Not hired: “potentially evangelical"

He is not on our side and we should not be on his. This fellow is not a creationist. As a matter of fact, he mocks and attacks creationists, claiming that we hinder Christians from becoming scientists. There is a wide gulf between being willing to challenge some aspects of evolution - as even some atheists do, as do lots of people from false religions - and believing the Bible. This fellow is making the fact that he is not a creationist and that he opposes Christian creationists a major part of his defense, which begs the question why a “Christian” legal defense fund (the ADF) is getting behind him. Legitimate Christians are getting thrown into jail, lynched, stoned, burned alive etc. all over the world. Our prayers and donations should be directed towards them, and not towards someone who on one hand mocks our beliefs, but on the other hand is using the groundwork that we have laid over the years to be able to promote and defend the gospel legally in our country in order to seek a big paycheck. When Paul appealed to Caesar, he was a Christian defending the legitimacy of our faith, not someone who rejects and mocks our faith seeking an elite job at a secular university that is institutionally dedicated to opposing our faith.

The ADF (who took their name after the anti-Christian ADL, similar to how the ACLJ did the same from the ACLU) is just using this to raise money and publicity.

I disagree, Job. Attacks on Christians because they are Christians is on the rise in the academic world. Note that the accusation was, “He is potentially evangelical,” which was the staff member’s flag to recommend to the dpt. head at U. of Kentucky not to hire the man. All Gaskell had to say was that he believed the Bible. Found in an internet search, it was enough to disqualify him. If U. of Kentucky wouldn’t take Gaskell for the job, they wouldn’t take anyone on this site, no matter how qualified. There are lots of born-again Christians who are not Creationists. I wish they were Creationists. But when they are denied jobs because they are Christians, we need to stand behind them. This is as much our struggle as it is anyone’s.