Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 exptools 1/6/84; site ihuxn.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxl!ihnp4!ihuxn!jho From: jho@ihuxn.UUCP (Yosi Hoshen) Newsgroups: net.origins,net.politics,net.religion Subject: Re: Louisiana Creationism Law (A Soviet conspiracy?) Message-ID: <691@ihuxn.UUCP> Date: Fri, 25-May-84 02:45:08 EDT Article-I.D.: ihuxn.691 Posted: Fri May 25 02:45:08 1984 Date-Received: Thu, 31-May-84 19:42:32 EDT References: <930@ihuxq.UUCP>, <38@mouton.UUCP> <1790@randvax.ARPA> Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, IL Lines: 167 [I have tried to submit this article to the net few days ago, but it did not go out. The computer must have conspired against me....] >From Yosi Hoshen: >> If I did not know who are the proponents of the creationism law, >> I would undoubtly think that "creation science" is a communist >> ploy, aimed at subverting the intra-structure of science >> education in the US. Communists and other enemies of the US can >> sit back leisurely, observing how their job is done by the >> creationists and their allies. >Yosi, don't you think that this time your arguments are a bit too far- >fetched? The above response implies that my assumption on communists rejoicing the destruction of science education in the US by creationism is far-fetched. Well, let me carry my arguments a step further. I will propose a hypothetical scenario where the Soviets are depicted as a power actively helping the creationism cause. In this scenario the Soviets will be portrayed not just as passive bystanders observing with joy the creationism circus, but as covert participants in promoting - in the best tradition of Soviet subversion - creationism. My premise is that the Soviets will attempt to subvert science education, the weak link in the science system of the US. Obviously, deterioration of science education will have a disastrous effect on the future of US security. I will start this discussion by listing my basic assumptions. These assumptions deal with science, security, subversion, and dogma. ASSUMPTIONS: 1. The Soviets would like to undermine US security. 2. Science is crucial to maintain a credible defense system. 3. Although science education is necessary for long term science progress, the fact is that science education in the US is inadequate. 4. The Soviets are trying to exploit the openness and freedom of expression in Western societies which they consider to be weaknesses. According to US state department officials the Soviets infiltrated the peace and freeze movements in the west. The aim of the Soviets is to increase the discord among the members of the Western alliance. They hope to use the peace movements in the West to further this aim. 5. In the fields of espionage and subversion the Soviets proved to be very efficient and resourceful. 6. Although Soviets are oppressing religion in their own country and Eastern Europe, they will cooperate with religionists outside their direct sphere of influence, if such cooperation furthers their goal of world domination. Their cooperation of the USSR with Qadafi, the fanatic religious ruler of Libya, is well documented. 7. The Soviets are familiar with the dire consequences of introducing dogma into science. The Soviets must remember the agricultural disasters that befell them between 1930 and 1950. The sanctioning of new "genetic theories", introduced by the soviet "scientist" - T. D. Lysenko, by the Soviet government is viewed as a major cause for the agricultural disasters. Lysenko's new theories postulated that environmental conditioning could alter the genetic characteristics of an organism during its lifetime. These theories are inconsistent with standard genetic theories which say that heredity information is printed into the reproductive cells from the outset of life. The new "environmental" theories of Lysenko were appealing to Communist Party ideologists, since these theories were considered to be compatible with Marxist dogma. Communist Party ideologists claimed that standard genetics is a manifestation of bourgeois decadence (term equivalent to Satanism in the Marxist jargon), and that it is inconsistent with the Dialectical Materialism (a Marxist term for Marxist dogma). LOUISIANA CREATIONISM AND SOVIET SUBVERSION The Louisiana creationism law could deliver a knockout blow to science education in that state. What kind of science teachers (if any) will continue to teach science in the Louisiana school system? What is the nature of science that can be taught under the Louisiana creationism law? Presently, there is an acute shortage of qualified science teachers in the US. Enacting similar creationism laws in other states will turn this shortage from acute to critical. The Louisiana creationism law, if it survives the constitutionality test, could become a launching pad for similar laws at the state or federal level. The USSR may find this as the opportune moment to expedite the destruction of science education in the US. Given the USSR's disastrous experience with interjecting dogmas (Marxist) into science, and their mastery in subversion techniques, they may decide that at little cost to themselves they could further undermine US security. They could do so by "helping" accelerate the process of science erosion in the US. One may ask the question how could the USSR accomplish this task. Obviously, it is not possible to know what precise action the Soviets could take. Yet, analyzing past Soviet acts of espionage and subversion, it may be possible to spell out some areas where they could hit. POSSIBLE TARGETS OF SOVIET SUBVERSION: 1. Funnel money into creationist movements. 2. Plant artifacts and paleontological objects which will "support" creationism. For example, they could "assist" locating Noah's Ark........ 3. Orchestrate a sting operation in the US, aimed at promoting creationism in the US. For example, the KGB could set up "grass root" creationist organizations in the US. They could do so by providing leadership and funds for such organizations. The membership of these organizations need not be aware of the conspiracy. On the contrary, the membership will most likely be very patriotic and fervently anti-communist. Far-fetched? Let me remind you of the a very elaborate sting operation, launched by the CHEKA (KGB of the twenties) in the early days that followed the Soviet revolution. Lenin was very concerned by counter-revolutionary forces within Russia and in the West. The Soviets formed the Trust* organization which professed to be a powerful anti-Soviet organization. The Trust attracted many anti-Soviet activists, most notable among these was the British super-spy Sydney Reilly. By controlling this organization the Soviets were able to use the anti-communist members of the Trust to raise funds for the USSR in the west. The funds that were intended to subvert the Soviets were really used to solidify communist rule over Russia. In addition, the existence of the Trust prevented any real effort by counter-revolutionaries to overthrow the communist system, as the opponents of the Soviet regime were convinced that the Trust was doing the job. ----------------------------------------------------------- *H. Rositzke's Book "The KGB" gives a more detailed account of the Soviet sting Trust operation. CONCLUSION I don't think that it is possible to convince the creationists that their activities could lead to severe deterioration in science education, and could open the door for soviet subversion of scientific progress in the US. The creationists, trapped by their religious beliefs, will continue their attempts to legislate science. The problem lies with those conservative politicians such as the members of the Louisiana legislative bodies who supported the Louisiana creationism law. I don't believe that all these legislators are diehard creationists. Rather, they are most likely driven by political expediency. I think these legislators ignore the long term effects of their action on the security of the US and its relationship to scientific progress. Creationists have the right to adhere to their religious beliefs, but we have the duty to ensure that science flourishes, unhindered by religious dogma. -- Yosi Hoshen Bell Laboratories Naperville, Illinois (312)-979-7321 Mail: ihnp4!ihuxn!jho