Off We Go To The Creation Museum!
AKA Claudia and her husband "sacrificed" themselves and their money to give us all a very detailed photographic tour of the Creation Museum of Petersburg, KY.
I strongly encourage you to go see this photo journal - and do take the time to read the comments for each photo ... they are hilarious (even those from the occasional "true believer"). As much as I laughed myself silly at the sheer absurdity of the exhibits, I also felt utter disbelief and sadness for such a grandiose display of intellectual sloth-driven religious fundamentalism, ignorance and primitive thinking.
As expected, you will see that this "museum" is a pathetic assemblage/amalgam of Bible literalism, Bible fantasy interpretations, ignorance of scientific facts, misinterpretations/misunderstandings of scientific facts, glaring lies about our current scientific knowledge, and adolescent thinking-like logical fallacies and simplifications.
Heck - at times, they even seem ignorant of the very "facts" of their Bible which they so cherish and so literally interpret!
In short, and not surprisingly, this "museum" is a shining testament to all things sham, insipid, deceitful and quackery.
However, my one and only strong objection to the existence of such a pitiful spectacle of intellectual sloth, ignorance and religious fundamentalism-driven fantasy, of such a black hole of human knowledge as displayed for all to see, is this: the Creation Museum should not be called a "museum", but rather called for what it truly is.
A Biblical Creationism Exhibit.
After all, do Disney Land, or Disney World, or any such places, call any of their exhibits and rides "Entertainment Museums"?
So, go see this marvel of ignorance! And afterwards, if you feel like it, I invite you to come back and read my recent entries on evolution (in order of reading): "A very milky conundrum", "If it ain't real, then nothing's real", and "Yes: it's all in the roll of the dice, baby!".
Likewise, I also invite you to read my five-parts series on intellectual sloth: Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV and Part V.
'Nuff said - and keep on rockin'!
(Cross-posted at Suzie-Q, and at DKos)
I strongly encourage you to go see this photo journal - and do take the time to read the comments for each photo ... they are hilarious (even those from the occasional "true believer"). As much as I laughed myself silly at the sheer absurdity of the exhibits, I also felt utter disbelief and sadness for such a grandiose display of intellectual sloth-driven religious fundamentalism, ignorance and primitive thinking.
As expected, you will see that this "museum" is a pathetic assemblage/amalgam of Bible literalism, Bible fantasy interpretations, ignorance of scientific facts, misinterpretations/misunderstandings of scientific facts, glaring lies about our current scientific knowledge, and adolescent thinking-like logical fallacies and simplifications.
Heck - at times, they even seem ignorant of the very "facts" of their Bible which they so cherish and so literally interpret!
In short, and not surprisingly, this "museum" is a shining testament to all things sham, insipid, deceitful and quackery.
However, my one and only strong objection to the existence of such a pitiful spectacle of intellectual sloth, ignorance and religious fundamentalism-driven fantasy, of such a black hole of human knowledge as displayed for all to see, is this: the Creation Museum should not be called a "museum", but rather called for what it truly is.
A Biblical Creationism Exhibit.
After all, do Disney Land, or Disney World, or any such places, call any of their exhibits and rides "Entertainment Museums"?
So, go see this marvel of ignorance! And afterwards, if you feel like it, I invite you to come back and read my recent entries on evolution (in order of reading): "A very milky conundrum", "If it ain't real, then nothing's real", and "Yes: it's all in the roll of the dice, baby!".
Likewise, I also invite you to read my five-parts series on intellectual sloth: Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV and Part V.
'Nuff said - and keep on rockin'!
(Cross-posted at Suzie-Q, and at DKos)
17 POVs/Comments:
It strikes me strange that this is in Kentucky instead of Virginia, where Falwell and Robertson claimed their mantle.
Indeed ...
Then again, how long until more exhibits like this start sprouting out all about the Bible Belt - if not beyond?
One such exhibits already opened in Big Valley, Alberta Canada ...
;-)
Mentarch:
You're probaby right. They will spring up all over the Bible belt, and probably Texas or Virginia are next.
Yup ... especially where those two states are concerned ... (sigh)
I like your definition of it as an exhibit, rather than a museum. %This has had my friends at DefCon up in arms like nothing I've seen before. I think that taking Genesis literally is absurd. From my Cristian perspective, I see it like this. Ancient writers in that region loved to tell stories, and the story, aka the parable, was Jesus' favorite vehicle for making a point. I do not understand why the religious right has no trouble treating Jesus' parables as allegorical, but insist on treating Moses' parables as literal.
Nevertheless, if they want to have their exhibit, and even if they want to call it a museum, that is their right. However, the first time taxpayer funds are spent, or school resources or personnel are used to support it in any way, I'll be screaming.
I fully and completely agree with all of your comment, TC!
I will just say that I am just a man and what we know is very little about anything.
I think that others should push their belief on anyone, but if you want to pay and see this park, then that is your right.
If anyone wants to laugh and joke about it, then that is your right, as is their right to have such an exhibit.
Remember, when we trace back to the big bang theory, we find nothing... how can nothing create anything?
Just saying, dont laugh so hard.
I just discovered this blog at Lydia Cornells place and wanted to check it out. Very well written and quite informative.
Thank you, Holly.
I will make sure to drop by your blog in turn! ;-)
Yes, those photos comments were hilarious Mentarch! LOL
Great post! ;)
I saw someone on a different blog had been to this creation fest and they were none to impressed.
Hey Mentarch, I have been reading about this museum on other sites, and it is very strange, and indifferent
mentarch, from what I have seen to date, I suspect we will agree on most issues.
Holly, do you have your own blog? I saw none on your profile.
Holly, Larry: I have no doubt that many other sites display photos and such on this exhibit.
TC: heh ;-)
I have not seen the exhibit, so I cannot comment on its quality... but it seems to me that you are not attacking the exhibit at all, but rather the worldview behind it.
I am always puzzled at why people insist on bashing concepts outside the range of the current discussion. If you want to talk religion, talk religion. If you want to talk science, talk science. If you want to talk history, talk history.
If you want to talk about all of them, make sure they don't step on each other's toes. Sure, we use the scientific method to research history. Yes, we use the historical method to learn about religion and science. Yes, religion is supposed to shed light on both science and history, but let's not get confused. A religious system does not replace science, nor does science replace religion. They complement each other.
If one attempts to replace science with religion, one finds that one has actually failed after all. One will still have a view of science, but simply be using religious terminology to describe scientific things (as in the Dark Ages).
If one attempts to replace religion with science, one finds failure here too. For one is simply using scientific terminology to describe religion. (Example: 'There is no God because we cannot observe It scientifically.' which, in other words says, 'I choose to believe that science is the ultimate source of knowledge and that anything it cannot explain does not exist.' In which case either science itself is God, or there is no God [Atheism], either is a religious belief).
Ok, so that's just a pet peeve of mine. I don't mind people arguing with or even bashing others, but let's not abuse the English language while we're at it, shall we? :)
As I have stated ehre and elsewhere on my blog, I respect faith.
However, I do not tolerate perversions of facts and outirght lies. Just like I do not tolerate racism.
This is not about having a "different world-view" - this is about facts vs fiction.
Facts trump fiction anytime in my boook.
How about in yours?
Let's Talk: I agree that the Big Bang remains to be fully understood, just like a whole lot of things about our reality remains to be understood. ;-)
However, what is peddled at this exhibit constitutes sheer pervesion of the actual *known* facts of history and science.
And you are quite right: it is very much their right to create such an exhibit. ;-)
But it is *not* a museum and their perversions of known historical and scientific facts is absolutely reprehensible.
Then again, such is the way of religious fundamentalists (regardless of religion).
In the end, they do a great disservice to their faith,, as well as to society at large ...
I find this to be a great shame, sadly enough.
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Please feel free to comment on APOV. However, remember to keep in check your tone and respect for all here. Let rational, reasoning, enthousiastic and passionate conversations and discussions rule first and foremost in our participatory democracy, so as to facilitate the free exchange of reality-based facts and ideas. In between, do not forget to have fun and enjoy yourselves ... in other words: keep on rockin'! - Mentarch