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 NASA's Cassini space probe snapped this photo of jets spewing from Saturn's moons.
March 13th, 2012
10:08 PM ET
Terminated employee claims bias against intelligent designBy Stan Wilson, CNN Los Angeles (CNN) - A former veteran systems administrator for NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory claimed during opening arguments in a civil lawsuit Tuesday that he was wrongfully terminated for expressing his views on intelligent design. David Coppedge, who spent 15 years on the Cassini Mission, one of NASA and JPL's most ambitious planetary space explorations, asserts that he was unlawfully fired under his employer's anti-harassment and ethics policies. JPL contends Coppedge created a hostile workplace while expressing his religious views with co-workers. His suit also claims that supervisors wrongly admonished him for distributing DVD documentary films titled "Unlocking the Mystery of Life" and "The Privileged Planet," which present biological and cosmological explanations for intelligent design, according to the complaint. Coppedge claims he never forcibly compelled colleagues to accept his idea of intelligent design in the workplace. Intelligent design is a conviction that life is too complex to have developed solely through evolution and that the universe was designed by an intelligent entity. CNN's Belief Blog – all the faith angles to the day's top stories JPL, based in Pasadena, California, is one of the world's most prestigious institutions for scientific research and development institutions. In Coppedge's civil lawsuit, he describes JPL's space missions as designed, in part, to explore the origin of the universe, uncover whether life exists elsewhere in the universe - or is improbably confined to earth - and whether conditions necessary for life to exist reside elsewhere in the universe. Launched in October 1997, the Cassini mission to Saturn included a sophisticated robotic spacecraft that orbited the ringed planet and provided streams of data about its rings, magnetosphere, moon Titan and icy satellites. Cassini was the largest interplanetary mission ever launched, with the largest technical staff and participation of 18 countries. In his role, Coppedge was responsible for making technical and scientific recommendations to management and developing presentations about various technical capabilities of new systems and upgrades, his attorney William Becker Jr. said during opening arguments. During his tenure, Coppedge developed a "sincere interest in the scientific evidence behind life's origin," which led to his conviction about "intelligent design." Coppedge shared the view that life and the existence of the universe derived not from "undirected material processes," but from "intelligent cause," said attorney Becker. In March 2009, Coppedge claims that his supervisor advised him that co-workers had complained that he was harassing them over debates about his religious views and coercing them in the workplace into watching DVD programs about intelligent design. During his opening statements Tuesday, attorney Becker Jr. told a judge hearing the case that Coppedge's supervisor threatened him with termination if he "pushed his religion" and ordered Coppedge to refrain from discussing politics or religion with anyone in the office. During that 2009 meeting, Coppedge alleges, his supervisor became angry and belligerent asserting that "intelligent design is religion" and ordered him to stop. "The tone of the meeting and conduct were abusive and constituted harassment," his attorney said in court. JPL spokeswoman Veronica McGregor said the lawsuit "is completely without merit, and we intend to vigorously fight the allegations raised by Mr. Coppedge." In their response to the civil suit, attorneys for JPL stated in court documents that one of Coppedge's co-workers complained to his supervisor that Coppedge made her feel so uncomfortable in discussing "non work related topics" that it bordered on harassment. The supervisor encouraged Coppedge to limit his discussions about topics like religion and politics to periods like lunch breaks, according to the response. The documents state that other co-workers complained they also felt harassed when Coppedge expressed views in favor of California Proposition 8, the ballot initiative in 2010 that defined marriage between and man and woman. "David Coppedge alienated his co-workers by the way he acted with them, and blamed anyone who complained about those interactions," according to JPL in their response. "He accuses his former project supervisor and line manager of making discriminatory and retaliatory employment decision, when they had in fact protected him for years." JPL alleged that Coppedge "was seen as stubborn, unwilling to listen and always having to do things his way, which frustrated project members and resulted in errors." Coppedge was demoted after eight years as lead systems administrator and terminated last year. He cited those actions as a factor in basis for his suit claiming religious discrimination, retaliation, harassment and wrongful demotion. JPL has denied Coppedge's termination complaint, contending he was among 246 employees laid off as part of a downsizing plan that affected 300 staffers. "JPL complies with all applicable state and federal employment laws including laws governing freedom of expression," said JPL spokeswoman McGregor. California Institute of Technology operates JPL, which is federally funded under a contract with NASA. Scientists are employed by the Caltech. The case has generated interest among advocates of intelligent design. The Alliance Defense Fund, a Christian civil rights group, and the Discovery Institute, a proponent of intelligent design, are supporting Coppedge's lawsuit. The National Center for Science Education, which supports the teaching of evolution in public education, is closely monitoring the case. Coppedge is seeking damages for wrongful termination, including attorney fees. The nonjury trial is expected to last four weeks. *An earlier headline for this article identified David Coppedge as a scientist. His attorney later said that despite his technical work with computers, he is not a scientist. |
  About this blog
The CNN Belief Blog covers the faith angles of the day's biggest stories, from breaking news to politics to entertainment, fostering a global conversation about the role of religion and belief in readers' lives. It's edited by CNN's Daniel Burke with contributions from Eric Marrapodi and CNN's worldwide news gathering team.  |
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If I worked with this guy I would have been fired because I wouldn't put up with his nonsense. I would have told him off and reported him immediately. Who wants a religious quack working on a job where lives are at stake. He might decide to make a mistake on purpose because he is already delusional and capable of anything.
Exactly!
It seems as though JPL is in good standing with a healthy number of coworkers to back up their side of the story.
If a God did create the universe, then it will be found out through SCIENCE. So please, let us deal with empirical research first before we inject the supernatural and the metaphysical into true scientific study.
Just goes to show you, sometimes rocket scientists, aren't exactly rocket scientists.
So they can be preachers who m0lest children?
This story represents an ongoing war within the science community, a war not of science v. religion but science v. science. Scientists who do not dismiss intelligent design as a possibility or who blatantly advocate it through their research are silenced, fired, and ostracized from the academy. This is contrary to science being open to and exploring all ideas. There are a number of scientists who have serious concerns about the validity of Darwinian evolution but are afraid to come out of the closet because of the bullying in the scientific community. Information on my claims is easy to find in Ben Stein's "Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed" and Focus on the Families "The Truth Project." I realize that people will mock me for bringing up The Truth Project but it is so well done that it is easy to separate the religious aspects of the sections on science and focus solely on the scientific argument, if it makes you feel better.
You are dead wrong and your comment is propaganda. ID is not a theory. It is as much a theory as saying unicorns who poop rainbows created the universe.
"cientists who do not dismiss intelligent design as a possibility or who blatantly advocate it through their research are silenced, fired, and ostracized from the academy."
Yes, because it isn't science. Science requires evidence, ID has nothing other than made-up religious bulls**t. Try again next time bozo.
Godo illustrates the absurd type of knee jerk reactionary comment to ID thought. "Your belief threatens my culture, therefore your an innane j*ck*ss and must be silenced through mockery, put downs and insults of intelligence and education." Godo your comment sounds 1/1000th as intelligent as the original poster. You don't represent any arguments other than summarily calling him an idiot. Present something real to defend your position
Religion as victim will never get much entertainment. His views on Proposition 8 alone tell me exactly the kind of "bully" he is. I have never been in favor of faith-based initiatives pushed by Bush and embraced by Obama. To think that these organizations won't proselytize is a deep exercise in denial. Proselytizing is their mission in life.
dear matt,
as a christian scientist (mainstream, like francis collins, not michael behe), it is important to research the research. I have already seen the truth project and although there is christian faith in it, the truth project has zero truth when the science chapter comes in to play. The goal of yourself and focus on the family is 'spritual warfare', that is to replace current accepted science (all fields), with creationism. Mainstream science needs a better challenge than that. Don't try to convice the public that there is some 'scientific controversy'. The truth project was blatantly intelligent design and loaded with quote mines, arguments from ignorance, god of the gaps, strawmen, etc... too disappointing yet typical of creationism.
What I keep asking is: if there is any truth to "intelligent design", WHERE'S THE INTELLIGENCE??!?!?!?
Just how low a standard to these ID-iots set for their deities? I mean, we have teeth that rot in our heads, eyes that need corrective lenses, we get cancer, arthritis, Alzheimers, etc. Knees and spines are NOT adequate to the tasks we expect of them. And how about that wacky appendix, huh?
Occasionally babys are born with horrible, horrible defects, and the ID-iots believe that the most innocent of us all are "intelligently designed" that way?
Imagine if you were in charge of a project to "intelligently design" a human being, and had the assets and resources attributed to a deity. Now, imagine that your team of designers submitted a proposal for a design, and this design is: Us. You ask "Are there any known defects to this design?" And your designers present you with a list of flaws. Imagine how long that list would be!! CAN you even imagine how long that list of defects would be?
Would any of us accept such a profoundly inadequate design? Or would we chase the designers around the room, thrashing them about the head and shoulders with rolled up schematics and screaming abuse and implying inappropriate things about their mothers?
IF I had a god, I'd surely want a better one than the ID-iots claim.
you sound like that bitter, crippledass stephen hawking who said there was no heaven.
HAHAhAHAHAHAHA when you both discover otherwise!
charles; if you really want the answers to those questions let me know but only if you are sincere.
Here come the veiled threats from those loving Christians. This is a good example of why religious people are dangerous and why they were right to fire this quack. You people have a mental disorder. Seek help.
Nice points. I guess the lord works in mysterious ways lol....
Let me guess...you think you are smarter than God? "The foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than the strength of Man" 1 Cor 1:25
Ever been sooooo certain that a defendant's testimony is FALSE, then after everything is considered, he's convicted and jailed, only to have him release by evidence than proves his innocence? Human knowledge always will be limited to not knowing the truth of our existence.
Belief in a theory of evolution is no more founded than a belief in GOD.
In summary:
What a dumb fool you are. The intelligence is clearly NOT with you.
In reply to: U are a Tool.... Did you have a point to make?
In reply to: justme....If you can answer my questions, please post the answers and I will respectfully consider your ideas. I'd like to see some meaningful justification for the way we are. Since we are (supposedly) designed "In His Image", does that mean that your God has tonsils, gets hay fever and cannot scratch the middle of his back if he gets a itch?
And, I'm not going to accept arguments like "Look at Barbara Eden, that's proof of heavenly design, look at CarrotTop, that's proof of Hell!" Look around you at everyone. Show me the intelligence in the design!
Isn't revealing how Christians WANT people to go to hell? Your logic and your level of morality is uninspiring ? I'll pass.
charles; man was created in God's image with free will and it was used to follow another god who promised what the creator did but has been unable to fulfill. when the man and woman left their creator they gave up the health and eternal life he offered and were put out of paradise. the time would be limited for man to try any form of his own gov'ts he wanted since that is what HE chose. the time is about up for man to rule man. Our Creator is about to show what we missed out on.
charles; i have to go but if you want to discuss this further just ask these questions thenext time Jehovah's Witnesses come to your door or go to http://www.watchtower.org to find all the truths you are looking for. if you are sincere.
@justme: people have been spouting off that garbage for also 2000 years, claiming that the second coming will happen on their watch. Mathewe, Mark, Luke, and John all Believed that the second coming would happen while they were alive. II Paul states that if the second coming does not occur then we we have bore witness to a false prophet........we'll.......I think it's time to listen to Paul, don't you?
To those who believe in intelligent design. Is the earth only six thousand years old?? Did dinosaurs exist? Like to hear your answers.
you should ask yourself: "how accurate is radio isotoping and carbon dating?"
There are several different belief systems amongst those that believe. Some believe the earth is only 6000 years old, some much older. Some believe in a literal seven day creation, some believe in the big bang and evolution but that God was behind it all. There are numerous beliefs systems out there. It is just the least intelligent people always seem to be the most vocal.
You are simply regurgitating the cliched smart ass question without really thinking through.
1. Regarding the age of earth.. that is particular to the christian faith.. and most intelligent design believers worldwide belong to non-christian faith.
2. You assume that people who believe in intelligent design do not believe in evolution. This is a fallacy. Hinduism for example has mentioning of evolution in their sacred texts.
3. As long as people believe in a higher power, it is impossible to NOT believe in evolution being set in motion by a higher power.
ID is not church dogma. There is strong evidence to suggest the "creative days" mentioned in the Bible are epocs of time. "My grandfather's day" is an expression not referring or limited to one 24 hour period. Don't take the dogmas of manmade traditions which are obviously idiotic and force them on people who are not interested in being a part of a reprehensible church system, but cannot obviate themselves of the clear and evident demonstration of the reality of ID.
Hey CNN: "scientist" and "intelligent design" are contradictory terms that can't be used together.
Mike C...Obviously you are one of those people who simply just do not understand
Sounds like this guy was a jerk to work with and was only o k at his job , should have kept the banter in the coffee room.
He should have had another hobby like p0rn0. The FBI does this all day.
This guy sounds like a home-schooled ideologue. I know he's too old to have been part of the recent home-schooling resurgence, but this kind of obsessiveness and evangelicism of the obsessed-over idea is exactly the kind of socially inept behavior that a lot of home-schooled kids develop. They can't just 'agree to disagree' with anyone over their choice topic – watch Jesus Camp for mind-numbing examples. I won't be surprised if, as we learn more about brain physiology, it turns out that OCD and certain kinds of extremist thought patterns have common etiologies.
You do not have to be a NASA scientist or a religious person to know that there has to be a designer who is responsible for this existence, just walk outside at night and gaze at the stars and ask yourself as to how did our solar system became so perfectly established and how our planets are perfectly aligned.
There is no perfection. The closer you look, the more that becomes evident.
Have you ever heard of the anthropic principle?
Yep, gaze up in ignorance and jump to unwarranted conclusions. Worked for paleolithic people. Guess it should work for us, eh?
I've accepted Thor. Have you?
Mostly because of gravity. Next stupid question?
Your ignorance about the universe does not imply intelligent design. It indicates that you are poorly educated.
Wow, some ppl are completley clueless. Did you go to school? Did they teach science there or was it Nuns running around hitting people with rullers?
Sam just because you are too dumb to figure out how the solar system works without magic and God doesn't mean everyone else is. Try educating yourself.
I feel the same awe when I think of how much had to occur over billions, even trillions of years in order for me to be here, how we are all interrelated, that we are made of stardust. It is wonderous as it needs no guiding force to make it that way.
Aligned with what?
In what way are our planets 'perfectly aligned'? Aligned with what? They don't even orbit on identical planes, though the planes are all (except Pluto, and its not even a planet anymore) fairly close to the same.
By the way scientist do not what gravity is, they just call it a force that exist in the center of most planets. And for those of you who think of themselves as the " know it all kind" and everyone else is ignorant, whether you like it or not God created you and the universe, now if you don't see that then that is the ultimate ignorance.
:Pure chance
No, but you would have to be a scientist to discover that this apparent design is actually the result of natural processes. I guess that's why scientist don't rely on just looking at the sky and making assumptions.
You like it or not the Almighty God created and designed it all. Why don't you instead of doing Google searching, do some soul searching instead to find out the truth.
Here is another question:
What is a conscience and where is it located?
Left of the gall bladder
New Jersey
The conscience is not a material thing that you can point it or to its location but rather is a metaphysical (super natural) part of ourselves. That is what distinguish us from other species such as animals an plants.
here is a better question.
Please supply a single example, just ONE simple iota of positive, verifyable evidence for your god.
Well?
Gaunt, please supply one verifiable positive proof or evidence that your theory can create life from non living matter. Its never been done, never can be done and never will be done. Evolutionist mathmeticians shrug off numbers ending in 1000s of zero in chance formulas by stating, since its happened those are irrelevant. That sir is pure unadulterated FAITH. To believe something has a chance of occuring when the odds numbers are greater than the sum of all the atoms in the universe. Give me a break
My proof of intelligent design is the same as your proof for the lack thereof. We are here. The laws of DNA, RNA the living force within cells than makes them more than a collection of atoms and molecules but makes them vibrant and capable of actions point to an intelligent first cause. The philosphers can haggle over the details, but the existence is clear
I meant to say that scientist still do not know what gravity Is>
Every workplace requires that the team work as a team. Evangalizing during work hours is disruptiive and unprofessional. If he wants to do this on his time, fine, but on the taxpayers dime he would have to go. He has no right to undermine NASA's mission and expect us to pay him to do it.
Intelligent design is a joke... Nothing but watered down religious insanity. Nasa was right to do what they did. Who would want someone so stupid and egotisitical working on mulitmillion dollar projects that are designe to advance scientific knowledge?
It's unfortunate that MOST of the comments i've read so far are against what this man had teached. We simply have no knowledge that TRULY tells us how the Universe formed. What science fails to realize is that in addition to Evolution, we also have Mitochondrial Eve, who is roughly 5,000 years old, and who has been proven to be a common ancestor to humanity as a species. Also, one more things: we can't see atoms, but they exist; so why can we not believe in another intelligent being?
How is that an oxymoron, exactly?
You DO realize that your brand of evolutionary science is FUNDAMENTALLY based on THEORY, as is the VAST MAJORITY of SCIENCE? AND THAT THEORY, BY DEFINITION, HAS NOT BEEN ACTUALLY PROVEN.
NOT very long ago, scientist were CERTAIN that larmarkian evolution was the "truth"
or that Eistein's theory of relativity was "bullet proof genius"
NOW....not so much.
GET A CLUE: your "knowledge" is based on faith and the limits of human reason! Have you EVER seen an atom? NO. But you believe it to be there because OTHER PEOPLE'S THEORIES & limited human reasoning skills have lead to a consensus, which may very well be AND IS FALSE!
And unless you are a scientist who has dedicated his life to these pursuits, you really have NO bearing what so ever on modern science! YOU JUST BELIEVE WHAT other people are saying, and call it a day with your lazyass.
Do you realize how many quacks and crooks there are in the sciences?
Did you hear about the red wine science out of UConn medical school? HAHAHAHAHA. It turns out it's not true!
Time and time again, what you believe to have been proven by OTHER FLAWED HUMAN BEINGS, turns out to be FALSE!
If you knew the definition of a scientific theory you would realize that ID does NOT qualify.
All this because you dont know the definition of the word "theory"? You could have taken less time to look up the word in an online dictionary than it took you to type that.
Zzzzzzzz....
add another to "hopeless" column.
Pardon me, but "our" knowledge, if you wish to call it that, is based on repeatable, empiricle evidence that is accepted by 99% of the scientific community. We believe these thing to be true based on empiricism, not based on the hopes that we'll collect dividends in the form of an afterlife in exchange for our credulity. Nice try though.
Science is open, forward-looking, and admittedly, gloriously incomplete. The god theory is a closed loop.
He/she understands the definition of theory, he/she doesn't understand the definition of " scientific theory". Much different.
You expect us to take you seriously with your hahahahahaahaha laughing?
You're a child who only knows what mommy and daddy told you. Get out of the basement, cut your hair, get a job you pathetic loser.
I agree on your main point, evolution is a theory and people treat it as fact. That doesn't make it wrong but it doesn't make intelligent design wrong either. I will never understand why someone who does not believe in a God must always vehemently attack those who do, as if it were an affront to them as a human. In any case, I believe it's not a bad thing to look at all the options without bias.
Can't tell if Poe's Law or not, but I'll bite:
Do you understand what the word Theory means in the context of science?
ENOUGH SAID. lol.
You gave us his real job description in the first paragraph. He was a systems administrator (sys-admin).
What's with the headline? Scientist??
A sys-admin is no more a scientist than the sys-admins at CNN are newsmen or editors.
While it may have been part of a sys-admin's job to make technical recommendations, making scientific recommendations is beyond one's scope and that scope is limited to the computer or network that he administers.
Liberal media. What do you expect?
How would you Chrisitans like it if your daughter came home from school in tears because her Muslim teacher told her she should re-think wearing revealing clothes because she will burn for it? This Christian is the one who created a hostile work environment and on top of it decided to distribute propaganda dvd's. Open shut case. I really hope they counter sue this a hole, after his bs case gets laughed out of court.
You are correct that what he did was unprofessional and that public school is not the place to push religion. I do feel that your statement is rather hostile towards all Christians. Contrary to what most people believe, not all Christians believe what fundamentalist believe. They just happen to be the most vocal group.
Your arguments about mistreatment being a reason to not believe in ID is akin to an alien coming to earth and pointing at an insane asylum as a reason for believing all humans are mentally handicapped. Organized Religion, which is by and large horrific, is still not an excuse for not considering the facts.
Sadly lawyers and representatives of the parties involved are paid to say anything to defend the case. You'll never REALLY know the complete truth in the matter. The company will get away with it undoubtedly. The scientific culture is one of "accept evolution or we de-frock you". It is what it is. Its like a religion unto itself. If Mr Coppedge thought he could "preach" to his coworkers he was mistaken. What would be a shame is if Mr Coppedge felt he could answer legitimate questions being ASKED by his coworkers and was fired for that, then we have a problem.
Another electrical engineer who thinks he knows more about biology than biologists.
I think NASA likely fired him because he was stupid.
The debate is fairly simple. And you cannot blame those who believe that the creation of life, (complex formation of chromosomes), is the product of a convienent accident produced by a big bag and everything just randomly crashed together accidentially forming the most complex group of atoms known to man, because for those people, who just really do not understand the physics, it is just an easy out to say "boom", it just happened.
Nobody who works on evolutionary biology believes what you just described. Have fun attacking things no one stands behind.
And is "Goddidit" not an easy out?
Wow, just wow. So much stuipid in such a short post. Please stop pretending that you have ever read anything science related.
You seem confused on how life is theorized to have happened in the non-religious manner. You should first learn about the theory you vehemently reject before speaking against it. You know, that's just a good rule to govern all your actions going forward.
While there is w/o question a random component to all historically contingent processes, biochemistry and evolutionary theory and specifically the theory of natural selection are NOT about random processes, but powerfully probabilistic or even deterministic processes. Antievolutionists betray their ignorance every time they speak.
While there is w/o question a random component to all historically contingent processes, biochemistry and evolutionary theory and specifically the theory of natural selection are NOT about random processes, but powerfully probabilistic or even deterministic processes. Anti-evolutionists betray their ignorance every time they speak.
I find it highly entertaining, although depressing, that Intelligent Design folks try to discredit evolutionary theories with fanciful strawman arguments because they really don't know what they're against. I have yet to find a creationist (ID) that can explain even the basics of modern evolutionary theory with any accuracy. They just know they don't like it because it's the enemy, but they haven't a clue what they don't like or what they're against.
Hahaha. What a poltroon. I'll bet Rory thinks that atheists believe humans evolved from monkeys, too
Ok Michael P, what lie is it now then? Its different every decade you're right. So its not monkeys now is it? Whats the flavor this year?
No, Neo, it hasn't changed. You're just dumb.
The theory is we share a common ancestor with modern apes. One of the differences being that apes do not have tails where as monkeys do. I will admit that I do not understand the ins and outs of modern evolutionary theory, however, I do understand the basics and do not discount them. I believe in microevolution, however, I do have some problems with macro. This could be my lack of understanding and I also realize that a lack of evidence doesn't necessarily mean that a supernatural explanation is the only one. I believe in God and I believe in science. I do not think the two have to conflict. I respect those who choose not to believe and I have a lot of respect those that allow me to believe as I do. I think extremist on both sides sour any constructive discussion that can be made. One's belief does not prove or disprove one's intelligence. I have met a plethora of idiots on both sides.