AiG’s “Media Empire”

Currently I am in the midst of an online debate through the popular website www.beliefnet.com with Karl Giberson (director of the Forum on Faith and Science at Gordon College, an evangelical school in Massachusetts) on issues related to Genesis, creation/evolution, etc.

Karl Giberson is also the coauthor with colleague Randall Stephens of an upcoming book to be published by Harvard University Press entitled The Anointed: America’s Evangelical Experts.

Randall Stephens on www.usreligion.blogspot.com states:

My colleague and co-author Karl Giberson is participating in a beliefnet debate with Ken Ham, creationist entrepreneur and voice of protest for millions of conservative Christians. Karl begins the debate with “Why I am not a creationist.” Ham, the founder of a multimillion dollar creation museum and a media empire, follows this with “The Bible Teaches Creationism,” his rumination on literalism, evidence, and the perils of secular science.

If you’ve ever wondered why this 19th-century fossil—that is, creationism—has not been buried yet, now’s your chance to find out more. As is evident from the exchange, representatives from the two sides speak different languages. Still, this is a useful and illuminating exercise. The PR machine at Ken Ham’s Answers in Genesis website is already revving up.

A “media empire”? Well, we do have a daily 90-second radio program (aired free of charge) on around 900 stations and a well trafficked website. We do produce DVDs and other resources and work through a publicist, A. Larry Ross Communications, and we have a Chief Communications Officer (Mark Looy), who does co-ordinate press interviews (along with his many other tasks at AiG) when requested. I guess that’s close to a “media empire” like CNN, Fox News, Discovery Channel/Discover Magazine, etc.!

It is true that AiG built a “multimillion dollar” Creation Museum—of which 75% of the funding came from people, though, who gave on average a gift of $130.

And the “PR machine at Ken Ham’s Answer in Genesis website [that] is already revving up” I guess means we are publicizing the debate as much as we can—for instance on our website and through my blog, as Beliefnet asked all of us participating in this debate to do.

I can already tell from the emotive cutting language that Randall Stephens uses what will be written about me before the book is even completed! He has an agenda. So sad that we can’t just respect each other, even if we have totally different views about such things. I also have noticed these days that because of the inroads of the biblical creation movement, a lot of the opposition uses such emotive language instead of respectfully challenging beliefs in a reasoned logical way.

The second of my postings in this debate will go up today at

http://blog.beliefnet.com/blogalogue/

I appreciate the fact that Karl Giberson is engaging me in a gracious and respectful debate.

Pray for Elizabeth

A lady named Elizabeth visited the Creation Museum on Wednesday.

Filled with joy, she said that it was looking forward to seeing the Creation Museum that helped her get through a hospital stay and chemo treatments (Elizabeth and her husband donated to the museum when it was under construction). Elizabeth has been fighting breast cancer for a year and a half. She needed something to look forward to and yesterday was the fulfillment of her anticipated visit.

She and her husband drove 16 hours to get here from Pine River, Minnesota, and were happy to do it. Elizabeth says she’s thankful for the truth being out there to give God the glory for creation. She also said she would appreciate any prayers. The cancer has moved into her spine. She says she’s ready to go home to be with the Lord whenever He’s ready to take her. She also is happy to talk to anyone about the cancer or how wonderful the Lord is.

Devotion

Leads us

(Psalm 114:7–8) Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob; Which turned the rock into a standing water, the flint into a fountain of waters.

The Lord Jesus Christ, the Author of Creation & Lord of nature, leads us out of death & sin right through the rage of the world & our fleshly desires into eternal life.

Thanks for stopping by and thanks for praying,

Ken