On February 4, 2014, two well known advocates of opposite views in the discussion of the origin of life and mankind on earth will debate this question at the creation museum in Petersburg, Kentucky. The popularity of the event hopefully will result in live streaming over the Internet. Reference this site to check on that availability.
Ken Ham is the CEO of “Answers in Genesis” and the “Creation Museum” located in the Cincinnati, Ohio area. He is a well-known Christian writer and speaker, advocating the biblical account of Genesis as a valid historical document and account of the creation and origin of life on earth. Mr. Ham has a bachelor’s degree in applied science with emphasis in environmental biology.
Bill Nye is well known for his PBS series “Bill Nye the Science Guy” promoting a scientifically literate society while making the subject understandable and entertaining. He has a degree in mechanical engineering and worked at Boeing on the 747 aircraft before becoming a full time advocate of science. Bill Nye promotes the view that teaching divine creation to children as the process of the origin and progress of life is tantamount to child abuse.
This debate comes as a follow up to a popular 2012 video clip by Bill Nye decrying the teaching of creationism and Ken Ham’s spirited reply that are linked to in this article from theblaze.com.
Latter-day saints join other people of faith in applauding the defense of being able to freely discuss and teach scriptural accounts of the creation in schools as was done throughout most of US history. We have the advantage of additional perspectives on the subject from modern revelation, especially from the Pearl of Great Price. Modern scriptures proclaim that the book of Genesis was given to Moses as a vision where he discerned by the Spirit of God every particle of the earth and every person who would dwell upon it. (Moses 1:27-28) These scriptures also explain the spiritual creation that occurred before the physical creation as well as a view of the days of creation involving variable periods of time rather than fixed 24-hour earth day periods. (Moses 3:5, Abraham 4:5, 8)
Unfortunately, in our day, instead of free expression and debate of the broad spectrum of religious, philosophic and scientific thought regarding the creation and progress of life on earth, the “settled science” view of a mostly atheistic creation account via physical only chance evolution is the standard theory that is taught in our schools.
We’ll look forward to what will doubtless be a very spirited debate by these two articulate spokesmen.
Ron Millett (Author)January 31, 2014
Travis comment: "private opinion ... not shared by all church members." Certainly a good clarification. "There are certainly many Latter-day saints who join other people of faith in applauding the defense of being able to freely discuss and teach scriptural accounts of the creation in schools as was done throughout most of US history." -RM
TravisJanuary 29, 2014
"Latter-day saints join other people of faith in applauding the defense of being able to freely discuss and teach scriptural accounts of the creation in schools as was done throughout most of US history." My primary objection to this statement is that it sounds as if it is the official position of the LDS Church, when in fact it is the private opinion of whoever wrote it and, as noted by another commentator, is not shared by all church members. A clarifying statement/retraction would be in order.