Bill Nye’s Gift to Ken Ham

I was surprised but pleased that Bill Nye took time to send me a gift before Christmas. You will be very interested in what he sent. Because of our extended stay in Australia (due to the passing of my wife’s dad), I am only just catching up on all my Christmas mail. So yes, I am sending a gift to Bill Nye, as I will explain below.

Before this past Christmas, both Bill Nye and AiG came out with books that covered the topics dealt with in the well-publicized Nye/Ham debate in February 2014 and other aspects of the debate. Here is a photograph of the two books that really represents what happened at the debate. These books illustrate the worldview clash between Bill Nye and me—man’s word versus God’s Word.

On February 17, 2014, I wrote this in a blog post:

First, you might recall that on Lawrence O’Donnell’s MSNBC show Last Word on the evening of the debate, Nye stated at the 1:30 point that he had “respect for Mr. Ham and his beliefs.”

Also, on ABC TV’s Nightline program about the debate, Nye stated that the two of us were “more alike” than different. When the correspondent Dan Harris asked the two of us if we were seeing the birth of a friendship, Nye stated that he has a “mutual respect for colleagues” who hold passionately held beliefs.

But on the HBO interview with Bill Maher on Friday, February 14, Mr. Nye’s tone had changed quite a bit. At the 44-second point, when Nye was asked about having some “respect” for me, he then caved in to Bill Maher and stated, “If I said that, I may have misspoken.” He then clarified that he really meant he respects my “passion.” Nye went on to say that I’m not a charlatan, as he thought I was—but admitted that I really do believe what I presented (watch up to the 1:10 point).

I remember telling Dan Harris (ABC Television) in front of Bill Nye that I believed we could be friends. I was brought up in Australia, which has a very small percentage of Christians, so most of my best friends at school and university were not Christians—but we had a great respect for each other. I believe the same can be true of Bill Nye and me. Yes, we will oppose what each other teaches—and speak very forthrightly about those beliefs publicly—but we can still have a mutual respect for one another. Personally, I do believe Bill has a respect for me, as he knows that I do sincerely believe what I am saying, and am prepared to publicly defend my beliefs.

So what did he send me before Christmas?

Well, he sent me an autographed copy of his book with a special message in it for me:

For Ken, Here’s hoping you find your way someday. You would be welcomed in the world of reason—We could celebrate the science together! Bill Nye, 6 Dec. 2014.

Here is a photograph of Bill’s message for me with his autograph:

Now as I said above, the debate with Bill Nye really illustrated the clash of two worldviews—the clash that began in Genesis 3 when Adam chose to decide truth for himself, instead of trusting God’s Word. The clash is one that has been going on for 6,000 years—a battle between two worldviews: man’s word versus God’s Word.

To me, the two books (Bill Nye’s new book and the book AiG produced about the debate coauthored by me and my son-in-law Bodie Hodge) illustrate this same clash.

As I read Bill’s note to me, I thought the best way to respond was to send Bill a copy of our new book (Inside the Nye Ham Debate) with a special message to Bill from me:

So what message did I send Bill? Well I wanted to illustrate once again the worldview clash between the two of us. Also, I know, ‘“So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17), and that we read of God’s Word, “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void” (Isaiah 55:11).

Now, read Bill’s message to me again:

For Ken, Here’s hoping you find your way someday. You would be welcomed in the world of reason—We could celebrate the science together! Bill Nye, 6 Dec. 2014.

Here is what I wrote in the book for Bill:

For Bill, Here’s earnestly hoping you find THE WAY someday. You would be welcomed in the world of the redeemed. We could celebrate the salvation together. John 14:6—Jesus said, I am the way, the truth and the life. Ken Ham, Jan 6, 2015.

If you have never watched the debate, I encourage you to do so at “Bill Nye Debates Ken Ham.”

I am going to be praying earnestly for Bill. God has brought him into my life, so even though I will publicly respond to his wrong beliefs when deemed necessary, I will pray and ask others to do the same.

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9)

. . . that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved (Romans 10:9)

Thanks for the gift, Bill, and I trust you enjoy the gift I sent you. But the greatest gift in the universe is the one God offers us in the person of His Son:

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)