From:    Hector Plasmic
To:      All                    Msg #666, 12-Apr-93 01:48pm
Subject: Geo"science" "Research" Institute

Here's the scoop:

The "Geoscience Research Institute" is located on the grounds of Loma
Linda University but is _not_ (they were adamant about this) affiliated
with LLU (contrary to Ronnie's claims) but _are_ affiliated with the
7th Day Adventists, who foot their bills. Some of the "researchers"
in this group also teach at the university. Nope, Ronnie: theology,
not science. LLU has no geology department and no plans to start one.

The business of the GRI is, in their own words, "to find evidence
supporting biblical creationism" (shoot arrow into wall, paint target
around it) "and publish it." Their only real business appears to be
selling videos and pamphlets; quite a sales pitch they give you toward
the end.

Dr. Roth, head of the "Institute," studies fossils and living coral
reefs "looking for evidence of creation." Apparently Dr. Roth's
"research" is limited to reading the data from the work of others; he
doesn't do field work himself...

Dr. Gibson "studies speciation before and after the flood." Again, he
works from data supplied by others (read: real scientists). When asked
if he'd found any hard evidence that showed there had indeed been a
global flood, the relucant answer was "no." How can you study
something that happened before and after an event you can't show
happened? It's like studying the effects of Santa's sleigh on global
weather patterns...

Dr. Clawson "studies nuclear shell models." Translation: He attempts
to disprove radioactive dating (their words, not mine). I was at first
told he conducted experiments at accelerators around the country. 
After further probing, it turns out he actually only receives copies of
reports on the experiments of others and comments on them...

Dr. Kennedy digs in the Grand Canyon. No one seemed to know what she
was digging for. She also prowled around Mt. St. Helens looking for
trace elements (more attempts to disprove radioactive dating
techniques). Since Dr. Clawson couldn't conduct any tests on her
samples, one wonders why she bothered...

GRI has not published in any scientific journals. GRI has not produced
any scientific breakthroughs or uncovered any new facts. GRI has
produced a lot of pamphlets and a video that won a Silver Screen award
for best photography in a religious video (they didn't do the
photography, but hired an outside firm). If this sounds like ICR,
you're right.

When I first called, I fed them a story about being a small town
reporter researching a sidebar story. Instant stonewall; you could hear
the bowels freezing at the word "reporter." GRI is scared shitless of
reporters. Can anyone do a good Mike Wallace impression? :-)

Called back at lunch (when I figured I'd get a different receptionist)
and pretended to be a sympathetic fundy. Got the above information. 
Got on their mailing list to supposedly pick up introductory copies of
their literature for free.

I should get an Academy Award for my fundy impression. Just the right
blend of conspiratorial innuendo and quick, mindless belief. "Digging"
was done by asking questions for the purported purpose of putting off
evolutionists ("if he says this, what can I say?").

In conclusion, if Ronnie claimed LLU had a geology department, he was
wrong. If he claimed GRI was part of LLU, he was wrong (unless he
meant only due to location -- watch him weasel) according to GRI
itself. If he claimed GRI was doing any form of legitimate scientific
research, he was wrong (unless he thinks "research" means reading
scientific journals and picking out things to quote out of context). 
What else he might have had to claim, I dunno.

GRI is just another religious group piddling around in psuedoscience
trying to "prove" their religion to folks too stupid to read a science
text instead of just the bible.

--- Tear a new one
 * Origin: It wasn't lies. It was just bullshit, that's all. (1:380/16)