Science Museum Promotes Science — Scandal!

Over at the Discovery Institute’s creationist blog, Casey Luskin — our favorite creationist — has been posting a series of articles about his stunning discovery that a museum in New Mexico has been organizing a Darwin Day exhibit, and they’ve been collaborating with — gasp! — atheist groups. The latest in his crushingly boring string of articles is State-Run New Mexico Museum Scrambled to Cover Up Collaboration with Atheistic Groups.

Casey’s powerful “Darwin-gate” exposé attracted no attention whatsoever, but he kept plugging away as if he had uncovered the crime of the century. How pleased he must be that his perseverance has not gone unnoticed. His lonely crusade has — at last — attracted the attention of World Magazine. The last time we wrote about something in World was Stephen Meyer’s “Darwin’s Doubt” Is a “Winner”. Their “About Us” section is contradictory and incomprehensible. It says, for example:

We like to report good news but we don’t make it sticky-sweet. We also report bad news because Christ’s grace becomes most meaningful when we’re aware of sin. We want to be tough-minded but warmhearted.

[…]

We stand for factual accuracy and biblical objectivity, trying to see the world as best we can the way the Bible depicts it. Journalistic humility for us means trying to give God’s perspective. … We believe that our purpose is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever — and forever begins right now.

We mention that because we want you to understand who is paying attention to Casey. The World Magazine headline is New Mexico scientists fight taxpayer-funded evolution celebration. Here are some excerpts, with bold font added by us:

Two New Mexico scientists hope next year’s Darwin Days celebration at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science may evolve into a more civilized affair. If their challenge to the state’s use of its publicly funded institution and taxpayer money to denigrate religion and promote atheism can gain traction with state officials, media, and the public, the event could include talks on intelligent design and creation.

Ah yes, there’s nothing wrong with a Darwin Day event that wouldn’t be enhanced by a helpful dose of creationism. It would be like an American Fourth of July celebration that included speeches praising the statesmanship of George III. The World article then tells us:

A flier promoting Darwin Days at the museum in February listed New Mexicans for Science & Reason, Humanist Society of New Mexico, and Freedom From Religion, Albuquerque as museum co-sponsors, [which stoked] the anger of James Campbell and Michael Edenburn.

Ah, those are the scientists who blew the whistle. Who are they? Campbell is a retired physicist, who apparently has some hostility to Darwin. We don’t know who the other guy is. According to World:

“It is my understanding that the religion clauses of the First Amendment require that states ‘pursue a course of complete neutrality toward religion,’” Campbell wrote in a letter to the governor of New Mexico on Feb. 3. “Is it appropriate for a state-funded museum to join forces with organizations such as the Humanist Society and the Freedom From Religion group to promote an anti-religious agenda?”

Wowie — what a scandal! Who ever dreamed that a science museum would be collaborating with groups interested in promoting science? Let’s read on:

Four days later, a letter from the Cabinet Secretary for the New Mexico State Department of Cultural Affairs assured Campbell the apparent collaboration was a misunderstanding. But sensing a coverup, Campbell and Edenburn attended the Darwin Days lectures, found them to be true to their billing, and submitted a Freedom of Information request for emails and documents produced in planning the Darwin Days celebration of the birth and life of evolutionist Charles Darwin.

A Darwin Day coverup! This is big — really big! We continue:

The documents showed the museum actively solicited and recruited pro-evolution atheist groups to help plan its 2014 Darwin Day events and made no attempt to involve religious groups or those skeptical of Darwinian evolution. The museum worked closely with atheists to plan the Darwin Day events that included anti-religious lectures and attacks against intelligent design and creationism. And once Campbell filed his inquiry with the governor’s office, the planning team attempted to cover up the collaborations and offered false information about what really happened, the scientists said.

Oh, how embarrassing! Those ungodly museum people have been caught hiding the evidence that they didn’t even try to get creationists involved in the event! It’s all over now! Here’s more:

“The emails showed a clear participation between museum staff and atheist groups in planning the presentations given on Feb. 12,” Edenburn said. “I am angry because a public institution in New Mexico used taxpayer money to plan and promote an event that denigrated religion. This is wrong and should not be allowed to continue.”

Verily, it’s an outrage! One last excerpt:

“I would like to urge everyone to keep in touch with Darwin Day programs offered by state institutions,” Edenburn said. “Challenge them if they participate in viewpoint discrimination or programs that promote anti-religious or atheistic views.”

Casey must be thrilled. His lonely campaign to expose the ungodly evil in New Mexico is picking up steam. With a powerful media organ like World now joining in, it won’t be long before … what? We don’t know yet how big this will be, but it’s likely to become a major story that will rock the corrupt world of science to its shaky foundations. Great work, Casey! What would we do without you?

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