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Creationism summit on campus sparks internet furor

October 28, 2014

A conference arguing for the concept of creationism to be hosted at MSU this Saturday has not been widely promoted on campus, but has sparked a small furor online.

The Origin Summit is being organized by Creation Summit, Inc.’s as all-day event to voice the group’s beliefs that there are signs of intelligent design, rather than the Darwinian belief of evolution through natural selection. Presentations will cover topics such as evolution's alleged influence on Adolf Hitler's policies and a lecture entitled "The Big Bang is FAKE," according to the event's website.

“We just want to get the scientific evidence that supports intelligent design,” Creation Summit's founder Mike Smith said. “I can’t control what the speakers say, but I’ve listened to their lectures, and they’re not going to be quoting bible verses. They’re there to talk about the science and leave it at that.”

Two MSU professors that have conducted research into evolutionary biology were publicly challenged to debates by organizers, although they will not be taking part, Smith said.

Throughout the week, online publications have scrutinized the event planned presence on campus. ScienceInsider, a blog in the journal Science, said the conference "stirs unease," and quoted scientists at MSU expressing their disapproval. MLive Media Group similarly said the summit has drawn "faculty ire."

In MLive's coverage of the event, MSU spokesman Jason cody "said an advisor for a student group signed off on the Origin Summit."

Smith said the event's organization was facilitated by Larry Woods, a minister who is the listed advisor for Christian Challenge, a MSU group also known as the Baptist Student Union.

Little information is available about the group, but Jacob's Well on Campus, an informal church listed as the group's webpage where Woods is the pastor, holds worship services in a building behind the His House Christian Fellowship on Hagadorn Road.

Brett Luker, a member of the pastoral staff at the church, said the attendance is usually between 10 and 15 people. He said there has been “some pushback” about the summit, but they didn’t run into too much trouble with the university.

“It wasn’t too hard to get finalized,” Luker said. “We were approached by Mike Smith and they asked if we would be interested in hosting them here at MSU, and we were.”

Luker said he’s heard more positive feedback than negative regarding the creationists' visit.

“It’s interesting when different views are coming at you that are against their own,” he said. "People are kind of curious to see what is going to be said and what evidence is going to be produced.”

Cody said while the views held by Creation Summit may be in the minority, they are still welcome on campus.

“MSU is not in the business of trying to judge people or their opinions or what they believe,” he said.

The Creation Summit starts at 10 a.m. Saturday on the first floor of the Business College Complex. It is free and open to the public. A iPad will be raffled off to attendees who stay for the entire event.

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