What is a museum? I rather thought it was a building containing historical artefacts which trace the various stages of evolution of mankind and the wider world. Curators are all essentially historians who present factual information to the interested public and their bored children.
Visitors to Ulster Museum have, for over 180 years, been able to study archaeology, ethnography, treasures from the Spanish Armada, local history, industrial archaeology, botany, zoology and geology.
But NI culture Minister, Nelson McCausland, is far from satisfied. He wants museums to be, “reflective of the views, beliefs and cultural traditions of the people,” including exhibits setting out the thoroughly unscientific ‘intelligent design’ theory of the universe.
Many scientists have a degree of faith in a creative force and few would object to acknowledgement of this fact. However, McCausland takes a literal interpretation of the bible. I guess it is rather hard to reconcile the story of Noah’s ark with a large collection of dinosaur skeletons.
Old Nelson claims, “I’ve had more letters from the public on this issue than any other.” Although this barely credible claim does not mention how many were pleas to keep religion and superstition firmly in church.
McCausland is not a lone Creationist voice in Government. His buddy Mervyn Story is an Antrim member of the Northern Irish Assembly, whose constituency includes the Giant’s Causeway (above). Those awkward geologists have found, contrary to the cultural views and beliefs of many in Ulster, the cooling of volcanic lava leading to the hexagonal blocks of basalt occurred about 60 million years ago.
Damn. How can that be possible when the earth is only 6014 years old? It must be the Devil’s work.
Visitors to Ulster Museum have, for over 180 years, been able to study archaeology, ethnography, treasures from the Spanish Armada, local history, industrial archaeology, botany, zoology and geology.
But NI culture Minister, Nelson McCausland, is far from satisfied. He wants museums to be, “reflective of the views, beliefs and cultural traditions of the people,” including exhibits setting out the thoroughly unscientific ‘intelligent design’ theory of the universe.
Many scientists have a degree of faith in a creative force and few would object to acknowledgement of this fact. However, McCausland takes a literal interpretation of the bible. I guess it is rather hard to reconcile the story of Noah’s ark with a large collection of dinosaur skeletons.
Old Nelson claims, “I’ve had more letters from the public on this issue than any other.” Although this barely credible claim does not mention how many were pleas to keep religion and superstition firmly in church.
McCausland is not a lone Creationist voice in Government. His buddy Mervyn Story is an Antrim member of the Northern Irish Assembly, whose constituency includes the Giant’s Causeway (above). Those awkward geologists have found, contrary to the cultural views and beliefs of many in Ulster, the cooling of volcanic lava leading to the hexagonal blocks of basalt occurred about 60 million years ago.
Damn. How can that be possible when the earth is only 6014 years old? It must be the Devil’s work.
No comments:
Post a Comment