British NSS Criticizes Creationist Zoo

Posted by Greg Laden on August 29, 2010
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The National Secular Society of Britain has weighed in on the problem of bringing Welsh students to the Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm where they can learn about how Jesus rode a Dinosaur.

Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm in Wraxall, near Bristol, is regularly used by Welsh schools for trips and its website boasts numerous testimonials from them.

But it has now been strongly criticised by the National Secular Society (NSS), which campaigns against religious influence in public and political life, and has criticised the zoo’s “creationist” views.

The group accused the zoo, which has received national recognition for its education provision, of blurring fact and propaganda in the delivery of its views.

The Zoo, run by a priest and named after an old Bible Story which is linked to “Creation Science” by religious fundamentalists who actually believe the entire world was flooded and all of the animals on the planet were put (male and female) onto a relatively small boat to keep them alive for over a month, claims to have erased all references to god in their curriculum.

But, as if often the case with religious groups and individuals, they lie.

All that has really happened is that the Zoo has adopted the usual “teach the controversy stance” (an issue largely settled in the US, of course) and now makes claims such as:

“Is it right for Darwin’s evolutionary theory to be portrayed as ‘fact’ in today’s scientific media and the idea of God generally abandoned?

“After looking at the current explanations for origins and evolution, it is our view that the evidence available points to widespread evolution after an initial creation by God.

“While we don’t profess to have all the answers, we think people should have the freedom to believe in God and know that it makes good sense in relation to the world around them – a freedom frequently restricted by mainstream science and broadcasting.”

Although claims that the zoo have seriously mistreated animals seem to have been determined false, it was recently expelled from the British and Irish Associatoin of Zoos and Aquariums because of their relationship with a circus.

Circus indeed.

More details here.

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Comments

  1. #1 Charles Sullivan
    August 29, 2010

    “Circus Indeed.” That made me laugh!

  2. #2 MadScientist
    August 29, 2010

    “While we don’t profess to have all the answers, we think people should have the freedom to believe in God and know that it makes good sense in relation to the world around them – a freedom frequently restricted by mainstream science and broadcasting.”

    Bwahahahahaha! As usual the idiots are either ignorant or simply Liars for Jesus and confuse their freedom to believe bullshit with others’ freedom to laugh and point at them and call them morons. I do wish people would be more sensible and simply stop supporting these organizations with a religious agenda; isn’t there another non-religious zoo not too far away that kids can visit?

  3. #3 SimonG
    August 29, 2010

    This place is near where I grew up, and where most of my family still live. I wish I knew how much – if any – ID/Creationism stuff is up there. I’ve no particular objection to Christians running a zoo, even especially loony ones provided they don’t use it to push some relgious message. Schools can use decent places for day trips.

  4. #4 richard D
    August 30, 2010

    I’m frankly staggered. Not that such things exist here (I had forgotten about this place but do vaguely remember now you mention it), but that schools were taking their students to it.

    I have no idea where such visits might fit into the national curriculum. I suppose it might fit into RE, just.

  5. #5 Bristol Jim
    August 30, 2010

    @MadScientist
    Bristol Zoo http://www.bristolzoo.org.uk/ is circa three miles from this so called zoo, and is a well respected scientific zoo.

    – Jim

  6. #6 chris
    August 31, 2010

    “Although claims that the zoo have seriously mistreated animals seem to have been determined false” – not exactly according to this link http://www.captiveanimals.org/news/2010/noah.html which says the council found the zoo at fault over vet care for the animals. It seems as though this zoo will never be far from controversey of one kind or another