another pitch will be thrown by Charles Murray, pastor of First Baptist Ellisville. “Pastor Murray has been very supportive of CFD, including financially, for many years,” says Boen.  “I had put together a Todd Worrell Rally in Queeney Park in 1986 which left me with many unpaid bills when it was over.  I thought I would have to sell flowers at the airport to pay our creditors.  But, Pastor Murray came to our rescue and told me that the church would take care of the bills because he was so proud of me for putting the rally together.  I will never forget that. Because he came to my rescue, I was willing to trust God when He put Christian Family Day in my heart in 1991.”

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