The AP is reporting that Ken Ham, founder of the Creation Museum in Kentucky, is set to debate Bill Nye, of Science Guy fame. The Creation Museum promotes a creationist view of world history, including featuring exhibits that show humans and dinosaurs coexisting. Scientists like Nye insist that the fossil record proves that such coexistence never happened.
Last year Bill Nye appeared in a video, stating that the teaching of Creationism in schools was bad for kids. Among other things, Nye said:
And I say to the grownups, if you want to deny evolution and live in your world, in your world that’s completely inconsistent with everything we observe in the universe, that’s fine, but don’t make your kids do it because we need them. We need scientifically literate voters and taxpayers for the future.
That video drew a response from the folks at the Creation Museum. Among other things, Creation Museum employees say:
Evolution is believed to be false in the Muslim world. Creationism is certainly taught in South Africa, India, South Korea, Brazil. … Bill Nye is confusing observational science with historical science.
http://youtu.be/r-AyDtD6sPA
As a result of this back-and-forth between the two camps, the folks at the Creation Museum extended an invitation for Nye to debate Creation Museum founder, Ken Ham. On concern was that the debate would turn into a free-form apologists opportunity for Creationists to talk about their faith and religion. So the debate will be limited to a specific theme: “Is Creation A Viable Model of Origins?”
Debates between atheists and believers are not uncommon. But many insist that atheism is not necessarily to be equated with a belief in evolution. Many Christians, including the Pope, see the role of evolution within the context of a Biblical belief.
The Creation Museum will host the event on February 4.
Image via YouTube