(From The Christian Post.)
A high volume of complaints have forced the Cincinnati Zoo to pull out of a special business partnership with the Creation Museum in nearby Petersburg, Ky., after running for less than three days.
The two institutions had come together to offer a special ticket package that gave visitors the opportunity to drop in on both at a discounted rate while promoting one another at the same time. According to the Creation Museum’s founder, Ken Ham, however, the zoo received hundreds of complaints, many of which were opposed to the faith and ideas that the museum presents. “It’s a pity that intolerant people have pushed for our expulsion simply because of our Christian faith,” Ham said, expressing disappointment in the zoo’s decision but also understanding of its perspective. “Some of their comments on blogs reveal great intolerance for anything having to do with Christianity,” he added.
The Creation Museum, which cost $27 million to build, is a 60,000-square foot facility that opened last year in May and revived the creation/evolution debate among Young Earth creationists, Old Earth creationists, anti-creationism evolutionists, and theistic evolutionists. Packed with high-tech exhibits that include animatronic dinosaurs and a huge wooden ark, the museum attempts to align the Bible’s literal account of creation with natural history. The museum’s founder, like many other Young Earth creationists, believes dinosaurs appeared on the same day God created other land animals. Critics, however, both non-Christians and Christians who are against a literal interpretation of the Bible on life origins, have protested and spoke out against the anti-evolution display, worried that their children will be affected.
The controversy garnered the new exhibit a large amount of media coverage. “Frankly, we are used to this kind of criticism from our opponents,” Ham said regarding the latest controversy, “and so being ‘expelled’ like this is not a huge surprise.” Despite the zoo’s decision, Ham said his museum would continue promoting the “excellent zoo” on its website and in printed material that is passed out inside of the museum. “We are committed to promoting regional tourism,” he explained. Furthermore, the museum will still provide $9 off of the ticket prices (the amount of the discount under the original agreement) from Dec. 2 to Dec. 11, with the exception of Saturday, Dec. 6. "Get the Museum/Zoo Discount Anyway," the museum website says.
Beginning on Dec. 12, the museum will have up its special Christmas display, which includes a live outdoor nativity scene and a special lighted “Road to Bethlehem” trail. Visitors to the museum grounds will also be met with hayrides, seasonal lights and decorations, holiday food, and events and activities for children. Inside the museum, there will be special Christmas exhibits including the Planetarium presentation “The Bethlehem Star.” “We find the two – Creation and Christmas – go very well together,” says Creation Museum co-founder and spokesperson Mark Looy, “and we invite our guests to experience each in light of the other at our special ‘Bethlehem’s Blessings – A Christmas Celebration’ this December.”
Located near the Cincinnati Airport, the Creation Museum is a ministry of Answers in Genesis, a nonprofit Christian organization dedicated to confirming the validity of the Bible from the very first verse.
Since its opening in May 2007, the museum has seen over 600,000 visitors.
Your title is wrong, it should read "Intolerance Of Ignorance Growing."
ReplyDeleteIf you also consider the recently circulated video called "Prop 8. The Musical", where Jack Black and numerous other famous actors mock Jesus and everything sacred to Christians, it's obvious; Intolerance for *Christians* is growing!
ReplyDeleteJack Black (as "Jesus") singing the chorus of "We Pick and Choose" shows utter contempt for Christ and what He represents.
The song quickly quotes (out of context) several dietary-restrictions/laws given in Leviticus. And then says that since we don't also follow these restrictions, we simply "pick and choose".
The finale is the chorus "Gay Marriages will save the economy". And how is that not ignorant?
The ignorance shown here is that of these "anti-Christians"! They are mocking what they don't (want to) understand, and what they perceive as being a blockade to their own (gay) agenda.
This video easily qualifies as "propaganda". It falsely portrays both the opposing view (i.e. Christianity), and this "economic benefit" of gay marriage!
"Prop 8. The Musical" was hilarious!
ReplyDeleteReligion can't handle humor or criticism because it's basic tenets don't hold up when seen through anything other than the dark glasses of blind faith. Your beliefs must be pretty shaky if you can't take a joke. Can anyone say "Muhammad cartoons?" You may not be calling for anyone's head but the principle is exactly the same.
Ed: I never said that they shouldn't be "allowed" to mock Christianity. It's their Freedom of Speech.
ReplyDeleteAnd it's my Freedom of Speech to say that they are wrong. What "principle is exactly the same"? Are you saying that it's wrong for me to point out the fallacies in their message? Am I being "intolerant" b/c I pointed out their lies?
Furthermore, you think that the expression of my opinion of the video is somehow equivalent to the Muslims who (literally) "called for the head" of the cartoonist?
Who is trying to censor who here? And who is misrepresenting their opposing side?
It's sad that people like Ed don't realize their own intolerance b/c they're too busy looking for it in others! Even worse is that many Americans watch this video, and think that it's accurate (because it's funny?).
OK. So here's the plan:
ReplyDelete1. Pick some group that we don't like (e.g. Christians).
2. Make their views look utterly ridiculous by giving a fallacious representation of their message. But be sure to make it funny!! (We'll need that for our next step!)
3. When anyone points out that the representation is false, tell them they "can't take a joke;" Tell them that by pointing out the fallacy in our representation, that it's an indication that their basic beliefs can't hold up to criticism!
4. Then... hmmm... Then tell them that they're like the people in Muslim countries who kill anyone that mocks their religion!
5. ...
6. Profit!!
Wait... just a second here... this sounds familiar... ;)
Wah, wah, wah...what you want (but aren't getting) is respect for beliefs that are superstitious nonsense.
ReplyDeleteEd: If you think Christianity is "superstitious nonsense", I'm not sure why you read (or bother to commenting on) this blog.
ReplyDeleteAre you searching for truth? Are you simply here to "Troll"?
In any case, you do have "faith" in something. Atheist have "faith" (they'd probably call it a "definite assurance") that when they die, they simply cease to exist. Nothing more; their consciousness stops, and the universe continues without them.
Atheism can't be dismissed as "just a superstition". No, it's much worse. It's a refusal to believe that there's any "greater purpose" to life. "What's here now was just an coincidence. Let's try to make the best of it."
But... what if atheists are wrong? What if there is a purpose?
To further counter your claims, Christians in today's society are probably the most aware of the opposing viewpoints. I think many of us really do understand the various opposing opinions out there, and can even sympathize with some of them.
Christians are becoming more counter-culture all the time. But that's OK with me.
I read blogs like this because I'm absolutely fascinated that anyone still thinks ancient fairy tales written by primitive people are still a good source of evidence for anything. Hopefully we'll all evolve past a religious magical world view and look at the world in an evidence based manner. Your Dad in the sky is just a myth...just like all the others.
ReplyDeleteEd -
ReplyDeleteOne day your knees will bow and your mouth will confess that our "Dad in the sky" is, in fact, the Lord God Almighty! You might not want to but you will.
Ed - I find your lack of faith disturbing....and someday you will too. That's why you are wise to question your atheism.
ReplyDeleteI assume that is why you would even bother to read a blog like this - for there are much better sites to check out if you are looking for humor.
I could share with you about the miraculous healing of my daughter, or my friend who had full blown AIDS? I could tell you the story of cancer miraculously disappearing in the body of another friend of mine? If you are looking for proof I'm an encyclopedia bro.
Sorry to be so late to the party, but the complaints about the zoo's partnership with the Creation Museum had very little to do with intolerance towards Christians. The problem was that the zoo is a scientific institution while the CC and AiG are profoundly anti-science.
ReplyDeleteRD - your welcome to make ridiculous comments like you just made - but you must not have any knowledge of AIG to say that they are 'anti-science'.
ReplyDeleteOh, I know AiG, and they are, indeed, profoundly anti-science.
ReplyDeleteFirst, the many positions they advocate have been repeatedly tested and disproved. For example, the 6000 year old earth position was discarded by geologists over 200 years ago. So, linking AiG to the zoo is like NIH partering with a museum promoting the "four humours" theory of disease. The list of additional disproved and discarded ideas is almost endless.
Second, no scientist organization has a “statement of faith”, let alone a statement such as the following:
"No apparent, perceived, or claimed interpretation of evidence in any field, including history and chronology, can be valid if it contradicts the Scriptural record."
In other words, there are no observations that could ever disprove YEC under any circumstances. All data must be twisted to support YEC, no exceptions. As Kurt Wise put it,
“If all the evidence in the universe turns against creationism, I would be the first to admit it, but I would still be a creationist because that is what the Word of God seems to indicate."
This is a profoundly anti-science statement as science is based on the idea that any theory is subject to disproof at any time.
RD - You of course mean geologists that you agree with. AIG has as many PhD's as any scientific organization their size.
ReplyDeleteDon't confuse a 'statement of faith' for a 'leap of faith' or 'lack of evidence'. Christian organizations all have a statement of faith because 'without faith it is impossible to please God' - that doesn't mean anyone has discarded science as God is the inventor of science.
Thanks for your comments though.