Great. It Just Had To Be An Atheist Math Professor.

Here's a charming story:

A math professor at Michigan State University allegedly stripped naked, ran naked through his classroom and screamed “There is no f*cking God!” before police apprehended him, according to several reports.

The professor's name has not yet been released, but online, students said he was “eccentric,” and that they “could probably have seen this coming.”

A Redditor shared a grainy cell phone picture of the man in a hallway at the university as authorities restrained him.

Another user, TheCookieKing shared more details:

Background story: I was in Calc 1 at Michigan State University, and my teacher was always pretty eccentric, but today he went overboard. Half way through class, he started screaming at us -- swearing left and right. He then started slamming his hands on the window and pressing his face against it, still screaming. Eventually he walked out and down the hallway to the end, all while screaming. He then came back into the classroom and took off his clothes, except for his socks. You know someones crazy when they leave their socks on lmao. At this point everyone in class ran out. We were literally scared for our lives. The police took about 15 minutes to get here, and during this time he continued walking around screaming.

On behalf of everyone who has ever taught Calc 1, let me just say, “Been there!”

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Trying to teach calculus to undergrads would drive just about anyone crazy.

By The Phytophactor (not verified) on 03 Oct 2012 #permalink

“There is no f*cking God!”

Of course not. If there was a "f*cking God," then there wouldn't have been a virgin birth.

mental illness is just not a humorous topic, sorry.

Assuming the name that I've seen elsewhre on the interwebz is accurate, I took a calculus class from this professor in college. It's always sad to see mental illness affect people you respect professionally, and a warning that it can happen to anyone.

mental illness is just not a humorous topic, sorry.

Its also not appropriate to use it to try and tar atheists as a group - or any other group, for that matter. Which, dollars to donuts, some fundie will now do.

"scared for our livesa"
Because of those socks?!

What is truly unfortunate is that an on-line "newspaper" here in MI has posted a picture, taken by a student with cellphone, of the naked professor sitting in the hallway.

I would have expected this of a logician...reminds me of the philosopher who killed himself when he realized he didn't have free will.

I'm happy to see you didn't add " . . . done that!"

What we need to take away from this story is the need to learn how to identify signs of mental health decline. It has taken me years to learn to detect mental decline in the elderly and it can only be accomplished with close, repeated contact over time.

This man had mental health problems, but he was lucid since he determined that, “There is no f*cking God!”.

Who says integrals are boring?

Umm . . . I have an alibi.

Oh wait . . . I'm not a math professor.

Never mind . . .

I thought about a joke related to long division (or perhaps if it were an English professor, about dangling participles), but decided against it.

If there is no morality -- no foundation whatsoever -- then why would anyone be upset about a potential link between atheism and such behavior? Like Nietzsche there was an attempt to be consistent.

By Collin Brendemuehl (not verified) on 16 Oct 2012 #permalink

Mr. Brendemuehl, I always enjoy your unintended non sequiturs.

GeoJim,
Then perhaps you missed Jason's earlier discussions of moral foundations and evolution. All I am doing is contextualizing.
Enjoy.

By Collin Brendemuehl (not verified) on 17 Oct 2012 #permalink

If there is no morality — no foundation whatsoever — then why would anyone be upset about a potential link between atheism and such behavior?

If there are no pink elephants, why would anybody be upset by pickled herrings?

By Valhar2000 (not verified) on 17 Oct 2012 #permalink

"... by pickled herrings"
Of the red variety? Not that I'm upset - certainly not by someone who rather deserves pity than scandal.

Is it really so hard to see the results of the absence of theism as noted by Nietzche?

"God is dead. God remains dead. And we have killed him. How shall we comfort ourselves, the murderers of all murderers? What was holiest and mightiest of all that the world has yet owned has bled to death under our knives: who will wipe this blood off us? What water is there for us to clean ourselves? What festivals of atonement, what sacred games shall we have to invent? Is not the greatness of this deed too great for us? Must we ourselves not become gods simply to appear worthy of it?"

Besides, I like my herring in oil. You may cling to your red ones.

By Collin "Cheese… (not verified) on 17 Oct 2012 #permalink

So Nietzche feared that we would lose our moral compass without the concept of God, just like you & every other religious minded person. The quote isn't evidence for anything except a factoid of N, & you I suppose. Progress has been made in evolution & in evolutionary causality of the mind since N's lifetime. What's your excuse?

Sure. Go right ahead in your private 'festival of the mind" without questioning things like directionality/teleology and all the other plainly religious concepts that permeate a supposedly secular science.
There is much more here. I just hope you are able to recognize it for what it is. And with that I say adieu.

By Collin Brendemuehl (not verified) on 18 Oct 2012 #permalink

If there is no morality — no foundation whatsoever — then why would anyone be upset about a potential link between atheism and such behavior?

GeoJim and Valhar got it right, this is a complete nonsequitur. Humans 'get upset' at a lot of things that have nothing to do with morality. Do you think that, absent some God, we would all be Spocks or something?

Mr. Brendemuehl -
It seems that you presume much with as little evidence. You introduced yet another non sequitur & declared no one else gives it the attention it deserves, all in one outburst. Impressive.