There are so many things that I want to say. If you ever have an opportunity to visit this place, please go. I went there for the first time many years ago when I was a child, and it hasn't changed very much. What has changed is my perception of what I was seeing. As a child, with no knowledge of science, history, or philosophy, the museum was something that I looked at with respect. The young-earth creationists were righteous crusaders, standing in the face of the big, bad evolutionists and defending faith and religious freedom of speech. Today, as I walked through the museum (which more resembles a carnival haunted house than an actual museum, both in terms of tone and scientific accuracy) I was deeply troubled by the manipulative, sinister overtones that were blatantly present in literally every (false) exhibit.
I am a member of the Secular Student Alliance at San Diego State University. Once, the SSA did picket at this museum, for various legitimate reasons. I have to respectfully chastise my colleagues who engaged in such behavior. I can understand why they would be repulsed by this disgusting place, and how walking through the museum would offend any morally sensible person, but displays of protest are not the answer when dealing with creationists. Reason and rational discourse are the weapons of the humanist. They are the tools of the trade for any serious skeptic or free-thinker. Spirited debate will be the mechanism which ultimately destroys the creationism vs. evolution debate. Now, recognize that this debate has, in actuality, been over for almost two hundred years. The modern debate which is taking place in America is being perpetuated by radicals and fundamentalists who cannot be reasoned with. Unfortunately, the creationists are targeting children and uneducated people with their propaganda, and those poor souls are the ones who humanists should be desperately trying to protect.
This battle is a serious one, because it is an attack on reason itself. The creation museum was an exhibit on the persuasive power of fallacies and lies. Well-meaning, but ignorant, religious people bring their children here to learn science. This is indoctrination masquerading as truth, and it is dangerous. When massive groups of people sacrifice the pursuit of truth in exchange for comfortable ignorance and complacency, it damages humanity. Everything that the creationism movement stands for is in direct opposition to human progress.
A lengthier discussion on the things I saw today is definitely in order, but time constraints limit such an exploration today.
Sometime soon, I will write something which clarifies my position on the detrimental effects of theism, as well as a scathing critique of the creationist's position. My heart breaks for the children who I saw being guided through the creationist propaganda machine this morning, like so many sheep to the slaughter.
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