Creation Museum

Of all the amazing things that Sanford and I experienced on the way to Guymon, Oklahoma, the one that we discussed the most - literally it came up in conversation almost once an hour for the rest of the trip - was our utterly bizarre visit to the Creation Museum outside of Cincinnati. I had heard about it and cajoled Sandy into making the trip, although he was more than a little aprehensive. It was easy enough to reach, sitting right off of Interstate 275 on the Kentucky side.

I think we were both a little shocked at the cost - $25 a piece, but, truthfully, it may be the best money I ever spent. If you want to understand America - today's sadly warped America - you definitely should visit it. Still, $25? I could have paid my way into the Herimtage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia (my all-time favorite museum) almost three times over for what it cost to get into that ridiculous place. Sandy and I figured that it must have been to keep out the riffraff, although we made it in anyway. One the way over we had a serious discussion about what percentage of people would at the museum solely to giggle and mock. Sandy boldly predicted 50%. I'm not certain the exact percentage, but you could figure it out by taking two and dividing it by the number of people who strolled through the turnstyles that day. We were the only scoffers; every one else were true believers. And a lot of them. Just in our row in the parking lot we counted cars from over twenty different states. This was definitely a vacation destination spot.

If you haven't figured it out already, the Creation Museum is dedication to creationism, although in a very clever/evil way. It presents itself as a fair and balanced (Fox News, anyone?) attempt to get at the truth and beyond the tyranny of the leftward leaning secular "scientific" community. Although I don't know how fair and balanced it is to refer to Voltaire as an infadel. I don't know if I can truly do it justice. I wish that Blogspot as better for posting videos, because I have priceless ones (some of which you can see if you click on the link to Oklahoma Excellence blog). Some of the claims are wildly, creatively absurd - I didn't actually know the role that the theory of evolution played in Germany's entry into World War I, for instance. Others are more subtle, and thus, in my mind anyway, more dangerous.

The 800 pound gorilla in the room is Jesus and the archly-evangelical wing of Christianity, but beyond a few sly references he is almost non-existent (I included a picture of the stone being rolled back from his tomb, about the only direct reference). This, of course, is part of the not too subtle attempt to make it seem like a real museum and not a glossy propaganda vehicle. Most of the material featured is Old Testament, which is amusing/astonishing because, in addition to being anti-Arabic and misogynistic and racist, there is more than a hint of anti-semitism to the displays. Keep in mind that these are the same evangelicals who are so fascinated in Israel, not because they feel any true kinship to the Jews, but rather because of the role that a very specific destruction of Israel will play in the end times.

Probably my favorite part of the museum was the overwhelmingly pseudo-scientific attempt to promote the idea that the world is only around 4500 years old and that people lived at the same time as the dinosaurs. The display of dinosaurs walking up onto the ark was pretty convincing, along with the picture here of the dinosaurs resting comfortably on the ark in a bed of straw. The signs even explained that Noah brought baby dinosaurs on to the ark because they took up less space and were easier to control. One of the best discussions Sandy and I had was in response to the sign that explained how poisonous plants became poisonous after Adam and Eve were ejected from paradise. I launched into a theological argument with him, unfortunately too loudly, on the spot about the logical implications of that belief - and I thought we were going to be asked to leave by the security guards if not beaten by the true believers. The atmosphere was, to tell you the truth, pretty oppressive.

Now, before anyone gets insulted, please understand that this is not a specific anti-Christian or broader anti-religious rant. In my own peculiar fashion I am a deeply spiritual person. This is not even an attack on Creationism or the people who expouse that point of view. It's not what I believe in, but the world is a lot bigger than me and my belief system. Rather, I am horrified by the shameless bait and switch propaganda of the place. Come for the dinosaurs, stay for the sermon. I mean, it is just evil. All kids love dinosaurs, so why not draw them in and sell them this pseudo-scientific sermon. We live in a complicated age where people face serious issues, and promoting this brand of "thinking" doesn't benefit anyone. And, I would argue, it hurts religion itself more than anything else. Science can take care of itself. For that matter, God can take care of him/her/itself. Young children being indoctrinated - and taught very faulty logic - can't take care of themselves. There were children there on school trips, the buses lined up, waiting for the brain-washing and the gentle pithing.