One of our supporters was kind enough to send me a fund-raising letter from a prominent anti-creationist group headed by the professed atheist, Eugenie Scott. The primary purpose of this group is to attack creationists and defend teaching evolution in schools (with an emphasis on the former). The center’s fund-raising letter signed by Dr. Scott bemoaned the fact that its budget is “dwarfed” by the AiG budget and that AiG is aggressively pushing “pseudoscience into every corner of the American public school system, backing anti-evolution legislation, supporting local creationist groups, intimidating teachers to avoid teaching evolution, attacking scientifically sound textbooks,” and more.
Wow! I had no idea we were this busy and that we were doing so many things!
Actually, the truth of the matter is that almost all of these claims are false.
Seriously, I find it very ironic to have to point out that our ministry budget is dwarfed by the billions of dollars that are spent each year in America’s public schools, science museums, and the secular media (e.g., PBS science programs) to promote an evolutionary worldview.
Also, we are not pushing our information into “every corner” of the U.S. school system. In fact, we are not involved at all in legislation, litigation, or lobbying to force creation to be taught in schools. AiG thinks it’s not wise to mandate that creation be taught because most science teachers will teach it poorly and thus forcing creation into schools will be a counterproductive effort. We are not even involved in the so-called textbook battles over evolution content in science books. Furthermore, we have no efforts at all to “intimidate” teachers and pressuring them to avoid teaching evolution.
In addition, we are not involved in getting behind “anti-evolution” education legislation—we are not an activist group. Now, if others want to make sure that evolution is taught in a more critical way in public schools, and if they use our resources while doing that, then so be it. But we are not political, legislative, or judicial activists at all.
Our main thrust has always been to reach the church (though we do have outreaches to the culture at large in various ways) and to provide resources for people. Certainly, some of those people who obtain our resources may get involved in creation vs. evolution battles at school board levels and so on. However, AiG does not get involved in such issues; we are here to provide a vital message concerning biblical authority and the gospel and educate people in the church and culture with information that is by and large censored by much of the media and education institutions.
These charges Eugenie Scott made in her letter are false, but such hysterical claims about AiG being some kind of “bogeyman” will likely lead to more donations for her anti-creationist group. And the end justifies her means, which is consistent with the atheistic, no-absolute-standards worldview that she holds. For her, why tell the truth in a purposeless and meaningless universe? When she claims something is right or wrong, these concepts are really meaningless within her worldview. So why not tell untruths about AiG in an emotional pitch for the sake of trying to raise funds for their anti-Christian cause?
I also find it amazing that an organization that’s devoted to education (and even has the word in its name) needs an education itself about who we are and what we do. Their staff’s research skills are obviously very poor, or they are intentionally miseducating their readers for increased donations.
Well, I’ll take this opportunity to ask the following question to you right now: Why not financially support AiG at the end of the year and help us counter the efforts of secularists and their billions of dollars’ worth of spending (much of it taxpayer money) on their anti-Christian crusade? You can donate here.
And by the way, we have heard the same sorts of accusations against AiG from this person and her group before, and we have stated a number of times (on our website and in blog posts) that we are not a political group doing such things as listed above. But they don’t want to get confused by the facts—they want good material for fund-raising, regardless of the true facts of the matter!
Thanks for stopping by and thanks for praying,
Ken
Answers in Genesis is an apologetics ministry, dedicated to helping Christians defend their faith and proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ.