My Visit To The Creation Museum

[nemorathwald]

Jen invited me along with her friends on a trip to Kentucky outside the Cincinnati area on Friday, to visit The Creation Museum on Saturday. This is that temple to dishonesty which you may have heard of from Scalzi's epic work of comedy photojournalism, which I recommend you read. Scalzi needs no introduction to the readers of my blog. He was completely uninterested in the museum, but his readers demanded it, and were willing to pay. Scalzi was willing to undergo the torment on the condition that they raise $250 in donations to Americans United For The Separation Of Church And State. The "Drag Scalzi's Ass To The Creation Museum" fund drive raised $5,118.36, as he cursed them all the way. The hilarious end result also resulted in a series of joke captions on Flickr.

I'm not sure why Jen's friends are doing this field trip, although I know they are not evolution denialists. They are getting memento t-shirts made for the group, and that's my only clue to what they hope to accomplish-- humor. There are various excuses I could offer for me to go within a mile of this monument to self-delusion. It will be interesting to see how I react. Seeing this place dull the critical instruments of visitors into dysfunctionality, will I be energized to launch onto more internet tirades about honing the mental toolkit? Will I decide Creation Science is a part of my past, that I've run out of steam to vent about it, and I don't want to think about it any more? Will I stand on a table in the cafeteria and get myself kicked out of the premises?

I'm willing to find out. I want to go on another road trip with Jen. That's reason enough.

Comments

[le-bebna-kamni.livejournal.com]

I want to go on another road trip with Jen. That's reason enough.

You're such a flatterer. ;P

I myself am wondering what my reactions will be. I don't like to be disruptive or confrontational, so I've been wondering if I'll fall into the roll of pretending to be the "good Christian", or will I merely turn a bright shade of red if someone happens to approach our heretical group...

Or maybe I'll find some reserve of poise and grace that allows me to smile and shrug and enjoy the experience for what it is -- a bit of humor, a bit of laughable horror, and something I've never tried before. :)

[matt-arnold.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't mind being spokesperson if anyone there sees us as an outreach opportunity. Face-to-face with an evangelist, I tend to keep myself and the evangelist from getting into an ugly confrontation, or meaningless self-important lecturing. It's an interesting technique, to win a debate decisively, engaging their emotions constructively without triggering them to feel humiliated and defensive. It also varies with the person you're talking to. They use different approaches, so the response must be tailored to their sense of humor, knowledge, emotional maturity, sincerity, and true agenda. Always remember not to fall into diversionary debate distractions about philosophical smokescreens. It's really about interpersonal skills.

[brendand.livejournal.com]

Someone should take video of the whole thing.

[toni-rey.livejournal.com]

Just before the Creation Museum, on the east side of 75, is a LARGE scary jumping out of the pond statue of Jesus reaching for the sky. All I know, if I was a kid, saw this and then had a parent warn me to be good because Jesus was watching me....I'd wet my pants. Hope you have a great road trip! Sounds like you would be happy to go anywhere with Jen. Enjoy!

and remember--you are being watched!

[atropis.livejournal.com]

creation vs. evolution is perhaps the strangest vestige of my churchy heritage.

viscerally, i have a hard time seriously believing that anyone knows anything about the beginning of the world, no matter how it happened. a lot of what's behind that is almost certainly what got programmed solidly in during formative years.

then again, maybe it has something to do with how self-righteous people generally sound when they talk about how of *course* evolution is how it happened, there are pictures to prove it. underdog vs. overdog.

regardless, something inside me wants to rebel against the topic.