The Bible says that pride comes before the fall in Proverbs 16:18. How true are these words! I have just learned that atheist physicist, Lawrence Krauss is being accused of sexual misconduct by women. Krauss is known for his sarcasm, ridicule of religious beliefs and an untamed arrogance. He seems to think that he knows more than everyone else, especially those "stupid religious people." Well, now he is on the spotlight.
Several women have accused him for decades. Melody Hensley, 28 was a makeup artist who joined the Center for Inquiry. This is a nonprofit group that pushes separation of Church and state and a intolerant form of secularism. Hensley aspired to be a leader in the so-called "skeptics" movement. During a CFI event that took place in November of 2006, she was approached by Krauss who asked for her card. What happened next was creepy. Krauss asked her if she was "of age." This question obviously had to do with the legality of consensual sexual activity. Hensley, a fan of the atheist scientist did not think much of the comment. She was obviously "star-struck." However, Krauss invited her to dinner in a email later on. Hensley told BuzzFeed News,
“I didn’t care if he flirted with me, I just wanted to be around somebody important, and I also wanted to get a job in this field. I thought I could handle myself.”
Krauss then invited her to come to his hotel room. He then flirted with her, commented on her eye makeup and violated her personal space. Afterwards, he forced himself on her by forcing her onto the bed underneath him and began to kiss her without her consent and even tried to remove her tights. Krauss then got a condom. As he did this, Hensley ran out saying "I have to go." Krauss claims that the encounter was consentual. Hensley informed her boyfriend who contacted CFI about what happened.
According to Buzzfeed News, this is not the first accusation against Krauss. He has alledgedly groped women, made sexist jokes, has been accused of ogling undergrads and even told an employee at his place of employment Arizona State University that he would purchase her birth control so that she ould not inconvenience him with any maternity leave. Case Western Reserve University and Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics have both banned him from their campuses.
Krauss denies the allegations despite numerous complaints, documents, emails and interviews with over 50 people. The majority of accusers have asked to remain anonymous due to fears of retaliation. They fear Krauss will attack them with legal retaliation or his male fans will target them. The atheist movement is made up of mostly rich white males who have displayed misogynistic tendencies. They have often smeared women who have spoken out against other alleged skeptics.
In 2007, an accuser named Nora (middle name) was studying at Case Western Reserve as an undergraduate student. She approached Krauss regarding how hard it was to be one of the few female physics major students. He then made an inappropriate comment saying that there must be many guys who ask her out on dates. On another occasion, she asked to do an interview him for a newspaper and he just closed the door of his office, made sexual jokes and invited her to dinner. She even wrote about this in the college's newspaper:
“There was even one particular creep of a professor who once told me he thought differently of me compared to other students and asked me to dinner: a situation so disturbing that it left me upset for weeks afterward.”
Despite not mentioning him by name, the dean of the school knew who she was referring to and told her to file a complaint. She followed through with his suggestion. The dean apparently knew of Krauss' predatory behavior.
There are many more allegations detailed in the BuzzFeed link in the sources. The news is disturbing and shows what happens when one lacks a moral compass. Krauss is one who claims that morality can be determined via the scientific method. He has dismissed philosophy and ethics int he past and has even debated one of my former professors, Dr. Massimo Pigliucci who is a stern advocate for philosophy.
Ironically, Krauss has tweeted about the "MeToo" movement and spoke out against sexual harassment. In hindsight, his comments show his hypocrisy.
I invite all women and men to report any inappropriate sexual harassment or physical contact to the authorities. The atheist movement has a sexual harassment problem which it refuses to acknowledge. It is a movement run by white males who are misogynistic and who protect predators. They contradict their alleged concern for liberal ideas regarding feminism. These men never fail at bringing up predatory priests while ignoring the filth among their ranks. Atheists should not let another's celebrity get in the way of protecting women and any men who are targeted by sexual predators among the atheism movement.
I invite all to contact CFI and Arizona State and demand that Krauss and other sexual predators be fired and publicly condemned.
Center For Inquiry
P.O. Box 741, Amherst, NY 14226
info@centerforinquiry.net
http://www.centerforinquiry.net
CFI Executive Office
1012 14th Street, NW, Suite 205
Washington, DC 20005
Arizona State University
Tempe AZ 85281
480-965-2100
https://contact.asu.edu
Source:
https://www.buzzfeed.com/peteraldhous/lawrence-krauss-sexual-harassment-allegations?utm_term=.sk4PRqGGxr#.ih0P6MQQag
https://www.buzzfeed.com/markoppenheimer/will-misogyny-bring-down-the-atheist-movement?utm_term=.pmmdD5kkqM#.dfzjyVrrGQ
https://web.archive.org/web/20111018190820/http://www.centerforinquiry.net/blogs/entry/women_in_secularism/
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2018/02/22/lawrence-krauss-faces-sexual-misconduct-allegations-from-multiple-women/
https://www.pedestrian.tv/news/lawrence-krauss-sexual-misconduct-report/
