Miroljub Petrović

	Style over substance; Pseudoscience
	Popular pseudosciences
	Alternative medicine; Creationism; Racialism; Pseudopsychology;
	Random examples
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Miroljub Petrović (1965–) is a Serbian wannabe geologist, Young Earth Creationist, conspiracy theorist, misogynist, homophobe, antivaxxer, vegetarian, and ghostbuster. He is the leader of a ~~one-man~~ obscure organization called the Center for Natural Studies (Serbian: Centar za prirodnjačke studije). He is not to be confused with the Serbian ambassador to Australia of the same name.

Career[edit]

Once an atheist, Petrović was conscripted during the breakup of Yugoslavia and sent to the front. After the war, he was recruited by Adventists. They gave him funds and opportunities to appear on local TV stations in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia (where he even had a chance to appear on a public TV program, "Fringe Science" (Croatian: Na rubu znanosti). Petrović graduated from the Faculty of Mining and Geology of Belgrade University, despite holding creationist views. He attempted to enroll for Ph.D. studies, but the university staff condemned his appearances on TV, rejected his master's thesis as unscientific and denied his request.^[1] Nevertheless, this doesn't prevent Petrović from occasionally presenting himself as a Ph.D.^[1]^[2]

After this, Petrović attended nutritionist lectures (organized by Adventists) in the USA. Despite this, his English proficiency is surprisingly low.^[1]

However, Petrović had no guts to present himself publicly as an Adventist in Serbia, where the majority of the population is Eastern Orthodox. Adventists eventually excluded him from their ranks. Petrović now declares himself an Orthodox Christian (despite the fact that he maintained Adventist beliefs, such as treating Saturday as the day of Sabbath and advocating circumcision) and he is close to some Orthodox circles in Serbia. Others see him as a wolf in sheep's clothing. Among those who are close with Petrović are Dveri movement.^[3]

In 2010 Petrović "opened" "clinics" for treating homosexuality.

Publishing[edit]

Petrović has translated books by Protestant authors, such as Ellen G. White, often publishing them as his own and presenting them as Eastern Orthodox. He translated the book Babylon Mystery Religion by Ralph Woodrow. Woodrow withdrew his book from sale and refuted his earlier claims in a new book, but Petrović still sells it.^[4]

Petrović is also great admirer of Harun Yahya, whose books Petrović regularly publishes, despite fact that Yahya is an old Earth creationist.

Debating style[edit]

Petrović can be very persuasive. He makes appearances and holds lectures only if there is no smart opponent who can make fun of him. His apparent calmness and mumbling about Vatican and natural medicine are sufficient for less educated audience. The only places where Petrović meets resistance are Orthodox internet forums, as he thinks that majority will always be with him. Surprisingly or not, true Orthodox Christians regularly expose his Adventist heresy and frauds. Petrović regularly accuse them for being demon worshipers and advocates usage of "Moses Law" as a way in dealing with them.

Institute for Natural Medicine[edit]

In 2010. Petrović and few associates attempted to found online college called Institute for Natural Medicine that will offer three programs:^[5]

bachelor of science in natural medicine (BS)
master of science in natural medicine (MS)
doctor of naturopathy in natural medicine (ND)

Problems with this "medicine school" are:

has a B.Sc. as director (although he is listed as Ph.D.)
more precisely, a bachelor of geology, not medicine
website of the institute is hosted by a free web hosting provider
has a headquarters in Sacramento, California, out of reach of the Serbian judicial system.

Institute for National History[edit]

Institute for National History is the latest Petrović's endeavor. Nedleess to say, "doctor Petrović" has again teamed up with pseudohistorians such as Jovan I. Deretić (not to be confused with Jovan Deretić, a famous Serbian literature historian).

Vesti011: Trustworthy News[edit]

Petrović is associated with "news" portal Vesti011. In addition to biased and distorted news, the portal is full of conspiracy theories and pseudoscience. It would not be out of the question for Mr. Petrović to be its sole contributor.

The Netherlands[edit]

Petrović has published a YouTube video ^[6] in which he threatens to blow up Dutch dykes and the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia if Ratko Mladić, Radovan Karadžić and Vojislav Šešelj remain imprisoned. The Dutch secret service (AIVD) started investigating him. Although he probably wasn't serious, he finally went too far and became known to wider population in Serbia and the Netherlands.^[7] On May 10^th 2012, Serbian police arrested Petrović. He was released pending trial two day later.