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The Wild, Wild World of Creationism

Frank R. Zindler American Atheists' "Bone Pit"

"Creationism's advocates espouse more wacky ideas than you would imagine -- but they are winning the fight for the education of the next generation."

Formerly a professor of biology and geology, Frank R. Zindler is now a science writer. He is a member of the American Association for Advancement of Science, and the American Schools of Oriental Research. His articles appear regularly in this magazine "The Probing Mind."

The following speeches were presented on Friday, April 17, 1992, at the Twenty-second Annual National Convention of American Atheists.

Introduction

The War between the creationists and the public schools is over. The creationists appear to have won. Despite the fact that they have failed to impose laws outlawing the teaching of evolution, despite the fact that they have failed to impose laws forcing "equal time" for creationist mythology and evolutionary science, and despite the fact that scientists daily discover ever more evidence proving the reality of evolution, almost no evolution science is taught in the public schools of the United States. School boards and teachers have been so intimidated by the Genesis-junkies that almost no one dares to deal with the supposedly controversial subject of evolution.

As if this were not bad enough, in California, the Institute for Creation Research (ICR) has recently been given nearly a quarter of a million dollars by the state as reimbursement for legal expenses incurred when it brought suit against California for its attempt to prevent the ICR from granting master's degrees in the sciences.

We are told by Henry Morris, Duane Gish, and the other creationist superstars that it is nothing short of outrageous that the state of California has tried to prevent the ICR from granting master's degrees in astro/geophysics, biology, geology, and science education. What are the facts of the matter?

The fact is, the ICR is the best-equipped creationism school in the world. For example it sports a four-room grad school, something no other creationist believe-tank can match. Each department has an entire room for itself. Since there is a laboratory nook at the back of each room, ICR master Scholars can conduct laboratory work as well as Bible study in the same room.

Although the laboratory nook for astro/geophysics has no equipment presently functioning, I believe the biology nook, however, has more than one microscope. How is that for being well-equipped for graduate study?

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