Related: Darwigin of the Species
As part of a nationwide “Origin into Schools” campaign, volunteers were on campus Wednesday to distribute 2,000 free copies of Charles Darwin’s “Origin of Species,” including a special introduction advocating a creationist counterpoint.
The books, sponsored by evangelist Ray Comfort and actor Kirk Cameron, include a 50-page introduction attempting to counter Darwin’s theory of evolution.
Campaign volunteers are visiting 100 of the country’s top universities in the nation to hand out a total of 100,000 copies, coinciding with the 150th anniversary of the book’s publication on Nov. 21.
Comfort’s introduction is written from a creationist point of view and argues that Darwin was wrong in his conclusions on evolution.
Sections claiming Darwin was an atheist and evolution is a logical precedent for Adolf Hitler’s policies of genocide have ignited nationwide controversy.
Biological theorist Richard Dawkins has recomended ripping out the 50 pages, and the Secular Student Alliance has urged protests at the dropoff points.
Volunteers declined to comment, except that the introduction was an effort to debunk evolution. They expected to receive bad reviews from some readers, particularly atheists.
Organizer Kirk Cameron, known for his role in 1980s TV show Growing Pains, stated the book incorporated “the history of evolution, a timeline of Darwin’s life, Adolf Hitler’s undeniable connection with the theory, Darwin’s racism, and his disdain for women” in a Sept. 21 video posting on his Web site LivingWaters.com.
The campaign stresses it is providing readers with an opportunity to compare Darwin’s work and its counterpoints on a side-by-side and equal basis free of censorship.
Ian Broverman, an engineer who has worked with Tech on robotic installations, wrote a lighthearted text on the Internet called “Darwigin of Species” seeking to refute Comfort’s special introduction.
“I think they have the right to promote their message, but most people have heard that message, and have made a choice,” Broverman said. “It has more of an impact on how people view religion and faith. ... It drives people away.”
Student responses were mixed, with some accepting and others refusing copies altogether. Others said they took them in an effort to be polite but did not intend to read it.
“I don’t plan on reading the book,” said Amanda Heffelfinger, a junior psychology major. “I just took it because I didn’t want to say no.”
Gordon Block contributed to this report.