The debate we are having is a valid and important one, and perhaps I may 
have been a little inflammatory in my earlier post...but it has become a 
personal (and professional) focal point over the past year or so since I 
live (and work) so close to the new Creation Museum.

For those who have posted in support of a museum dedicated to creationism, I 
agree, there is a place for such a museum. My criticism (and this goes much 
deeper than just this one museum) is with the idea of trying to present a 
profession of faith (however well designed and funded) by misinterpreting 
evidence and stating personal belief as scientific fact. According to their 
website, "(Answers in Genesis) teaches that 'facts' don’t speak for 
themselves, but must be interpreted." Interpret for me, then, how the Rocky 
Mountains formed only 4,300 years ago despite all of the evidence I have 
seen firsthand that tells me otherwise?

This is a matter of faith, and I can accept that. If recent events in the 
Middle East have taught us nothing else it is that faith, especially when 
under attack, is unshakable. I, and the others who fall on the same side of 
the issue as I do can only continue to do what we have always been 
doing...providing educational, multi-faceted interpretations based on the 
best available evidence.

-Jason




-----Original Message-----
From: Museum discussion list on behalf of Deb Fuller
Sent: Wed 8/2/2006 7:33 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Creationist Museum?

On 8/2/06, Jason Dennison wrote:
>
>First off, this isn't in some off the beaten path town in the middle of
>nowhere. It is within 20 minutes of downtown Cincinnati and just 5 minutes
>off the Interstate (if that).

Wow. I didn't realise it was that close. Eek!

>I don't know whether I am more angry or scared that a museum/theme park 
>like
>this can get the support (and media attention) it does. While those of us 
>in
>true museums and scientific fields work for next to nothing, these
>charlatans are busy stuffing their pockets by taking advantage of gullible
>people.

Jason's got a point here. Science museums aside, when's the last time
you heard of any museum getting $25 million dollars? The Udvar-Hazy
center at the Smithsonian got that from one person which is pretty
darned amazing but the Creationist museum raised that from thousands
of people. Planetaria are shutting down left and right but they had
one donated. It's got to be more than just "God wants a museum," or is
it as simple as that? Does God want art or history too? What makes
their fund-raising campaigns so much more effective than ours?

Deb

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