Mike Seaver: Don't Waste Another Minute on your Crazy.

Warning: This has a little bit of a religious discussion in it ... well, my opinion on religion. If you are a religious (not that there is anything wrong with that), I would skip this post.

Did you watch Growing Pains? I did. Did you love Kirk Cameron as Mike Seaver? I totally did. I would spend $7.00 on Tigerbeat just to have the little poster in it. Did you find it kind of sweet that after he married his wife Chelsea, he refused to take off his wedding ring for filming? I did. Did you wonder where he had been since Growing Pains went off the air? I kinda did.

I had heard that he had found God. Good for him. What I didn't know was that had created a ministry with Christian minister and Evangelist Ray Comfort. Comfort is the guy who used the ridges of a banana as proof of the existence of God. Their ministry - The Way of the Master - teaches Christians how to promote their faith..."simply, effectively, biblically....the way Jesus did."

Kirk Cameron is again back in the news, this time for a little something he has planned for the 150th Anniversary of the publication of Charles Darwin's groundbreaking book on Evolution - Origin of the Species. According to an online video (below), three days before this anniversary, Cameron and his followers will be distributing free copies of the book at 50 of the top universities in the United States. Sounds good right? There is just a teeny tiny little catch. This fancy new edition includes a brand spanking new 50 page introduction written by Ray Comfort. The new introduction can be read here.

This new introduction (which I must admit I have not read all of, as it made me want to throw my laptop out the window) includes, amongst other things, an explanation of Hitler's "undeniable connection" to the theory of evolution. It also exposes the multitude of "hoaxes" surrounding evolutionary theory as well as Darwin's apparent "disdain for women" and racism. Oh and it also presents a "balanced view of Creationism."

According to a report in PEOPLE, Cameron believes that "Atheism has been on the rise for years now, and the Bible of the atheists is The Origin of Species...." He goes on to say that "We have a situation in our country where young people are entering college with a belief in God and exiting with that faith being stripped and shredded. What we want to do is have student make an informed, educated decision before they chuck their faith."

And apparently to do that, they feel the need to present a completely one-sided, warped view of Darwin and the theory of creationism. Many others have expressed their opinions on Kirk's video far more eloquently that I ever could (my person fave is below - this chick is awesome). I am not going to get into a discussion of Evolution versus Creationism. Or my opinions on religion. Suffice it to say, my Catholic upbringing and Catholic education went a little off track when I was told that it was in God's plan that my father died when I was 14 years old.

What I find interesting beyond the introduction and the obvious inaccuracies and half-truths presented in Cameron's 6 minute calm rant, is the fact that they were allowed to reissue a book with an introduction that completely refutes everything in said book. I don't understand this and how this is done.

I also find it very amusing that Cameron honestly thinks Christian teens are so weak minded and have such a shaky faith that they would be so easily led astray by their agnostic and atheist professors. Could it not be that said teens grew up having been taught only one belief system - then they enter college and are exposed to masses of new ideas and notions presented not only by their professors, but also by new roommates, new friends, TA's and all the other groups at college. Is that not a much more plausible explanation for college students losing their faith in Christianity?

Cameron's idea is something completely new for the religious zealots. Normally, the holy rollers have book burnings. Now, they are having, what, book givings? I am sure some of them will forget, and will show up on November 19th with marshmallows, ready to make s'mores. Hmmm S'mores.

XO