Re: CSA review
Steven H. Schimmrich (sschimmr@calvin.edu)
Mon, 09 Nov 1998 12:39:35 -0500
At 09:03 AM 11/9/98 -0700, Allan Harvey wrote:
>
> Burgy relayed this message from Dave Bergman of "Common Sense Science":
>
>> Also in the 90s, I joined an internet forum called "Science and
>> Christianity." This group became incensed with my postings when they
>> had no adequate responses, and I became the subject of scorn and was
>> soon told my postings were "inappropriate." I left the forum with two
>> convictions: (1) I could articulate an adequate defense of the new CSS
>> models and positions in physics, and (2) I had more important things to
>> do than serve as a whipping boy for the willfully ignorant.
>
> I was and am a member of that forum, and I can attest that Mr. Bergman is
> misrepresenting that episode. There were no posts publicly labelling Mr.
> Bergman's posts as "inappropriate", though of course I don't know what
> might have been said to him privately. The primary characteristic of
> this interchange, however, was that Mr. Bergman would only post canned
> diatribes, and absolutely refused to interact with questions and
> criticisms. We gave him every opportunity to "articulate an adequate
> defense," and he did not even attempt to do so.
As moderator of the Science & Christianity mailing list I can second Allan's
opinion. I looked back at the list archives to refresh my memory as to what
Dave Bergman posted and it's exactly as described. Canned diatribes about his
"Common Sense Science" nonsense and then annoyance and a refusal to deal with
any criticisms of it (typical behavior from proponents of pseudoscience like
this). I did tell him that his method of interaction with the list was indeed
inappropriate (the list is for discussion, not a forum for monologues and
diatribes) and he left in a huff.
- Steve.
--
Steven H. Schimmrich, Assistant Professor of Geology
Department of Geology, Geography, and Environmental Studies
Calvin College, 3201 Burton Street SE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49546
sschimmr@calvin.edu (office), schimmri@earthlink.net (home)
616-957-7053 (voice mail), 616-957-6501 (fax)
http://home.earthlink.net/~schimmrich/