Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Questions for Young-Earth Creationists

Last Wednesday, Kentucky Governor Steven Beshear announced that millions of dollars in taxpayer funds will be going to Ark Encounter, a planned Christian creationist attraction similar in theme to the infamous Creation Museum (also in Kentucky).  Both attractions are sponsored by Answers in Genesis, a particularly zealous creationist group that adheres to a Young-Earth cosmology as part of their belief in a literal interpretation of the Bible.  According to their beliefs, the Earth and the heavens are somewhere in the vicinity of 6,000 years old.

As you would imagine, this has sparked the usual debate over separation of church and state, and of course I'm inclined to agree with those who really don't want their money going towards such things.  But the Governor seems to have mostly diffused the controversy on economic grounds, noting that the attraction will generate millions in tax revenue and create hundreds of jobs.

In light of this rejuvenated debate, I thought it might be a great time to present my Questions for Young-Earth Creationists, which I promised several months ago.  Here goes: