Scientist alleges religious discrimination in KyAn astronomer argues that his
Christian faith and his peers' belief that he is an evolution skeptic kept him from getting a prestigious job as the director of a new student observatory at the University of Kentucky.
Martin Gaskell quickly rose to the top of a list of applicants being considered by the university's search committee. One member said he was "breathtakingly above the other applicants."
Others openly worried his Christian faith could conflict with his duties as a scientist, calling him "something close to a creationist" and "potentially evangelical."
.
.
Science professors cited a lecture Gaskell has given called
"Modern Astronomy, the Bible and Creation," which he developed for "Christians and others interested in Bible and science questions...," according to an outline of the lecture. Gaskell told the AP he was invited to give the lecture at UK in 1997, and organizers had read his notes.
.
.
The wide-ranging lecture outlines
historical scientific figures who discuss God and interpretations of the creation story in the biblical chapter Genesis. Also in the notes,
Gaskell mentions evolution, saying the theory has "significant scientific problems" and includes "unwarranted atheistic assumptions and extrapolations," according to court records.
.
.
"
I think that if I had a document like this and I was advocating atheism ... I don't think it would be an issue," he said of his lecture.
.
.
Gaskell said he is not a "creationist" and his views on evolution are in line with other biological scientists. In his lecture notes, Gaskell also distances himself from Christians who believe the earth is a few thousand years old, saying their assertions are based on "mostly very poor science."
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101217/ap_ ... gious_suit 
