Dec. 1, far-right WorldNetDaily. Religious studies professor slurs Christians, Jews,

The Harvard-educated Paul Mirecki serves as the head of the Religious Studies Department at Kansas University – at least for the time being. By the time a KU administrator finishes reading this article – much of the information revealed here for the first time – Mirecki's job may be in jeopardy.

A University of Kansas class covering creationism and intelligent design that had been scheduled for the spring has been canceled and a professor who sent e-mails deriding Christianity and religious conservatives won't teach it if it's offered again, the university said Thursday.

Provost David Shulenburger granted professor Paul Mirecki's request to withdraw the class, originally called "Special Topics in Religion: Intelligent Design, Creationism and other Religious Mythologies."

Moved in no small part by articles in WorldNetDaily and a few other online publications, Kansas University Chancellor Robert Hemenway effectively killed an anti-intelligent-design course planned for the spring.

How sad that a university’s religious studies department has an “Evil Dr. P” leading (or rather misleading) the next generation. Although this is a secular college, is this what one would expect from the department of religious studies? This is just one example of how the battle zone in today’s cultural war can sometimes be blurred. Many times, the enemy can be found within. But what this professor meant for evil, God meant for good.

Douglas County sheriff’s deputies are investigating the reported beating of a Kansas University professor who gained recent notoriety for his Internet tirades against Christian fundamentalists.

Kansas University religious studies professor Paul Mirecki reported he was beaten by two men about 6:40 a.m. today on a roadside in rural Douglas County. In a series of interviews late this afternoon, Mirecki said the men who beat him were making references to the controversy that has propelled him into the headlines in recent weeks.

“I didn’t know them, but I’m sure they knew me,” he said.

... Mirecki reported he was attacked around 6:40 a.m. in rural Douglas County south of Lawrence. Mirecki told the Journal-World he was driving to breakfast when he noticed the men tailgating him in a pickup truck.

"I just pulled over hoping they would pass, and then they pulled up real close behind," he said. "They got out, and I made the mistake of getting out."

He said the men beat him on the head, shoulders and back with their fists, and possibly a metal object.

Wempe said Mirecki drove himself to the hospital after the attack.

Mirecki told the student newspaper, The University Daily Kansan, that he spent between three and four hours at the hospital. He said his injuries included a broken tooth.

(Thanks to Kos diarist topicalstorm)

Update More at Carpetbagger Report, ACSBlog, Echidne of the Snakes and All Spin Zone.

A right-winger says there's no doubt the left will try to link this to his criticism of "fundies"