A week after former Queensland science teacher Ken Ham opened the world’s first Creation Museum - a $33 million facility in Petersburg, Kentucky - he is being sued by the Australian evangelical organisation he helped to set up and which served as a springboard for his leap into the US evangelical movement two decades ago.
Mr Ham is one of the leading lights of the creationist movement, arguing against evolutionary science with claims the world is only 6000 years old, was created in six days by God and that dinosaurs walked the planet alongside humans.
The 55-year-old father of five is heard every day on more than 1000 radio stations across the US, is a regular on the Christian speaking circuit and has set up arms of his organisation in Britain and Canada.
The Brisbane-based Creation Ministries International has filed a lawsuit in Queensland’s Supreme Court against Mr Ham and his Kentucky-based Answers in Genesis ministry seeking damages and accusing him of deceptive conduct in his dealings with the Australian organisation.
The suit focuses on a dispute over the Australian organisation’s production of a creationist magazine, sold in the US to more than 35,000 subscribers, and has led to revelations about the three-year battle between the two ministries.
Bartholomew’s notes on religion has more details. Do any Australia, US or creationist readers have information or something to add?
Published 1 year, 5 months ago
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Why is “Museum” in quotes?
Heh, I just started a series of blog posts on why I am not a creationist. And while I don’t like people suing each other much less those of us who purport to be Christians, if I were truthful, and I try to be
I am not unhappy about this even though the whole enterprise and all that surrounds it is not exactly what I would call a Christian witness.
Fortunately, our Father is bigger than all of us and can’t be thwarted. And well if it drives people away from the ‘fundamentalist’ extreme of Christianity, I will just smile - again - at His supreme sense of irony.
BTW Ken Ham started out his career in my home town. Being somewhat parochial, happy to (gently and with LERV) disown him a bit but.
I’ll try and dig up more info for you Bene. But CRI refers to Christian Research Insitute where Ham once worked, and I am trying to think if he established an AiG magazine while in Oz or something. I think there was some controversy at a university or two down here with reference to this group(s).
Hmmm, do I know any long time young earth creationists down here who may remember…
Yep, this should be a good starting point.
Hi Truth Seeker:
A Museum is:
“A building, place, or institution devoted to the acquisition, conservation, study, exhibition, and educational interpretation of objects having scientific, historical, or artistic value.”
Creationism is a belief system, that is not limited to Christianity. There have been thousands of creation myths over time in all people in the world.
Flat Earthers Geocentrists Young Earth Creationists (Omphalos)
Old Earth Creationists Gap Creationism) (Day-Age Creationism)
(Progressive Creationism) (Intelligent Design Creationism)
Evolutionary Creationists
Theistic Evolutionists
Methodological Materialistic Evolutionists
Philosophical Materialistic Evolutionists
Raelians
Panspermia
Catastrophic Evolution
Islamic
Vedic
American Indian
Current Ken Ham creationist beliefs may well have validity in a ‘museum’ under something other than a scientific label.
Exhibit, venue, entertainment, teaching centre…
Excellent as always Saint, thank you!
Can anyone find out if:
1. Ham, being so overtly biblical, is his real name?
2.Did he emigrate legally?
3. Are there any wonderfully hypocritical perversions/scandals in his past? There often are with repressed fundamentalists. I did read that his wife, Mally, is a very, very submissive and supportive wife. Sweet
Thanks to any and all.
I live near the museum and toured it a year ago and then again last week. It is frighteningly Orwellian.
Darwin,
Follow Bene’s links to Bartholemew, and check links and comments (including link to and comments on Pharyngula) and all sorts of stuff come to the fore.
Also google Creation Science Foundation (which was the previous incarnation of CRI I have since found out) and Ken Ham or Kenneth Ham.
Try Kenneth Ham/Ken Ham and AOG, Kenneth Ham/Ken Ham and Adelaide….
It seems Kenneth moved to the U.S. because the marketing opportunities were better. The crew remaining in Oz supposedly focus on science matters. This dispute does have some foundation.
What makes me sad is the thousands of people who have given their money to support all this, but on the other hand we all have to take responsibility for our decisions, including the decision not to think for ourselves.
Thanks Saint, I”ve been away from the computer and wasn’t able to repond to Darwin’s valid questions. Again, well done!
Several people are asking here for more information. I have put together a compilation of all the information I have been able to find. You can read it at Answers in Genesis lawsuit.
Most of the information is from the CMI website; they have opted for a policy of considerable openness, and have put up a wealth of material. AiG is so far playing matters very close to their chest; but CMI has obtained two emails from AiG that set out the AiG position; and put them up as well — along with their own comments interspersed. If AiG puts up anything on their own websites, I will be linking to that as well.
I’ve also got links to the court where the claim was filed; and to many blogs or sites that have addressed the matter.