I hear “thank you” from grateful parents frequently as I’m out speaking, and now with the newest round of upgrades, we are also seeing Christian schools beginning to integrate these AiG publications—with their strong Bible-affirming creationist worldview—into their courses.

This week we received word that reviewer Cathy Duffy, for many years one of the most respected voices in homeschool curricula, has uploaded new reviews of our God’s Design for Science and History Revealed materials to her website. Here are some highlights. I encourage you to click through to see her exhaustive full-length versions, too. They are probably the most substantial and well-researched of any reviewer articles we’ve seen thus far.

HISTORY REVEALED

Popular convention speaker and storyteller extraordinaire Diana Waring is the author of Answers Genesis’s history program. . . . More than just a history curriculum, each course might well serve as a unit study with its coverage of history, geography, cultures, Bible, Bible history, and the fine arts coupled with plenty of work in language arts and even some science. . . . Each course is presented in nine units with four, weeklong lessons or “phases” per unit. Each of the four phases reflects one of four learning style preferences (based on Myers Briggs learning styles). . . . On top of learning styles, the curriculum incorporates methods that teach to the three learning modalities: visual, auditory, and kinesthetic (movement or hands-on learning). . . . [This] isn’t your typical program. It isn’t about memorizing names, dates, and events. Rather, it’s about seeing the hand of God through history, the shaping of cultures and people. The emphasis is on learning in ways that engage the student’s interest so that they grasp the big picture and broad outlines of history. (Cathy Duffy, Curriculum Specialist; from her full review)

GOD’S DESIGN SCIENCE

. . . the third editions (2008-2009) have been totally redesigned with significant content improvements, resulting in an outstanding program. . . . The books in this series all reflect a Christian worldview, including a young-earth view of creation. . . . Hands-on experiments and activities are built into every lesson. These are worthwhile and really relate to topics. The activities and experiments include step-by-step instructions and are designed to teach [the] scientific method as children observe, record information, discuss, and form conclusions. . . . Textbooks are printed in full-color with numerous, high-quality illustrations and excellent graphics. The publisher has also made good use of color to highlight different portions of the lesson, making it easy to spot sections to be used with different students. These features make this series a practical choice for Christian homeschooling families as well as for classroom teachers in Christian schools. . . . I like this combination of information with experiments and activities, plus questions to ensure understanding. The variety of activities effectively reaches children with different learning styles.” (Cathy Duffy, Curriculum Specialist, from her full review)

60 Minutes Misses Something

Make sure you don’t miss our review of the 60 Minutes TV program that aired last night on dinosaur evolution—and what was completely missed.

Video Conference Coordinator Testimony

We praise the Lord of our volunteer Video Conference Coordinators who run AiG video conferences across the nation. Here is a testimony from one of them:

Bob/Jan,  I wanted to let you know about a praise that we found out about this last week.  In March of 2007 we did an [AiG] Genesis—Key to Reclaiming the Culture event at [a Baptist church] in Michigan. The event went well, but since then we haven’t heard anything from that church.

This last week my family had a homeschool group dinner with several other families. One gentleman and I were speaking, and I inquired what church they were with, and he said [this same] Baptist [church].  I said that we had been there and had organized the AiG event.  He said, “That’s where I recognize you from,” and he began to tell me about what has been happening in the church.

Apparently since that night, that church has undergone a significant revival. They started using AiG resources in training the kids, teen, and adult classes. They have been using Living Waters resources in motivating evangelism. The teens specifically have been moved from “pure apathy” to being involved and even doing personal evangelism. Even the kids that didn’t believe anything, or even care, are now witnessing and proclaiming the truth in the Bible. The wife of the man I was speaking with also mentioned that the event motivated them to start homeschooling their son after seeing what he was being taught in public school.

I just wanted to let you know that God is using AiG in great ways. He blessed us with finding out about this church and encouraged us that the work AiG, and the VCCs, are doing is well worth the effort.

—Terry & Michelle Stearns, Video Conference Coordinators.

Devotion

I will go and make and break and cut

(Isaiah 45:2) I will go before you, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron

We have many crooked places in our path and many obstacles in preaching the gospel to the lost, but we have the promise of help from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thanks for stopping by and thanks for praying,
Ken

Hi Doctor Snelling, I have some good . . . news. While I was doing [the AiG in-depth conference called] “Creation College” in July, my family and I went over to see the Creation Museum. I took pictures of the gardens and the waterfalls. When I got home, I entered two pictures I took of the gardens into my county fair and one of them won first place. I attached the winning picture.

Already Gone on the Radio Again

Part 2 of the interview that David Wheaton, host of the national radio program “The Christian Worldview,” conducted with me on our new book Already Gone is now available online. David and I discuss that the church in America needs a new reformation—a return to a belief in the full authority and accuracy of the Bible. If that is done, the church will then see fewer young people leaving the church.

Already Gone (and a companion DVD) gives the reasons why there is a massive exodus of young people from our churches—and reveals that 80% are “already gone” from the church in their hearts and minds before they go to college. (If you missed part one, you co go to my previous blog post about David Wheaton.)

Listen to part two of this nationally syndicated radio program here.

While on this site, find out something about the fascinating background of the interviewer—David is a Wimbledon tennis champion (in doubles)!

Photo of the Week

FotoFX photographers Deb and Mary Minnard sent me this cute photo taken inside the museum:

Thanks for stopping by and thanks for praying,
Ken

A senior chemical engineer who works for a multi-billion-dollar Fortune 500 company wrote the following to us after he read the magazine article:

First, I am pleased at the length of coverage. Second, I was upset that the magazine attempted to portray the visiting scientists as fair, and it didn’t mention that AiG has scientists and list their PhD degrees. Third, what about all the folks like me with advanced degrees who live here in the area and support the Creation Museum, including many at my company?

—M.C.

PBS TV Continues Its Speculation on Human Origins

This evening the tax-supported TV network PBS shows part two of its new series on human evolution. Called Becoming Human, the PBS/NOVA documentary rehashes many of the same arguments used in an attempt to prove humankind’s ancestry from an ape-like creature. We have already written two items on this three-part series–and our third article on the NOVA documentary is being posted today—it is largely a critique of part 1 that aired last week.

Children Respond

Despite the fact that many Christian schools in the Memphis area were out yesterday because of teacher in-service programs, hundreds of children turned out (with many adults/teens) for the two programs specially designed for students. Many homeschoolers and many who were pulled out of public school, attended the programs. I have included some photographs taken yesterday on the final day of the AiG conference in Bartlett, Tennessee—held at Faith Baptist Church.

1. Young people lined up to ask questions after the program.

2. Even though many Christian schools in the Memphis area did not meet on Monday, the bottom floor of the large auditorium of Faith Baptist Church was nearly full for our school assembly.

Devotion

My friend

(Isaiah 41:8) But you, Israel, are my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend.

The Cross was God’s invitation to fallen man that says, “Let’s be friends.”

Thanks for stopping by and thanks for praying,
Ken

This year we have had three groups of evolutionary scientists visit the museum—one of them was this past Saturday (for those who had been attending a conference on Charles Darwin in Cincinnati). And there was another on August 7, when 285 atheists/agnostics toured the museum. The first evolutionist group was back in June, when about 70 paleontologists who were attending a convention in Cincinnati toured the museum. It was this visit that provided the backdrop to the long article in Cincinnati Magazine. Our museum is close to Cincinnati.

Although the magazine article featured the major differences that the paleontologists had with the museum’s teachings, many compliments were paid by the evolutionist paleontologists (as well as the magazine’s writer) on the quality of the museum. Here are some quotes from this month’s long magazine article:

• “Landscaping that rivals Eden itself.”
• “A huge parking lot filling up faster than Walmart on Black Friday.”
• “Families queuing in front of a huge, sleek, handsome institution that might have been at home in any major city…”
• “The museum itself has been masterful at getting exposure.”
• A professor at Tulane University in Louisiana, looking at one of our fossil display cases, remarked to the magazine: “That’s a pretty good crinoid.” The magazine writer indicated that he said it “with sincere admiration.”
• The “museum has incorporated the latest technology and exhibit design ideas. And nearly everything has a way of engaging children.”
• “Sculpted museum figures … are done with real artistry.”
• One of the speakers at the Cincinnati paleontology conference admitted that the museum has “some beautiful bones.”
• A well-known scientist at the conference and teaches at a Cleveland-based college stated the following about the museum’s gardens and pavilions: “’It’s so beautiful.’ She quickly added: ‘It’s insidious, really. It seems criminal to lead kids into a situation where they have to choose between science and God.’”
• The host of the conference, at the end of the visit, took “a walk around the parking lot and counts the number of different state license plates. ‘Thirty-five on one summer day,’ he says.”
• “Last summer, two busloads of scientists were schooled in Young Earth creationism, dinosaur storage on Noah’s Ark, and the tempting possibility that dragons existed. Were they convinced? No. Impressed? You bet.”

The article also brings up some other negatives about the museum as expressed by the paleontologists, including: that we (falsely) believe that “reason is evil” and we have a supposed belief that “reason is not highly prized in Christianity”; plus there is the mistake that the museum allegedly teaches that Noah’s Flood “deposited the entire fossil record in one final swoop.” (We actually teach that the majority was laid down, not all of it.)

Also, the host of the tour claimed that the museum teaches that people like him who accept evolution are “evil”—although Dr. Terry Mortenson of our staff countered that statement in the next paragraph: “It’s not an issue of people against people; it’s about ideas.” The author then writes about Terry’s beliefs: “If you’re really paying attention, it is sin that is getting the blame.” Terry adds: “It’s human rebellion against the creator that has produced all the evil.”

It’s a fascinating and overall well-written article. We’re very happy to read these positive comments even when they come from those who are opposed to our message (even though some of the comments are meant as back-handed compliments).

Please pray with us that the many thousands of readers of this magazine will consider paying a visit to a museum that’s right in their back yard.

New Perspective

We continue to receive great feedback from our summer Creation College 3 conference—here is one from this week:

Just a thank you for Creation College 3 last summer.  Although I have taught a creationism class in a Bible college for over 30 years, CC3 gave me new perspectives and changed my thinking in key areas.  I was inspired and energized to do a better job as I teach this fall.  In addition, the books The Ultimate Proof and Already Gone have already made me a better Sunday school teacher to our teens and to the adults I often have the opportunity to teach.  Thanks to you and Brothers Beemer and Lisle for those most practical books.  In addition, please accept my thanks for coming to our needy country and working as an apologetics missionary here.  God knew we needed you and the work you have founded!

Answers for Darwin Conference in Tennessee

This Sunday and Monday I will be speaking in Tennessee at an Answers For Darwin conference at Faith Baptist Church, Bartlett (near Memphis).  You can find out the details from the calendar on AiG’s website.

Thanks for stopping by and thanks for praying

Ken

Long-time supporters Dr. Steve and Ruth Carter have been “creationist evangelists” for many years in southern Pennsylvania, where Dr. Carter gave many creation talks—especially for young people. They both saw the power of the creation/gospel message to change hearts and minds (one of our ministry’s best friends became an on-fire Christian after hearing Steve speak on creation in the ‘90s).

When Dr. Carter retired, he wanted to use this passion for apologetics to advance AiG’s biblical message. A year ago, they volunteered at the museum and on the grounds for several days, and then in early August, he and Ruth (she grew up on the mission field in Africa and eventually became a registered nurse) started here as volunteers alongside dozens of other AiG volunteers–Steve and Ruth matching up the skills of the volunteers with the many tasks here. They spoke to our staff Tuesday morning about their new ministry with us. See the two photos.

To find out how you can volunteer at Answers in Genesis and the museum (many aspects of the Creation Museum, by the way, were performed using volunteer help), go to this web page. It’s so great to have Ruth and Steve with us! By the way, you will love not only volunteering at AiG and the Creation Museum, but fellowshipping with this special couple.

A Spectacle to Behold

We do read numerous, extremely positive reports about the Creation Museum in both the secular and Christian press. Here is one from this week:

Creation Museum was a spectacle to behold

Nebo News
By Debbie Daugherty, Nebo Correspondent Published: Tuesday, October 27, 2009 4:09 PM CDT

Greetings once again from the west end of the county. Well, we made it back from Cincinnati. We had a great time, even though it rained on us all the way there and back. The Creation Museum is a must see. It is a state-of-the-art masterpiece. Plan on staying all day, at least, to see all of the exhibits. We also went to the aquarium . . . .

By the way, this is a reminder that there are some other great things to do in our Cincinnati area, so you can plan to visit the Creation Museum and spend your vacation time in this area. For example, my personal recommendations would include the following:

1. Visit the Creation Museum (near the Cincinnati Airport)—allow at least one full day, but many people prefer two days.
2. Visit the Newport Aquarium (a morning or afternoon), which is also here in Northern Kentucky yet very close to Cincinnati.
3. Visit the excellent Air Force Museum at Wright Patterson Air Force Base (near Dayton and just one hour from the Museum—and it’s FREE)—it is the largest such in the world. I like it far better than the Smithsonian. You can learn history—the history of flight, World War 1, and World War 2—the space age, walk through Air Force One (the plane that carried the body of President Kennedy from Dallas to Washington, DC in 1963), etc.
4. The Cincinnati Zoo (a bit of evolution/millions of years here and there—but once you’ve been to the Creation Museum, you can cope with that!)—one of the leading zoos in the USA.
5. One of the largest amusement parks in America is King’s Island, which is north of Cincinnati (about a 45-minute drive north from our museum).
6. In downtown Cincinnati, there is the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center (about 20 minutes from us).
7. Regionally, we can point you to the world’s largest cave system (so far discovered): Mammoth Caves. It’s about three hours south of our museum. Just make sure you read this article first, though, before you go.

Visit the Creation Museum website for more information on area attractions and day trips.

Devotion

Those that did cleave

(Deuteronomy 4:4) But you that did cleave unto the LORD your God are alive every one of you this day.

As cleavers one day in Heaven, it will be said to us as it was to those Israelites that we as those who have cleaved to the Lord Jesus Christ are all alive this day.

Thanks for stopping by and thanks for praying,
Ken

Author of “University of Destruction,” David interviewed me recently for his nationwide radio program—listen to part one of my interview with him at
Thechristianworldview.com/tcwblog/archives/2829

Find out more about David and his pro tennis career (including a doubles Wimbledon victory) and his new “job” as a biblical apologist at: Thechristianworldview.com/tcwblog/

Also, watch a video about David and his pro tennis career on this website:

www.cbn.com/entertainment/sports/700club_davidwheaton08209.aspx

In Mississippi

Today I am in Mississippi for an AiG conference at Morrison Heights Baptist Church (near Jackson) Sunday and Monday.  You can obtain details from the AiG website.

Museum Continues to Be Mocked

Despite nearly 900,000 visitors through our Creation Museum, the secularists, angry that such a place exists to tell people the truth about evolution and stands on biblical authority, continue to mock in an attempt to throw as much mud as possible.  Another (of the many in recent times) of the mocking lectures will be given in Brooklyn:

Morbid Anatomy Presents at Observatory.  “Humans riding on the backs of Dinosaurs: A walk through the Creation Museum in Petersburg, Kentucky USA.”  by John Erik Troyer, Ph.D., Centre for Death and Society, University of Bath  Date: Monday October 26th…Admission: $5

In May 2007, the twenty-seven million dollar Creation Museum opened in Petersburg, Kentucky. The museum is dedicated to representing a “young earth,” Christian explanation of the planet, which makes the known universe roughly 6-10,000 years old. Within the museum, visitors can view a large-scale Garden of Eden diorama, a fully loaded planetarium, and animatronic dinosaurs. Since opening, well over 835,000 people have visited the museum. The Creation Museum is a key player in what Troyer calls the American Science War and is part of an ongoing battle between advocates of Evolutionary Biology, Intelligent Design, and Creationism.  This presentation closely (and humorously) examines the relationships between Creationism, Intelligent Design, and Evolution in America by giving a pictorial tour of the Creation Museum in Petersburg, Kentucky. There will also be artifacts from the museum for your perusal.

Well—at least it’s more publicity! Thanks for stopping by and thanks for praying

Ken

I am a long time supporter of Answers in Genesis and have organized several spring break trips with our Purdue students to serve Answers in Genesis during the museum construction.  As the pastor overseeing our church’s outreach to Purdue students, I was eager to attend a presentation on the Creation Museum by Jennifer McCreight, President of the Society of Non-Theists at Purdue University.  I identified myself to Ms. McCreight before the meeting to ask her if I could come to which she gave permission.

The name of Ms. McCreight’s presentation was “When Dinosaurs Walked with God:  A godless biologist’s trip to the Creation Museum.”  The audience consisted of roughly fifty to seventy-five individuals.  Over the course of the night, I became aware of three professing theists among that number.

I expected, based upon the publicized description of the presentation, that the tenor of the meeting would be somewhat mocking of the Biblical worldview believed by young earth creationists.   I did not go to function as an adversarial debater of Ms. McCreight.  I went with the goal of hoping to have the opportunity after her presentation to answer questions about my Biblical worldview for any that might be interested.   Criticism of our Biblical worldview is not something that should be feared or avoided.  I am confident in the worldview of the Bible.  David Wolfe states,

Only to the extent that a scheme remains open to continued testing is it able to display its credentials. Only then can it show the strength of its internal structure and its ability to illuminate experience. Far from being a favor, to protect one’s interpretive scheme from criticism is to rob it of the only way it can display its claim to truth” (Wolfe, The Justification of Belief, 65).

After an innocuous introduction, the main presentation of Ms. McCreight began with a picture of Jesus embracing and affectionately stroking—not a lamb—but a baby dinosaur.  One can easily find this picture by searching for “Jesus holding dinosaur” on the Internet.  The crowd was really amused by this picture and the tone was set for the evening.  Initially, I began to note some of the specific museum exhibits that Ms. McCreight presented with incredulity as the crowd was entertained.  However, I soon stopped taking any notations, because this was the general tenor of the presentation.  One different but significant response of the crowd came when Ms. McCreight spoke about how many children she saw on her visit.  The announcement of children on field trips to the Creation Museum was met with groans.

Ms. McCreight did acknowledge that she learned the most from the video presentation of creation week (the Six Days video).   She actually watched the video twice at the museum.  She explained that she was not raised in a Christian home and therefore had very little Bible knowledge.  Through the video she learned the details of the Biblical creation story.  Additionally, toward the end of her presentation, she speculated about why Genesis was deemed as so important to warrant this kind of attention by Christians.  She correctly surmised (or learned from the museum) that if Genesis lacked integrity then the account of the person and work of Jesus Christ would be suspect as well.

The presentation ended with a cartoonish picture of Darwin’s Night at the Creation Museum (one can find this on the internet as well).  I laughed at this cartoon myself since Darwin would indeed run screaming away from the Creation Museum.  During Q&A time after the presentation, I identified myself and commended Ms. McCreight for her wit but asserted that she had misrepresentations in her presentation.  I offered to remain after the designated ending time to answer any questions about the Biblical worldview that I hold in common with the Creation Museum.   I had a lively discussion for about two and a half hours with a handful of non-theists regarding worldviews, creation, and the gospel.  I was personally treated politely throughout the evening, although there was much amazement regarding what I profess to believe.

As I attempted to engage with this handful of non-theists, I tried to explain that even their responses could be accounted for in the Biblical worldview.  That is, this evening did not surprise me in the least, because the Scriptures prepare God’s people for the charge of “foolishness” from the world at the proclamation of His Word (1 Cor 1:18-21).  Yet, believers cannot shrink from proclaiming His word starting from the very first verse.  For God’s inspired word is precisely what begins to lead individuals to saving faith in the incarnate word, Jesus Christ.

Brent Aucoin
Pastor of Seminary and College Ministries
Faith Baptist Church
Lafayette, IN
http://www.faithlafayette.org

Atheists’ Visit Continues to Receive Press

Reports on this visit by the atheists and agnostics continue to appear in the press several weeks after the event.  For instance, a report by the Baptist Press about the this visit has been picked up by a few media outlets, including the major website of Townhall.com.

On the Way to Atlanta 1st Baptist

Today I am on the way to Atlanta (Georgia) and 1st Baptist Church to speak tomorrow morning and evening at this well-known church (pastored by Dr. Charles Stanley).  You can find out details from the AiG website.  For the morning services, I will be giving a presentation similar to the one I gave in Oregon last Sunday morning.  A person who attended one of those morning services in Portland wrote a comment on their blog concerning that presentation:

This morning was an awesome talk, my kids LOVED it and we found ourselves investing in some material to teach more on this at home! I would highly encourage you all to go! …”  http://angietolpin.blogspot.com/2009/09/guest-speaker-ken-ham-on-creation.html

The morning’s presentation in Atlanta will deal with why kids are leaving the church in America and what to do about it, as well as the State of the Nation and the Genesis connection.  That talk was specifically requested by Pastor Stanley. For the evening session I will be teaching people how to defend the Christian faith in today’s world—how to think biblically—how to understand and use evidence in regard to the origins issue—and is a poodle really a dog (yes, we can get light-hearted at times)?

Thanks for stopping by and thanks for praying

Ken

He’s largely credited with getting President Bill Clinton elected in 1992 through his key strategic planning, and is maybe best known as the former host of CNN’s “Crossfire” program and as a frequent guest on CNN’s “Situation Room” (where I once appeared in May 2007). He is also the husband of Republican strategist Mary Matalin.

Carville often pops up on political talk shows on TV. That was the case Friday in the Anderson Cooper 360 Degrees program on the 4th of September.  Carville slammed creationists—mentioning our Creation Museum.  Erica Hill, CNN anchor, conducted this program as Anderson Cooper was on assignment.  As part of the program, Hill interviewed Carville concerning President Obama’s planned back-to-school speech
later this week.  Here are excerpts from that interview where creationists and the Creation Museum are specifically referred to by Carville:

The truth of the matter is, they have got people in this country that don’t believe that Obama was born in the United States. There have got people in this country that believe that the Earth is 5,000 years old, all right? [Actually, over 6,000 years old—KH.] There’s nothing that you can do about that. You have to live with it. They have to go on. To the children that want to sit there, this is a man that’s sort of a testament to what education can do for somebody. His mother read to him at 4:30 in the morning.   He is a highly educated person. He can talk to kids. He can talk. He might be able to connect with a lot of kids that don’t — do that, and, if you feel compelled to keep your kid out of school, I mean, it is a free country, keep your kid out of school. But you cannot run a country based on birthers and creationists. You have to run a country based on trying to inspire kids. And that’s what these guys have got to learn to do.

HILL: Tony [Blankley; a columnist with the Washington Times], in terms of keeping kids home from school, if you could give me a yes or no, do you think it is a good idea? And, if you are going to keep kids home from school, what should the lesson be that parents are giving their children that day, in terms of a civics lesson?

BLANKLEY: Look, I think every parent has to make their own decision as to—as to why they’re—what they want to do.

Keeping your kid out of school and on the first day is a big deal. On the other hand, a parent has a right to protect their children from anything they don’t want to have. And, sometimes, parents keep them from sex education and other stuff. That’s a family’s decision. It’s not mine and it’s not the government’s.

HILL: James, would it be easier—the White House has said now that it will release a copy of the speech online on Monday, so parents can review it ahead of time before school starts.

CARVILLE: Well, I think they are, yes.

HILL: No, they are.

CARVILLE: My understanding is, is that they are.

HILL: But should they have done it sooner. They are. They have confirmed that. But should they have done it sooner, say, yesterday?

CARVILLE: Well, look, in retrospect—in retrospect, you should have anticipated—again, this is a country that people believe that—these people believe Obama wasn’t born in the United States. They believe the Earth is 5,000 years old. [Actually, over 6,000 years old—KH.]

A parent has every right to take their kid to the Creation Museum in Kentucky. I don’t—that is a right. But this is something that we have got to live with in the United States. And I don’t guess the administration saw this coming. And, in hindsight, could they have done this or that? That’s fine. And people have a right to keep their children home.

But I think we would be better off if we sort of believed in what facts were and we had some kind of appreciation of what the scientific method was in this country. But, hey, you know, think what you want.

Not only is the Democratic strategist slamming people who believe in creation, but he is obviously mentioning the Creation Museum with a negative connotation. Carville is insinuating that if one is intelligent, one would not believe in creation and would not send their children to the Creation Museum.

It is okay for such secularists to tell children that children can be killed in the womb (abortion) if it’s a woman’s choice to do so. It is okay to tell children they are just animals resulting from re-arranged pond scum and therefore there is no purpose or meaning to life—but then also inconsistently condemn school violence/drugs etc.

We need to pray much for this country and for the hearts of the leaders of this nation—as well as those in the media spotlight.

Devotion

One hope

(Psa 39:7-8)  My hope is in thee. Deliver me from all my transgressions.

To be delivered from the webs of disasters created by our own sins we have one hope of rescue, the Lord Jesus Christ shall deliver His people from their sins.

Thanks for stopping by and thanks for praying

Ken

The first salvo was actually a hit piece against us by an editor for the Mansfield News Journal (July 26) who was particularly nasty in his column.  (This anti-museum commentary was, when last we checked, no longer on the paper’s website—we have a photocopy of the piece back in the office, but our administrative offices are closed for two days, for Sunday and Labor Day, and so we don’t have access to scan the editorial and post it here.)

Here is the first letter to the editor, which contains some inaccuracies (e.g., our museum is not in Cincinnati, Ohio, but northern Kentucky; we do not ignore Thomas Chalmers).

[Headline] Modern-day Christians too willing to embrace false and ignorant notions

August 13, 2009

I am writing in response to Mr. Goble’s piece profiling the Cincinnati Creation Museum

While I agree with you regarding the absolute absurd notion of a young earth (specifically 6,000 years) when radiometric dating and other dating methods disprove such ideas, I don’t see why there are only two camps regarding this issue. To clarify, if Christians read the Bible without preconceived, dogmatic and fundamentalist glasses, they would choose to embrace the fact that the Earth is extremely old but also know that they can believe in the biblical account of the re-creation of the earth’s surface.
In fact, they can also assume a literal six-day creation story and dismiss the theory of (macro) evolution. One does not need to purport that the origins of life as we know it were basic building blocks (amino acids) on Earth combined with atmospheric energy.

Needless to say, I am a Christian who understands that math, geology and chemistry prove the old age of our planet. Also, I believe that young earth creationist “scientists” such as Ken Ham are simply feeding on rehashed and archaic doctrine developed during the Dark Ages; they fail to recognize that in the 19th century a preacher and theologian named Thomas Chalmers put forth the “gap theory” in the Bible that embraced an old Earth (another related subject). In fact, Chalmers preceded by several years Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution. To be perfectly honest, people like Ken Ham are an embarrassment to critically thinking and scientific Christians, for they make our entire community appear as blinded fools.

It is sad how ignorant modern-day people of faith so willingly embrace false and ignorant notions that are based on fear and insecurity. In fact, if they had a firmly rooted understanding of the Bible, they would recognize the harmony between science and scripture.

Kathleen Bikadi, Mansfield

We could not let that kind of letter stand without some comment, so we submitted our own letter to this Mansfield newspaper.  It was printed August 23:

If you think Ken Ham’s ignorant, would you debate him?
AUGUST 23, 2009

Would the letter writer (Aug. 13) who stated so confidently that our Creation Museum president, Ken Ham, is “ignorant,” “an embarrassment to critically thinking and scientific Christians,” and someone who makes Christians “appear as blinded fools” be willing to engage Ken in a public debate on the book of Genesis? She writes as if her knowledge of the Book of Genesis and radiometric dating methods are such that she could ably defend her positions. An impartial moderator is what we would seek, plus a respectful attitude on her part. I hope she will accept the challenge.

By the way, the writer also falsely claims that we “fail to recognize” Thomas Chalmers and his views of Genesis. Actually, Ken has written much about Chalmers over the past 25 years, including an article for our Web site (www.answersingenesis.org ), so we have not ignored him.

In the end, we trust that the debate audience will come to believe that both a plain reading of Scripture and adding up the chronologies in the Old Testament are God’s testimony to the earth’s true age, and that attendees will reject the opinions of fallible people.

Mark Looy, Creation Museum, Petersburg, Ky

To my knowledge (or Mark’s), we have heard nothing back from the original letter-writer. However, someone else wrote to us in defense of that writer, which included a remarkable statement: “I would much rather be Charles Darwin on Judgment Day than Ken Ham.” Here is the letter (in its entirety):

In response to your letter, debates prove nothing. Debates can be, and usually are, won by the more powerful personality in the debate. Most people know Ham can win a debate with the sheer force of his personality, because the debate he is having about the Bible versus science or creation versus evolution or his truncated, myopic view of Genesis versus a careful, scholarly, and studied view of Genesis, cannot be won by his position with facts as there are absolutely none on his side. (I wish, knowing what I know, I could be as facile of tongue as he is—but read I Corinthians 13:1.)

The debate that will count is the one between him and God or between the Morrises [of the Institute for Creation Research] and God. They are sure to lose that one because all the facts are on the other side and all the effort and money he and they have foolishly and damnably siphoned away from the churches disabling the churches from doing their God-ordained, Scripturally-mandated task of spreading the gospel, will be a monument to his and their folly. I wonder how many churches run short of funds each year because mis-led people are giving some of their money to you and them instead of giving all their money to the church as Scripture teaches for the spread of the gospel. I know our church always falls short and cannot do some of the things we know we should be doing in terms of blanketing Mansfield with the gospel and I know you are getting some of the money that should be given to our church.

Then the thousands of poor souls who refused to see Jesus Christ as Saviour or who never heard the gospel because the churches were short on funds owing to the lunacy of Scientific Creationism and the Christians who were mis-led will rise up and demand of Ham and his minions why he misdirected them. And it remains to be seen what will then be his and your and their fate. I hope he is enjoying himself now because I’m sure on That Day, it will be none too pleasant for him. In my view, he falls under the condemnation of Romans 1:18: “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of human beings who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.” I would much rather be me on Judgment Day than Ken Ham; I would much rather be Charles Darwin on Judgment Day than Ken Ham—at least Charles Darwin didn’t fail to give his full tithe to his church til the day he died.

Genesis was not written to Ham or to the 21st century and it was not written in English. It was written in Hebrew by Moses to the people of Israel who were steeped in the culture of the Late Bronze Age and to their neighbors; it must be understood and parsed in terms of that Ancient Near Eastern Culture—and that doesn’t yield the message of Scientific Creationism. If Ham and his henchmen could expose their foolish understandings of Genesis and the rest of Scripture to Moses and Joshua, they would laugh in his face—right before they called down God’s judgment upon him and them for their willful and wanton and accursed misinterpretation of Scripture and their lavish misuse of godly resources.

God have mercy upon you. Please stay away from Mansfield. We have enough problems without you.

–T. , Vermillion, Ohio

Do we need to say anything above pointing out the lack of grace, the letter’s condemnatory messages, its compromise views on Genesis, etc? The first letter-writer was bad enough, but this one takes the proverbial cake. I will just add that I am concerned that this person doesn’t seem to understand the true gospel. God’s acceptance of us has nothing to do with money or the lack of it, but everything to do with our salvation in Christ—there is only one way to Heaven, and that is through the redeeming work of the Son of God. Whether it is Darwin or Ken Ham, if we are not clothed in the righteousness of our Savior, we cannot enter the Kingdom of God (Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 10:10).

We did see an AiG supporter—who grew up in Mansfield but now lives in northern Kentucky (and is a frequent museum visitor)—submit a letter to the paper in order to defend our museum against the editor’s rant. Here is her letter of August 9:

I find it curious that an editor at the News Journal can write so knowledgeably (July 26 editorial) about a Creation Museum that he hasn’t bothered to visit (it’s just south of Cincinnati) and at the same time mock what he hasn’t seen.

After reading his column that uses the initials “BS” to describe the beliefs of many Christians (how’s that for professional journalism?), declares that the scientists at the Creation Museum aren’t really scientists (several of its staff members have doctorate degrees, including one with a Ph.D. in biology from an Ivy League school), and urges museum visitors to “heckle” its exhibits, I wonder what journalistic standards are in place at my hometown paper?

Furthermore, I wonder why the News Journal would tolerate the journalistic laziness of one of its editors who won’t make the three-hour drive to visit a museum that he is reviewing? By the way, credentialed media representatives are typically given the courtesy of touring virtually any museum in the country at no charge by calling ahead, and that is the case with the Creation Museum (as I have been told). What happened to writing commentaries based on primary source research? That’s Journalism 101.

As a former resident of Mansfield who has toured the Creation Museum several times now, I encourage readers of the News Journal to consider visiting this high-tech center and see for themselves what the museum is all about, and not rely on the opinions of a commentator who has never bothered to visit. See www.CreationMuseum.org for details.  Cindy Moran  Crittenden, Ky.

Thanks for stopping by and thanks for praying.

Ken

Last month, one such article appeared in The Dominion Post from New Zealand (August 17). The “reporter”/columnist Bob Brockie is described on Wikipedia as “a New Zealand cartoonist, scientist, columnist and graphic artist . . . . He has been a science columnist for Wellington’s Dominion Post since 2001 . . . . Brockie is a member of New Zealand Skeptics.”

Brockie’s page at the University of Wellington, Victoria states he is “an Honorary Research Associate” (whatever that means). Although he has this page on the university website, he is not listed in the staff directories (as best as we can determine) and his only “membership” is with the N.Z. Skeptics Society. He lists no other scientific organization membership.

I have reproduced his article below with some comments (marked “KH”) in regard to the several untruths he has stated:

Out of the Ark View a Worry, by Bob Brockie WORLD OF SCIENCE

Ken Ham is an evangelising Christian, who raised US$27 million to build the Creation Museum in Kentucky two years ago.

KH: It should be noted that although I am the CEO of the Creation Museum and AiG ministry, the organization is controlled by a board of directors (to whom I am accountable—I am not on the board). The museum was supported prayerfully and financially by thousands of Christians who stand with AiG and the message of the museum. Actually, the person who was technically in charge of the fund raising for the Creation Museum at the time was Mark Looy—AiG’s CCO.

The museum’s mission is to “Exalt Jesus Christ and to equip Christians to better evangelise the lost”. His flash museum claims to reveal the truth about the world’s creation 6000 years ago, and how the theory of evolution has corrupted civil society. Mr Ham’s 24/7 radio and TV stations further spread the message.”

KH: 1. We do not own any radio or TV stations. We do have a 90-second radio program that is on approximately 800 Christian radio stations five days a week. Along with other AiG speakers, I am interviewed on radio programs quite often. AiG also provides some DVDs for a small number of Christian television outlets (e.g., the NRB Channel).

2. AiG has never stated that the “theory of evolution has corrupted civil society.” AiG has always blamed sin for any corruption that has occurred. Of course, the teaching of atheistic evolution has led many astray and been a major factor on why many reject the Bible as God’s infallible Word. Evolution can fuel racism, for example—but we don’t say it causes it.

Since the museum’s opening, hordes of visitors have seen tableaus of Noah and his life-sized ark, Cain and his sister peopling the Earth, the Fall, the Advent of Sin, Pain, Childbirth and Death, and 70 animatronic dinosaurs and tigers cavorting with humans in the Garden of Eden, plus videos and lectures dissing Darwin.

KH: 1. There is no “life-sized” Ark at the Creation Museum—but the Ark exhibit features a life-size section of 1% of the Ark so people can get the idea of the size of this great vessel.

2. Genesis 5:4 teaches that Adam had “other sons and daughters.” So, it is obvious that the earth was populated by many children Adam and Eve had.

3. There are only 4 (not 70) animatronic dinosaurs at the Creation Museum. There are a few other life-size dinosaur models (and casts) in the dinosaur exhibit areas. And the cat kind (they are not tigers) is represented in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve.

Thousands of outraged scientists, rationalists, atheists, teachers and several Nobel prizewinners have denounced the museum for its scientific inaccuracies and labelled the place an educational travesty and childlike Fantasyland.

KH: I have never seen such comments from “thousands of outraged scientists.” Certainly, there have been many such comments on the Internet—and certainly the majority of scientists reject God’s Word in Genesis. However, there are numerous PhD scientists who also support the Creation Museum.

Kentucky and its neighbouring states are home to various scientific societies – all embarrassed at having the Creation Museum in their midst.

KH: Secular organizations that reject the Bible certainly oppose the Creation Museum—that should not be suprising. Keep in mind some of these organizations are not “scientific societies,” but atheist groups.

After fruitlessly wringing their hands for a couple of years, the societies have recently adopted another strategy. To break the serious tone of their annual meetings, groups of scientists and rationalists visit the museum for light-hearted entertainment. Seventy members of the North American Paleontologists Convention visited the museum recently. Most of them were speechless with disbelief and had trouble stifling laughs or tears at the ludicrous displays. Two weeks ago, 280 members of the Secular Student Alliance visited the museum. They tried to keep straight faces but an edgy security guard threw some of them out because he didn’t like their demeanor.

KH: “Some of them” were thrown out? One (and only one) of the atheist group members was escorted out of the museum for improper conduct. Even the head of the secular student group that sponsored this tour complimented AiG and its security team for the way their visit was handled.

But Ken Ham is impervious to sceptics, scientific challenges, ridicule, mockery, or public outrage. He is stoked to see his museum booming and being imitated round the world – even in New Zealand.

KH: Again, it is not Ken Ham’s museum! The Creation Museum is owned by a non-profit organization controlled by a board of directors and supported by many thousands of Christians.

Yes, we have our Aotearoa Creation Museum 30 minutes’ drive north of Dunedin. Like the Kentucky museum, ours affirms the truth of the Bible, claims to demonstrate the failings of many faulty “scientific” notions and asserts that Darwinism undermines the foundations of civil society. Our museum is a modest imitation of the Kentucky fantasmagoria with static displays in old-fashioned glass cases, plenty of rocks all formed 6000 years ago or during Noah’s Flood but no animatronic dinosaurs or life-sized ark. Nonetheless, visiting children can literally don the helmet of Salvation, the breastplate of Righteousness, wield the sword of God’s Truth, and learn to challenge their science teachers. It’s easy to dismiss these places as fantasy worlds of a risible lunatic fringe. But half the population of the United States and one in three Kiwis share Ken Ham’s scientific untruths and preposterous view of world history. It’s a worry.

KH: It is not Ken Ham’s “preposterous view of world history.” It is what the Bible clearly teaches concerning the history of the universe and the gospel of Jesus Christ, as millions of other Christians also believe.

We have seen a lot of this anti-Christian reporting lately. Do these columnists/reporters deliberately lie, or is it just poor research or misunderstanding—or all three? The more I read these articles, the more I’m convinced that much is being written to deliberately deceive and try to throw “mud” to undermine the integrity of those involved in the Creation Museum.

But, we praise the Lord that the Creation Museum is having such an impact that secularists like this are worried about the impact it is having—so worried they make up stories to try to discredit! If Mr. Brockie is truly a scientist, then his research abilities are simply atrocious—but then again, we shouldn’t be surprised at such poor research—and misleading and untrue statements—given he is a member of the New Zealand Skeptics Society

Furthermore, the Dominion Post editor should be embarrassed by publishing such poorly researched, false, and misleading piece.

Devotion

Hear at my mouth and give them warning from me

(Ezekiel 3:17) Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.

As soul winners the Lord Jesus Christ makes us Paul-Revere watchmen that see in the Bible the lake of fire for the lost, and then for God we warn and urge to be saved.

Thanks for stopping by and thanks for praying,

Ken