MODERN DAY BOOK BANNING? by John D
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Vol. 33 No. 3 March 2004 MODERN DAY BOOK BANNING? by John D. Morris If you were a leading evolutionist, what behind a false definition of “science” is the worst thing that could happen, (i.e., naturalism), thus excluding other which must be prevented at all costs? If theories? you were totally committed to evolution As strange and petty as it may seem, thinking, such that you base your world- just such a drama is unfolding over a beau- view and career on its principles, to what tiful new “coffee-table” book written by extent would you go to protect it? If evo- creationist Tom Vail entitled, Grand Can- lution had become the basis for your yon: A Different View. It includes short es- morality, your standing among peers, the says by twenty-three leading creationists, source of your livelihood, or if you were nineteen of whom have earned doctorates, emotionally attached to evolution and its and twenty-one of whom have done origi- implications, would you resort to cen- nal research in creation-science, fourteen sorship of contrary information, bigotry in the Canyon itself. Mr. Vail collected the toward those who don’t agree, portray- non-technical essays from previously ex- ing opponents in a false light, or hiding isting books and papers, often technical, sometimes edited and updated by the origi- and strikes at the heart of the cherished nal authors. The list includes Steve Austin, worldview of evolutionism. Could such John Baumgardner, Ken Cumming, Duane be allowed? One group of employees Gish, Werner Gitt, Ken Ham, Bill Hoesch, feared a Christian fundamentalist take- Russ Humphreys, Alex Lalomov, John over of the National Park Service. The MacArthur, Henry Morris, John Morris, executive director of Public Employees Terry Mortenson, Mike Oard, Gary Parker, for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) Scott Rugg, Andrew Snelling, Keith even claimed that “The Park Service lead- Swenson, Larry Vardiman, Tas Walker, ership now caters exclusively to conser- John Whitcomb, Carl Wieland, and Kurt vative Christian fundamentalist groups Wise. Surely this group is entitled to a “dif- . The Bush Administration appears to ferent view.” be sponsoring a program of Faith-Based The book doesn’t pretend to give a Parks.” complete, scientifically documented trea- Are these spokesmen really so inse- tise on the Canyon, but it does quote from cure in their position that they must re- those who do, often placing their find- sort to these tactics? Is this book such a ings in a worldview context with lifestyle threat? Freedom of “scientific speech” implications and devotional content. It’s and freedom of “religious speech” are mainly a picture book, with some of the issues still being worked out in the na- most stunningly beautiful photographs of tional spotlight. the Canyon you’ll ever see. Imagine the Tom Vail is no stranger to Grand Can- surprise of all concerned when the evo- yon, for he runs a river rafting company lutionary community rose up heatedly there. In fact, when the ICR Grand Can- against its sale in secular bookstores yon Tour enters the Canyon in May, Tom within Grand Canyon National Park. Not and his crew will be manning the rafts. only did the overtly creation-fighting Na- No doubt evening discussions will be tional Center for Science Education animated. (By the way, as of this writ- (NCSE) come out against it, but eventu- ing, there are still about fifteen slots on ally the presidents of seven professional the raft still open. See the back page of scientific societies (ironically, some of Acts & Facts for information). the book’s contributors are members of Tom’s book is available from ICR for these societies) jointly issued a letter to $16.95 + s/h, and can be ordered either the superintendent of the Park. It urged by calling 1/800-628-7640 or on the web him to avoid giving shoppers the wrong [www.icr.org/store]. impression by including the book with those offering the standard view, claim- ing that it “undermines efforts to educate the public about the scientific understand- PUBLISHED BY ing of Grand Canyon geology.” They rec- INSTITUTE FOR CREATION RESEARCH ommend squelching the attempt to pro- P.O . B OX 2667, EL CAJON, CA 92021 vide “A Different View.” 619/448-0900 WEBSITE: WWW.icr.org These highly placed opponents of the To disseminate articles and information of current interest dealing with creation, book decried its “narrow religious view evolution, and related topics. Sent free upon about the Earth . endors[ing] the ad- request. vancement of religious tenets as science,” Editor: John D. Morris but agreed it could stay in the store’s in- Co-Editor: Henry M. Morris Managing Editor: Donald H. Rohrer spirational section. The book’s offense is Assistant Editor: Kelly Griffin that it purports to offer a different scien- No articles may be reprinted in whole or in tific view of Grand Canyon’s formation, part without obtaining permission from ICR. 2 From Texas Flushing, Michigan Your ministry has been a blessing to us The year’s speaking schedule started off for over twenty-five years. I lost my faith with a bang for ICR’s President Dr. John as a zoology major in college. I was 32 Morris as the Mayfair Bible Church, Pas- when our merciful Father called me to tor Dean Stewart, took advantage of the his Son, and brought me from the king- holidays to host a high school/college dom of darkness to His Kingdom of training seminar on January 3, 2004. Three Light. A Christian friend gave me a copy lectures that Saturday evening (inter- of Dr. Morris’s Scientific Creationism and spersed with pizza and dessert breaks) in- Dr. Gish’s The Fossils Say No! and cluded information on Noah’s Flood, the opened my mind to the great truths of the Age of the Earth, and Mount St. Helen’s. Scriptures. Several churches throughout the area From A Museum Visitor sent their own youth groups, which, when I recently visited your wonderful museum coupled with many adults, made the in Santee. thank you for designing such evening’s session well attended. an informative museum. Thank you Sunday morning saw the church com- for all of the valuable resources that you bine all meetings in the gym for two large, make available, and for your faithful ser- back-to-back worship services on the vice to God. evidence for Creation and the Flood. Sun- day evening attendees learned about di- From Mississippi nosaurs and how to think Biblically about Thank you for your on-line Days of them. Praise devotionals. What a pleasure to get That was the theme of the entire week- up in the morning and go to my computer end, thinking Biblically about every area and find an exhortation from the Word of of life, and God blessed with thankful tes- God. And please thank Dr. Morris for me. timonies and wonderful fellowship. We are so blessed to have the influence of his life in our generation. Press on! From California d Your ministry is a big blessing to my life, DR. DAVID WATSON and the lives of my nephews as I share WITH THE LORD with them books and videos that help Dr. David Watson, longtime creation col- them know the truth about our world. league in Britain, was recently called and your ministry and resources help me home to be with his Creator and Savior. to challenge teachers to proclaim the Dr. Watson was the Director of the ICR truths of Creation. Thank you so much. Midwest Center for a time, when the Mid- From New York west Creation Fellowship was associated Please accept my gratitude for your with ICR. He was a strong creation unique daily guide of devotion and study. spokesman and author of the delightful . The succinct presentation of the Word creation book, Evolution: The Great Brain itself, with addition of similar texts, is al- Robbery, (out of print) among others. ways profound and timely, inviting the We thank the Lord for the friendship pursuit of further understanding. Your and ministry of this brilliant, but humble writers are to be commended. and godly man. 3 nificantly change the Samarium cross section, but leads to a large change in al- pha decay rate. The calculations of the decay constant versus well depth shown in figure 1 indicate that even a small CHAFFIN REPORTS change in well depth can result in an in- ON ACCELERATED DECAY crease in the Uranium-238 decay con- AT APS MEETING stant by more than an order of magnitude. Dr. Eugene Chaffin and one of his former This effect is tied to a change in the num- physics students at Bob Jones University ber of nodes in the alpha-particle wave- presented a paper entitled, The Oklo Con- function when the potential well depth straints on Alpha-Decay Half-Lives, at passes critical values. the Southeastern Section fall meeting of The complete paper may be found at the American Physical Society, Novem- www.icr.org/research. This research was ber 6–8, 2003, at Wrightsville Beach, partially supported by the RATE project North Carolina. They calculated the ab- at ICR. sorption cross-section of Samarium-149 which is produced by the decay of Ura- RATE PROJECT RECEIVES nium-238 in the Oklo natural nuclear re- GENEROUS DONATIONS actor located in African rock strata. Their Donors to RATE gave over and above paper discussed the constraints that ob- all expectation in December. RATE is served and calculated abundances of Sa- the research project sponsored by ICR marium-149 had on decay rates in the and the Creation Research Society to past.