Theodoro Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 http://news.yahoo.com/suit-alleges-dismiss...-062822045.html David Coppedge, who worked as a "team lead" on the Cassini mission exploring Saturn and its many moons, alleges that he was discriminated against because he engaged his co-workers in conversations about intelligent design and handed out DVDs on the idea while at work David had this reputation for being a Christian, for being a practicing one. He did not go around evangelizing or proselytizing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 I got sacked from a job last year, i didn't make the news so why the f*ck is this topic worthy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coin-god Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 Sounds like he was harrasing his co-workers. Handing DVD's and engaging in arguments constantly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Icarus Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 Sounds like he was doing more religious preaching than his actual job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 He did not go around evangelizing or proselytizing. . .. ... .. . handed out DVDs on the idea while at work Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinski Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 (edited) Pretty much sounds like he was bringing beliefs into the workplace, in a way that wasn't necessary. By all means, believe in a personal god, or don't, but if you start telling everybody else what they should be believing your ass should be out the door. I don't care if you're selling Buddha, Christ, Mohammed or Dawkins, nobody gives a sh*t what you think. Even in a place as scientific as NASA, you're still entitled to believe whatever you want. Faith and science aren't necessarily incompatible. This dude knows what's up with regard to that: Edited March 12, 2012 by Robinski Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K^2 Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 If he advocated it as an actual theory, good riddance. You don't want people who can't tell a theory from belief working in NASA. Prior to filing a bug against any of my code, please consider this response to common concerns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theodoro Posted March 12, 2012 Author Share Posted March 12, 2012 I think that when you start making it it issue and taking work time to spread your belief system is a little overboard. Also, I would not like someone involved with a mission to discover possible life out there having beliefs which go directly against that. Seems a massive conflict of interest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d0mm2k8 Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 If you believe in intelligent design you are a f*cktard and shouldn't be on the frontiers of science. Evolution is fact. You shouldn't be trusted as a scientist if you're going to stare at the overwhelming facts and evidence only to deny them for some religious doctrines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lil weasel Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 don't have to be a scientist to work for nasa, could have been a floor cleaner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coin-god Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 don't have to be a scientist to work for nasa, could have been a floor cleaner. David Coppedge, who worked as a "team lead" on the Cassini mission exploring Saturn and its many moons Great work reading the topic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d0mm2k8 Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 That's actually a fair point. If something like that isn't the case however, my post still stands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lil weasel Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 (edited) Being a 'team lead' doesn't mean 'scientist' it only means he had other workers reporting to him. So he started as a 'computer specialist' and was busted down to wiping floors... Edited March 12, 2012 by lil weasel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunrise Driver Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 Evolution is fact. Funny, last time I checked it was just a theory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coin-god Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 Evolution is fact. Funny, last time I checked it was just a theory. There is the Theory of Evolution. Just like the Theory of Gravity. But both are observable facts. The Theories just try to explain why/how it happens. Are you going to deny Gravity? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhoda Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 Let's not let this escalate into what's right and what's theory. Let's laugh at discuss the poor schmuck who lost his job for God bothering. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lil weasel Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 Like the kid in the San Andreas Ad said, "I'll kill you if you don't believe as I do!" Relious zealot's and Political reformers are of the same ilk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ska Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 Good riddance. The last thing NASA needs right now is some fool going around and preaching the word of God to his co-workers. I'm definitely looking forward to hearing the far-right Republican backlash over this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Typhus Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 Amusing, he preaches about this wonderful God who never lifted a finger to help humanity. And he preaches about him to the very people who have helped our species set foot on another planet. Makes the 'water into wine' trick seem rather pathetic, doesn't it? We are above God now. I would think a man of science would understand this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trip Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 "believing in intelligent design" Believing in intelligent design should be enough for anyone to get fired since "Intelligent Design" was proven (in court) to be a ruse by creationist to get creationism taught in schools. I believe there may even be actual laws against perpetrating fraud. Judge rules against ‘intelligent design’ note: i didn't read the article I linked to - so I hope it is a good one. Feel free to do your own studies on the case and subject - there is tons of sh*t out there. And it is very disturbing. There is no such thing as Intelligent Design and that has been proven. Feel free to believe in creationism, but don't dare call it intelligent design. If we are going to make up sciences we might as well go back to blood letting and electric shock therapy. This is something of a touchy subject for me. The religious sides are starting to realize they are losing the race to science so they are trying to wrap weird science (that they pretty much pull out of their asses) around their religious beliefs. Don't get me started As far as the OP and topic at hand. I hope the dude was warned a number of times and not just let go. I'd have to think his boss must have said "stop handing out copies of the watchtower" or better yet "stop handing out copies of 'Of Pandas and People'*". *book used to push intelligent design. Turns out it was just a creationist book where they changed the word 'creation' to 'intelligent design' and a few other tricky changes to not directly reference god. My crappy games at MyCrappyGames.com Free copy of Save The Puppies and Kittens Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lil weasel Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 It doesn't matter how much it has been 'Proven'. Believers don't give a fig, because they Believe, and that is enough for them. They will die and take you with them for their belief. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chunkyman Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 I don't think we have enough information to determine whether he was rightfully fired or not. If he was pestering other workers after being asked to stop, then he should have been fired. If he was discussing it with others in a way that didn't interfere with the workplace environment, then I don't think he should have been fired. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunrise Driver Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 (edited) In an emailed statement, JPL dismissed Coppedge's claims. In court papers, lawyers for the California Institute of Technology, which manages JPL for NASA, said Coppedge received a written warning because his co-workers complained of harassment. They also said Coppedge lost his team lead status because of ongoing conflicts with others. If these complaints are legit than IMO firing him was the right decision. Edited March 12, 2012 by Street Mix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ddyoung Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 well i think it isnt a problem, if he was actively forcing his religion onto others by handing out DVDs, then he should be fired. if he just kept his beliefs to himself, then it wouldnt be an issue if he were fired, because he wouldnt have been. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K^2 Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 Are you going to deny Gravity? I prefer to defy it. Seriously, though. When you talk about science, you don't talk about facts. You talk about observations, models, theories, and hypothesis. Facts are for philosophers and preachers to sort out. If you want to hold something as an absolute truth, as facts are required to be, you are dealing with beliefs, and that's not what science is about. So yes, saying that evolution is fact is silly. But not quite as silly as "Theory of Intelligent Design", I'll give you that. Prior to filing a bug against any of my code, please consider this response to common concerns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dingdongs Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 Did he reject the Theory of Evolution or did he just say intelligent design makes sense? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lil weasel Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 January 26, 2011|4:18 pm An employee who sued a NASA laboratory in California last summer over religious discrimination was fired Monday. He sued the program back in 2010 for interfering with his belief. His supervisors demoted and humiliated him for advancing handing out pro-intelligent design DVDs that were deemed “unwelcome” and “disruptive.” Coppedge serves on the board of Illustra Media, which has produced videos such as "Unlocking the Mystery of Life and The Privileged Planet". California's Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) forbids employers from taking adverse action (e.g., censure, demote, terminate) against an employee because of the employee's religious expression or affiliation. In its final attempt to prevent a public trial by jury on its discriminatory employment practices, JPL asked the Court to summarily adjudicate each of Coppedge's legal claims, and to thus dispose of the case entirely. At first, the Court sided with JPL, but on reconsideration, it sided with Coppedge. Thus, the case is going to trial, unless of course the parties $ettle first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oddsock Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 David had this reputation for being a Christian, for being a practicing one. He did not go around evangelizing or proselytizing. Yes he did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 I'd be the first to file a complaint if I were accosted that way in the work place, and if I were his superior I would act in much the same way if I were receiving those complaints. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d0mm2k8 Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 So yes, saying that evolution is fact is silly. Perhaps I'm using the word fact incorrectly. When I say evolution is fact, I mean it's universally supported by all the evidence, hence we know that life diversified over millions of years. It's like the fact that the Earth is 4.5 billion years old; all known evidence points towards these conclusions and there are a multiple amount of tests that can be reproduced with ease to verify the reliability of said conclusions. However I'm completely aware that either could be false, but the probability of these being false is so low that they're called fact. I suppose I'm just substituting the word 'fact' in for 'extremely likely due to all evidence pointing towards it and you'd have to be a moron to deny it'. It's just shorter and to the point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now