Deal? Unfortunately this is not often the case.

Almost everyone who has been on this campus has most likely run into someone handing them religious pamphlets, wanting to “ask you a few questions,” or perhaps even yelling at you for being a “whore” because of your outfit.

Yes, I realize that this is not representative of most religious people on this campus, and I realize that most religious people find them as absurd as I do.

However, this past Wednesday, a creationist group known as “Living Waters” handed out copies of a “revised” version of Charles Darwin’s book “On the Origin of Species.”

In an operation known as “The Origin Into Schools Project,” Living Waters members and supporters handed out new versions of the scientific masterpiece with a new 50-page introduction by the great “scientist” Ray Comfort.

Now, I am not going to insult your intelligence by debasing the claims and remarks made by Ray in his introduction. I am aware that the University of Georgia is an institution of higher learning, and I am sure these things do not need to be explained to a person even mildly informed on matters of science, history, religion, and philosophy.

For those who are fortunate enough not to read the introduction, it is basically an opinion piece about Charles Darwin and the implications of his so-called “theories.” Ray Comfort attempts to connect Darwin to ideologies such as racism, sexism, genocide and historical figures such as Adolf Hitler.

May I remind you at this time that Ray Comfort is the great thinker who says “that the banana is proof of God’s existence because it fits perfectly in the human hand.”

I am sure any biology professor – or biology student for that matter – who was unfortunate enough to read this intro, cringed and winced all the way through it.

So what’s my point? Am I just an angry, bitter sinner who is trying to stomp out religion?

Of course not. However, I do have a problem with Ray Comfort and his followers debasing a book that has single-handedly changed the study of science and forever altered our understanding of how the world works.

This piece of literature is one the most important books ever written, regardless of whether you think he is correct or not.

To me it seems childish, uneducated and disrespectful to purposely ruin such an important piece of human history.

I am glad the book was distributed. I believe more people should read it. I just wish we could keep the University of Georgia a place for reason, education and inquiry rather than a ministry outreach for religious fanatics hell-bent on countering our “evil” education with “faith like a child.”

Every person is free to believe what he or she wants, but again I say, if you will refrain from preaching at my school, I won’t come to think critically in your church.

- Dave Williamson is a senior from Roswell majoring in business management and political science.