The story that broke a couple of days ago about the Parks Department at the Grand Canyon not being able to tell visitors the age of the park really got me. The Bush administration has discouraged them from doing so because it might offend fundamentalists who believe the world is no older than 6000 years. OK, sounds like the home-school crowd is starting to affect the overall IQ of the country!
The availability of a book saying the Grand Canyon was a byproduct of Noah’s Flood at the canyon gift shop says it all. We have let a group of fringe fanatics force their wacko opinions down our throats as "alternative theories" long enough. Ask any geologist what he or she thinks about this theory and they will stare at you dumfounded. It is not a theory, it is a bad interpretation of scripture, and is both bad theology and bad science.
These backwoods bumpkins used to be laughed at. That was a good thing too, it often would teach them that they needed to get some real "book learnin" and join the 21st century. I respect other people’s faith, but there is a place for it and it’s not as official policy of the National Parks. Noah, Adam, Eve and the rest belong in a church. The problem with this kind of flimsy faith is that it would be more at home in the "Little Book of Bible Stories" than a real theological discussion. If your faith has not matured beyond the Bible story level, I suspect you live a pretty unexamined life. Adults should have a developed adult theology to guide them, not a bunch of bumper sticker phrases and charming fables.
So to the fundamentalists who may be offended by scientific fact, tough! Time to examine your whole faith journey and really give it some thought. A faith that is not based on any effort on your part is destined to fail you in a crisis. Read, learn, grow, use the wonderful mind God gifted you with. You will find many more blessings in your life that way.
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