Why do creationists sound like nut-jobs?
I'm increasingly attracted to following the young-earth/creationist dogma that is on the web. I guess it's my fascination with witnessing train-wrecks, much like reading Fail Blog or Web Pages That Suck.
This one I found on the radio, however, and it was certainly a great chance to hear a creationist sound, well, like a nut-job...
At the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, Bill Jack, a Christian creationist takes schoolchildren on 'Biblically Correct Tours'.Listen here: BBC Heart and Soul
Arrogant nut-job:
What a pompous ass Bill Jack comes off as. Smug, smart, and will question the veracity of anything. He offers the kids ice cream if they can prove him wrong, which Bill never is, so they don't get any...how awful is that?
Even worse, when the kids get a chance to ask questions with the paleontologist who works at the museum (and serves as counter to Bill in the above episode), one kid gets to ask a question before it devolves into a debate where Bill proves he knows everything, because he has the Bible.
The biggest thing that stood out to me, is this: "God wrote the Bible." Really? That's a huge overstatement at best, and likely just his personal belief. As a third party listening, you tend to want to flip his question 'how do you know this to be true' back on his statements.
My thoughts:
And his opinion that the museum is an 'art museum' immediately made me think of the preposterous displays at the Creation Museum that have no basis in science or biblical teaching, such as dinosaurs living with man.
The problem for me in listening & reading things from people like Bill Jack, they only tempt me to walk away from my faith by making it connected with an absurd, illogical, and stubborn literal reading (and reading between the lines).
Like Huckleberry Finn, I'd rather go to hell than accept the preposterous ideas of fellow man ... and do the right thing...and be damned by whoever cannot accept my mish-mash of faith in God, and belief in science.
Guru break:
I'll throw in this comment from my fave (marketing) blogger, Seth Godin, posted just today about True Believers:
Now there is a man I can get behind! Will Bill Jack and Ken Ham and all their ilk realize how much they are the hypocrites of today? They believe in Jesus, yes, but their heart is far from Him. Go read the rest of scriptural commentary linked above and see they are just like the pharisees.
Wrap it up:
I have not answered the title of this post, which is where I started. But I feel much better for having written it. This is a post not about facts, it's about feelings. My gut (and brain) tells me these guys are nut-jobs. It frustrates me that they are given the time of day, and worse, people believe them.
Blind leading the blind, Jesus says. It is a prescription for a train-wreck. Unfortunately, real train wrecks are dangerous, destructive, and painful things.
Even worse, when the kids get a chance to ask questions with the paleontologist who works at the museum (and serves as counter to Bill in the above episode), one kid gets to ask a question before it devolves into a debate where Bill proves he knows everything, because he has the Bible.
The biggest thing that stood out to me, is this: "God wrote the Bible." Really? That's a huge overstatement at best, and likely just his personal belief. As a third party listening, you tend to want to flip his question 'how do you know this to be true' back on his statements.
My thoughts:
And his opinion that the museum is an 'art museum' immediately made me think of the preposterous displays at the Creation Museum that have no basis in science or biblical teaching, such as dinosaurs living with man.
The problem for me in listening & reading things from people like Bill Jack, they only tempt me to walk away from my faith by making it connected with an absurd, illogical, and stubborn literal reading (and reading between the lines).
Like Huckleberry Finn, I'd rather go to hell than accept the preposterous ideas of fellow man ... and do the right thing...and be damned by whoever cannot accept my mish-mash of faith in God, and belief in science.
Guru break:
I'll throw in this comment from my fave (marketing) blogger, Seth Godin, posted just today about True Believers:
So I've drawn from Twain & Godin, realists who are willing in their own ways to keep America on track, by observing and calling out the Charlatans. I guess I should look to another one not afraid to say His peace:"When you lead a tribe, the volume and accessibility of the true believers is a good thing. They're easy to find and they maintain order and create a culture for the group you're leading.
The problem is that these loud voices may be loud, but they might not be right."
“Hypocrites! ... ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”
Now there is a man I can get behind! Will Bill Jack and Ken Ham and all their ilk realize how much they are the hypocrites of today? They believe in Jesus, yes, but their heart is far from Him. Go read the rest of scriptural commentary linked above and see they are just like the pharisees.
Wrap it up:
I have not answered the title of this post, which is where I started. But I feel much better for having written it. This is a post not about facts, it's about feelings. My gut (and brain) tells me these guys are nut-jobs. It frustrates me that they are given the time of day, and worse, people believe them.
Blind leading the blind, Jesus says. It is a prescription for a train-wreck. Unfortunately, real train wrecks are dangerous, destructive, and painful things.
