Park service "suspends" geology to avoid offending Christians

[jgraz]

http://www.attytood.com/2006/12/weird_science.html




This may be one of the more bizarre stories we've seen (h/t Daily Kos) recently, which is saying a lot. Your federal government is apparently unwilling to investigate whether or not the Grand Canyon was created by the Biblical flood of Noah just 6,000 years ago. This is from a non-profit group of government scientists and related employees called Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, or PEER:

Washington, DC — Grand Canyon National Park is not permitted to give an official estimate of the geologic age of its principal feature, due to pressure from Bush administration appointees. Despite promising a prompt review of its approval for a book claiming the Grand Canyon was created by Noah's flood rather than by geologic forces, more than three years later no review has ever been done and the book remains on sale at the park, according to documents released today by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER).

“In order to avoid offending religious fundamentalists, our National Park Service is under orders to suspend its belief in geology,” stated PEER Executive Director Jeff Ruch. “It is disconcerting that the official position of a national park as to the geologic age of the Grand Canyon is ‘no comment.’”

In a letter released today, PEER urged the new Director of the National Park Service (NPS), Mary Bomar, to end the stalling tactics, remove the book from sale at the park and allow park interpretive rangers to honestly answer questions from the public about the geologic age of the Grand Canyon. PEER is also asking Director Bomar to approve a pamphlet, suppressed since 2002 by Bush appointees, providing guidance for rangers and other interpretive staff in making distinctions between science and religion when speaking to park visitors about geologic issues.

[DoYouEverWonder]

1. I guess they don't give a shit

about offending the rest of us.

[NoSheep]

2. There you go.

[etherealtruth]

3. I think reality has been suspended

:puke:

[Cleita]

4. Last time I was at the Grand Canyon, I couldn't help but

notice that the bookstores had a lot of Christian BS literature being sold. Although I think the concessions in the National Parks are private contractors, they still should be upheld to Constitutional standards on government property.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

5. This Christian is offended that the NPS is giving in to the Church of

Willful Ignorance, which is a distinct minority within Christianity, although you'd never know it from the noise that the Willfully Ignorant make.

[xmas74]

7. Thank you!

This Christian agrees w/ what you just said.

[hashibabba]

9. I agree, too. I don't know any Christians who believe the earth

was created 6,000 years ago. Or that the Grand Canyon was a result of Noah's Flood! Oh, well, except for two little older ladies I know. I've argued with them, but it doesn't get me anywhere. I argue with them even more frequently about the evils of BushCo and actually have made a little headway in that area. I haven't asked them about the dinosaurs yet!

[Left Is Write]

13. I'm with you.

[Warren DeMontague]

16. Absolutely. Most Christians don't have a faith that requires denial of obvious scientific fact

Just the ones running the GOP.

[walldude]

6. Dupe...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x2995921

[nosmokes]

8. the thing is, i don't believe even anywhere near a majority of christians

stoopit ticking -s- key.

believe the bible is literal truth. sure, the fundamentalists do, but when i was growing up in alabama and going to UMC and even southern baaptist churches it was understood that much of the bible was allegorical. no one actually believed that a 600 yo man built a boat and managed to get a breeding pair of every species on earth aboard. there were doctors and scientists and teachers in the congregations. it really can't have changed that much in 40 some odd years. i guess the WH has decided it's worth catering to that 13% that still bewlieves in fairy tales. you know, that America can win in iraq, that there wwere WMDs, that the shrub is a good president, that tax breaks for the uberwealthy does make the poor prosper.

now where's that looking glass, alice?

[Left Is Write]

14. I never knew until the last few years that so many people DO take the Bible as literal,

and a factual historical account.

[WhollyHeretic]

10. Is the destruction of fossils next?

The American Taliban :mad:

[roguevalley]

11. what century is this again?

[jgraz]

17. It keeps changing -- I think we're currently in the 11th

[Left Is Write]

12. The fact that this is real and not an Onion article is mind-boggling.

[Warren DeMontague]

15. OH GOOD FUCKING GRIEF.

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