Why are Christians trying to hide the true age of the Grand Canyon and other parks?

Question

Faith-Based Parks?
Creationists meet the Grand Canyon on time.com

www.time.com/time/columnist/jaroff/article/0,9565,783829,00.html

http://www.time.com/time/columnist/jaroff/article/0,9565,783829,00.html

Answer 1

cause some people use religion as a crutch. they are small minded and have chosen to read a book that was written in a completely different language, by people who didn't even have the same CONCEPT of time, rewritten and mistranslated countless times, over 2000 years ago in desert, and take the book literally!

Answer 2

As someone who visits the canyon frequently and has researched and written about the history of geologic studies there, I can say there is some truth to this story, but it is also somewhat exhaggerated. There is no official order from the Bush administration for the park service not to give the scientifically accepted age of the canyon (ie: that the canyon is millions of years old and the rock layers are billions of years old). Park rangers will give you the correct answer if you ask them and as others have noted, the NPS Grand Canyon website also gives scientfically correct information and dates. The controversy surrounds a creationist book called 'A Different View' that claims the canyon was carved by Noah's flood and that the earth is less than 10,000 years old. This book WAS forced into the park bookstores against the will of the park administrators, park scientists and the Grand Canyon Association which runs the bookstores. After some debate, it was moved out of the science section and into spiritually, but it is still there today. Nobody has ever come out and said WHO exactly in government forced this decision (the park does not like to talk about it), but there is little debate that it was done under pressure from the Bush administration in order to appease Christian fundamentalists. On a larger scale, it is worth noting that even though the Grand Canyon is one of the most famous and popular geologic formations in the entire world and had a big role in the development of American science, there is currently NO museum at the Grand Canyon at all and virtually no public displays regarding science (or history or modern flora/fauna for that matter). The closest thing is a single panel along the rim near the lodges that gives a very brief 1 paragraph discussion of the river carving the canyon, but is very vague and does not go into dates or time. Imagine going to Gettysburg Battlefield National Park and finding no museum or displays about the Civil War other than a one vague paragraph panel off in a corner. Based upon frequent visits to the canyon and talks with park service people (again, they don't really like to talk about this), the impression that I get is that in order to avoid controversy (and perhaps jepordize their jobs), the park is taking a "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy toward presenting geologic science to the public. Rangers will give the scientific answers if you ask and the info is buried on the NPS website, but you really have to look for it and ask for it. It is fairly clear that there IS some behind the scenes pressure on the park service from higher up to not publicize the scientific view of the canyon, but it has not gone as far as some claims make it sound (at least, not yet).

Answer 3

Its a few, mostly American, Christians. The vast majority of the Christians throughout the world have no problem with the Genesis creation story being allegorical and that the world can be many millions of years old.

A small group of "fundamentalist" Christians try and maintain a literal interpretation of the Genesis creation story. This would put the age of the earth as 10,000 max: nowhere near enough time to produce the Grand Canyon. If you accept that the Grand Canyon is the age it looks like it is you blow the whole literal interpretation of Genesis out of the water. A Grand Canyon more than 10,000 years old means the literal reading of Genesis is not just wrong its complete bunkum. So they have to argue that the Grand Canyon is "new".

But its important to recognise that this is a small minority of fundie Christians - just like its a small minority of fundie Muslims trying to blow us all up. They are both very vocal and make a lot of noise so it seems as though they are more populous than they are: but they remain a small minority acting as an irritant, embarassment and all-round-pain-in-the-*** to "normal" Christians.

(Actually not even the Jehovah's Witnesses believe in the "Young Earth" theory the creationists do. Now when even the Jehovah's Witnesses think you're idea is a "bit wacky" you're in serious trouble!)

Answer 4

Some Christians are capable of any amount of mental gymnastics to support scientifically unsupportable positions they like.

Some young earth theorists claim that before Noah's flood the moisture in the atmosphere absorbed cosmic rays which allowed people to live many centuries and to grow into giants. This is preposterous nonsense from a scientific point of view but the uneducated and the willfully ignorant don't seem to mind.

Answer 5

I was just going to ask this question when I saw yours. It's unbelievable that park rangers are not permitted to state the accurate age of the Grand Canyon, and that they sell a book saying that Noah's flood, rather than geological forces created it.

In what are supposed to be educational offices, we are teaching hogwash to pander to ignorant fools in higher office rather than promoting SCIENCE!

The truth is that the geological record has much to teach, but we are IGNORING it because of religion. We are destroying our Earth. We have a clear record of our atmosphere dating back to around 600,000 years but because of the Bible, our record of recent destruction is ignored.

I don't know.... I think the world is likely doomed because we put more stock on religion than science.

If the Christian God exists, I'll be glad when he says "I gave you Science and a storybook. Storybooks are for children... why did you ignore Science?"

Answer 6

I know when I was a small child I visited through going route 66 and they did not have a fense around the canyon nor was it a park just a big hole,

Answer 7

Cause their education is not too good. Plus they love Jesus, and Jesus told them the Grand Canyon is new. He also told them the stars will fall from the sky when he comes back, and they believe him, cause he loves them. Or is it the other way around

Answer 8

Where in the world can they hide the Grand Canyon. I gotta see that!

Answer 9

the christians are trying to change world history to suit them it will never work all that shows is that thay are control freaks and people will leave there chueches that mutch faster because thay no thay are lieing and we no ceationsits live in a fairy tale world any way with the flintstones

Answer 10

yes, science has come a long way baby! forget about the atomic bombs, nuclear waste, biological weaponry, etc etc. science is awesome. ANybody care for some popcorn? I made it in a microwave?