The Creation Movement—“Insidious” and a “Bizarrity” Says Gould!

Harvard evolutionist Dr. Stephen Jay Gould, perhaps America’s best-known evolutionist, spoke to educators in New England recently and called the debate about creation versus evolution an American “bizarrity” and “insidious.” (Associated Press, May 6, 2000)

Dr. Gould spoke at a day-long conference at Brown University in Rhode Island. Dr. Gould took some comfort, however, in declaring that the creation movement was not worldwide. The AP quoted him to say: “I hope everyone realizes the extent to which this is a local, indigenous, American bizarrity.”

It should be pointed out, however, that growing creationist movements are to be found in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Korea, England (AiG’s affiliate office there is gathering new interest), and even some Muslim countries. AiG actually commenced in Australia, more than twenty years ago, and in proportion to the population has probably achieved more penetration of the Christian community there than creation ministries have in the United States.

In his talk at Brown University, Dr. Gould misrepresented what the state board of education in Kansas decided last August when it mildly de-emphasized the teaching of evolution. First, he called it an absurd “law”—actually this was not a law passed by the state legislature, but merely guidelines approved by the state board of education.

Also, he said that Kansas got “rid of evolution.” This is absolutely wrong—in a number of sections in the guidelines, evolution is mentioned. For example, page 75 says that students in grades 9–12 are expected to know “biological evolution.” So while Dr. Gould told these teachers, principals, and college professors that they shouldn’t fear the spread of creationism in America, why would he then engage in scare tactics and use a word like “insidious?”

Incidentally, Dr. Gould and Answers in Genesis were both prominently featured in a lengthy CNN-TV report on March 12. The news magazine program “CNN and Time” saw a condescending Dr. Gould claim that there is absolutely no evidence against evolution.

Although an organization like AiG has many full-time and adjunct scientists who hold doctoral degrees in science, Dr. Gould was cavalier when he declared to CNN that no “serious scientist” doubts evolution. An irony is that we know of at least two Ph.D. creation scientists who earned their doctorates from Gould’s school and are professors today!