# Museum exhibit to show dinosaurs and man co-existing **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 3, 2005, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/museum-exhibit-to-show-dinosaurs-and-man-co-existing/282756 "2005-01-03T00:02:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2005, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/museum-exhibit-to-show-dinosaurs-and-man-co-existing/282756/61 "2005-01-03T02:59:01Z")
Does that sufficiently explain my earlier statement? If I don’t expect the accounts to paint a hard world picture but rather as two different finally penned hand-me-down oral traditions to a simple people, why would I focus on any apparant discrepencies? There are plenty of other ways to shoot down Creationism. Unless they use the “God made it look that way” argument, which means they have no credibility in the first place and wouldn’t listen to anything we would have to say anyways. ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2005, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/museum-exhibit-to-show-dinosaurs-and-man-co-existing/282756/62 "2005-01-03T03:18:46Z")
**RickJay** , that was brilliant! ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2005, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/museum-exhibit-to-show-dinosaurs-and-man-co-existing/282756/63 "2005-01-03T03:27:11Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Perhaps a reading from the Good Book is in order? There is no god but god, and Michael Crichton is his ghostwriter. ---
**Author:** ![Twoflower](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/twoflower/32/22_2.png) [@Twoflower](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Twoflower)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2005, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/museum-exhibit-to-show-dinosaurs-and-man-co-existing/282756/64 "2005-01-03T03:38:07Z")
> [@NoClueBoy](#): > > Genesis 1 & 2 look pretty good to a nomadic tribe of hunter/gatherers, which is where they likely come from. A thought i’ve had … even if the old testament really were the Word of God (count me as a non-believer) would he really have tried to explain the big bang, 5 billion years of prehistory, and evolution to a bunch of nomadic hunter gatherers?? They’d have run Moses out of town on a rail, so to speak … ---
**Author:** ![iampunha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/74df32/32.png) [@iampunha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iampunha)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2005, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/museum-exhibit-to-show-dinosaurs-and-man-co-existing/282756/65 "2005-01-03T03:41:14Z")
> [@Twoflower](#): > > A thought i’ve had … even if the old testament really were the Word of God (count me as a non-believer) would he really have tried to explain the big bang, 5 billion years of prehistory, and evolution to a bunch of nomadic hunter gatherers?? They’d have run Moses out of town on a rail, so to speak … No more so, from this fellow non-believer’s perspective (former believer, if it helps), than did any other oral tradition from the same time period, or later. IMHO, the Bible isn’t and wasn’t meant to be a science text, and to assign it that identity is pointless. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2005, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/museum-exhibit-to-show-dinosaurs-and-man-co-existing/282756/66 "2005-01-03T03:41:29Z")
> [@Twoflower](#): > > A thought i’ve had … even if the old testament really were the Word of God (count me as a non-believer) would he really have tried to explain the big bang, 5 billion years of prehistory, and evolution to a bunch of nomadic hunter gatherers?? They’d have run Moses out of town on a rail, so to speak … But why present something in flat contradiction to the facts instead of an understandable metaphor? Boredom? ---
**Author:** ![iampunha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/74df32/32.png) [@iampunha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iampunha)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2005, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/museum-exhibit-to-show-dinosaurs-and-man-co-existing/282756/67 "2005-01-03T03:50:44Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > But why present something in flat contradiction to the facts instead of an understandable metaphor? Boredom? To whom is the presentation being made? Nomads of 2K years ago or biology graduate students? Further, what facts supporting evolutionary theory were available 2K years ago? Or am I completely misunderstanding your post? ---
**Author:** ![Twoflower](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/twoflower/32/22_2.png) [@Twoflower](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Twoflower)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2005, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/museum-exhibit-to-show-dinosaurs-and-man-co-existing/282756/68 "2005-01-03T03:51:28Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > A statement that you are ignoring established and accepted scientific opinion. Not just ignoring scientific opinion, but misrepresenting mountains of physical evidence, from many different fields of science. And since we’re in The Pit, I’ll go so far as to say that it’s not just ignorance, it’s out-and-out lies. There’s no way that people spouting this sort of “creation science” BS don’t know darn well that what they claim as evidence just ain’t true. I can only presume they think the ends justify the means. And people lament that American kids rate lower on science tests than other countries … ☹ ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2005, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/museum-exhibit-to-show-dinosaurs-and-man-co-existing/282756/69 "2005-01-03T03:57:02Z")
> [@iampunha](#): > > To whom is the presentation being made? Nomads of 2K years ago or biology graduate students? Further, what facts supporting evolutionary theory were available 2K years ago? > > Or am I completely misunderstanding your post? I think he’s talking about the presentation in the museum today, not the Genesis stories themselves. ---
**Author:** ![iampunha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/74df32/32.png) [@iampunha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iampunha)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2005, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/museum-exhibit-to-show-dinosaurs-and-man-co-existing/282756/70 "2005-01-03T04:01:14Z")
> [@Twoflower](#): > > I can only presume they think the ends justify the means. Money and power, my feeling. Granted, not tons, and your average creationist minister isn’t a millionaire, I’m betting, but how many evolutionary biologists do you think get the funds to open up theme parks? My personal feeling, and I have nothing concrete with which to back this up (alert alert, **Marley** ;)), is that the creationists who have read legitimate arguments on evolutionary theory actually accept what they read but find they can make more and do more if they hold to creationist thought. It’s a business plan of sorts. Or I could just be horribly wrong… ---
**Author:** ![Twoflower](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/twoflower/32/22_2.png) [@Twoflower](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Twoflower)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2005, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/museum-exhibit-to-show-dinosaurs-and-man-co-existing/282756/71 "2005-01-03T04:06:24Z")
> [@iampunha](#): > > Money and power, my feeling. Granted, not tons, and your average creationist minister isn’t a millionaire, I’m betting, but how many evolutionary biologists do you think get the funds to open up theme parks? My personal feeling, and I have nothing concrete with which to back this up (alert alert, **Marley** ;)), is that the creationists who have read legitimate arguments on evolutionary theory actually accept what they read but find they can make more and do more if they hold to creationist thought. It’s a business plan of sorts. > > Or I could just be horribly wrong… I think you hit it right on the nose … ---
**Author:** ![iampunha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/74df32/32.png) [@iampunha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iampunha)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2005, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/museum-exhibit-to-show-dinosaurs-and-man-co-existing/282756/72 "2005-01-03T04:13:10Z")
> [@OtakuLoki](#): > > I think he’s talking about the presentation in the museum today, not the Genesis stories themselves. Ah, okay. Then I go back to the money issue. And I thought, though I could be wrong, that **Marley23** was female. ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2005, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/museum-exhibit-to-show-dinosaurs-and-man-co-existing/282756/73 "2005-01-03T04:16:41Z")
> [@iampunha](#): > > Ah, okay. Then I go back to the money issue. And I thought, though I could be wrong, that **Marley23** was female. Err… you may be right. If you are, I heartily apologise to **Marley23**. I did not mean to give you a sex change. I just think of the ghost from Dickens, and well… he was male, so all Marley’s must be male, right? \ ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2005, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/museum-exhibit-to-show-dinosaurs-and-man-co-existing/282756/74 "2005-01-03T04:33:52Z")
> [@gobear](#): > > I don’t see it being racist; my assumption, and I could be wrong, is that Mr. Ham is assimilating current anthropological opinion that race is an artificial construct with no basis in science into the creationist trope that Darwin invented racism. You’re right on the money. I’ve checked the AiG site & there are a couple of essays on Evolutionism leading to Racism. At least AiG is saying racism is a bad thing. Because you know, no C’tian fund’ist arguments have ever been forwarded FOR racism! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2005, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/museum-exhibit-to-show-dinosaurs-and-man-co-existing/282756/75 "2005-01-03T04:39:21Z")
As I’m sure you know, they were, indeed. By a droll coincidence, it was because the “lesser races” were the “sons of Ham”. You could look it up! ---
**Author:** ![Uzi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/91b2a8/32.png) [@Uzi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uzi)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2005, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/museum-exhibit-to-show-dinosaurs-and-man-co-existing/282756/76 "2005-01-03T05:58:49Z")
> [@iampunha](#): > > To whom is the presentation being made? Nomads of 2K years ago or biology graduate students? Further, what facts supporting evolutionary theory were available 2K years ago? > > Or am I completely misunderstanding your post? Maybe I am not understanding yours, but if God was explaining how the world works to those old nomads, why not at least tell the truth even if it is dumbed down enough for them to understand it? I don’t think it would be that hard to do. Why waste your time telling them a complete fiction? ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2005, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/museum-exhibit-to-show-dinosaurs-and-man-co-existing/282756/77 "2005-01-03T06:00:29Z")
> [@Hunter Hawk](#): > > But a _T-Rex_ with a flaming sword is waaaaaaay cooler. > > Now, if only it were a T-Rex with a flaming sword wearing one of those pointy German helmets… Not as cool as T-Rex flying an an F-22. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2005, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/museum-exhibit-to-show-dinosaurs-and-man-co-existing/282756/78 "2005-01-03T06:07:21Z")
I think they should throw in a wax replica of the _band_, T-Rex. It would make as much sense as anything else in the exhibit. ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2005, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/museum-exhibit-to-show-dinosaurs-and-man-co-existing/282756/79 "2005-01-03T06:37:08Z")
> [@gobear](#): > > [yard](http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1127748/posts) From **Gobear** ’s link > [@](#): > > “There are a lot of creationists that are really smart and debate the intellectuals, but the kids are bored after five minutes,” said Mr. Hovind, who looks boyish at 51 and talks fast. **"You’re missing 98 percent of the population if you only go the intellectual route."** bolding mine. Apparently Mr. Hovind knows his target market all too well. ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2005, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/museum-exhibit-to-show-dinosaurs-and-man-co-existing/282756/80 "2005-01-03T06:51:40Z")
This comment in the article is a little suspicious to me: > [@](#): > > Since then, however, many schools – particularly in America’s religious Deep South – have got around the ban by teaching the theory of “intelligent design”, which claims that evolutionary ideas alone still leave large gaps in understanding. I know that some groups and parents have _tried_ to push this into public schools, but I’ve been unaware that they have suceeded and that the “theory” of intelligent design is actually part of any school curriculum. Does anyone have anything to back him up? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/museum-exhibit-to-show-dinosaurs-and-man-co-existing/282756.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/museum-exhibit-to-show-dinosaurs-and-man-co-existing/282756.md?page=5)