Bill Nye, Ken Ham, Still Squaring Off Over Evolution And Creationism — This Time On Australian TV Program
It’s been two years since Bill Nye and Ken Ham debated the origins of mankind at the Creation Museum in Kentucky. However, it seems that neither has fully left the debate stage behind, as both continue to reference it — and each other.
Actually, much of the discussion now is one-sided. While Nye has responded to the occasional question and made a few social media references, Ham seems to have made the debate a mission — one he isn’t ready to leave behind. He brings it up on his blog and social media regularly — and of course, he sells DVDs of the debate on his website.
The Science Guy did mention the debate on his social media last week, giving it the same optimistic view he had when he agreed to the debate in the first place: he expressed pleasure that people were listening, curious, and being given access to the scientific view of evolution.
You’re telling me that almost 5.4 million people are wondering about evolution? Wow. https://t.co/NDFM4IdLpn
— Bill Nye (@BillNye) May 12, 2016
However, it may have been reactionary — only days before, the man behind the Creation Museum and the Answers In Genesis website had posted his own commentary on the debate, declaring that secularists didn’t want people to hear the religious message therein.
Many secularists opposed the Bill Nye debate as they didn’t want people to hear the creationist message–for which they are very fearful
— Ken Ham (@aigkenham) May 6, 2016
On the other hand, perhaps something else altogether brought the debate to mind for the global warming and biology education activist.
The 40-second trailer gives the founder of the park only a single line — and it gives his one-time debate opponent just as many. Further, Nye’s one line is a bit contentious toward Ham.
“His followers think he’s the Messiah.”
According to Ham, there’s more: he says he was not informed that Nye or his opinions would be included on the show, and he only discovered it when he viewed the trailer himself.
At the Ham/Nye debate I exposed Bill Nye as being a very religious person-he has a belief the universe and life arose by natural processes
— Ken Ham (@aigkenham) May 18, 2016
So Bill Nye ridiculously accused me of being ‘The Messiah’-he’s trying to hide he’s a secularist religious zealot https://t.co/X8YsDTSBPM
— Ken Ham (@aigkenham) May 18, 2016
Bill Nye will be giving a sermon exalting reason at the upcoming Reason Rally in Washington DC–he will be exalting his religion
— Ken Ham (@aigkenham) May 18, 2016
Bill Nye falsely accuses me of being “The Messiah” cause he doesn’t like me proclaiming the message of the Messiah https://t.co/X8YsDTSBPM
— Ken Ham (@aigkenham) May 18, 2016
Did Bill Nye recently falsely accuse me of being “the Messiah” on an Australian TV program? Read my response: https://t.co/NyqPOqyy02
— Ken Ham (@aigkenham) May 18, 2016
The whole message gave the appearance that it was very important to Ham to demonstrate evolution as a religious belief — and perhaps Nye as its prophet.
Perhaps he’s concerned that the opposing view may have been given more space on the Australian television program, which focuses on news and current events, than the brief trailer shows, and worried that perhaps the overall impression might be less than favorable.
If so, the concern may be legitimate — in a longer sneak peek of the episode, released on Thursday, presenter Steve Pennells doesn’t directly contradict the message, but certain turns of phrase hint that he doesn’t exactly agree with the Creation Museum and Ark Encounter worldview:
It is impressive, no matter what you think of the guy.
It’s all about telling people this is the truth, this is history, in his mind.
The three hosts also speak less than in a less than credulous manner about Ham’s assertion that dinosaurs were aboard the ark, and they laugh over a discussion of how Ham determined which definition of “cubits” to use, as well as his use of modern tools and technology to build the Ark replica.
And yes — Pennells did interview Bill Nye about Ken Ham, the debate, and the Ark Encounter park for the program, and presumably more of that interview can be expected in the full episode.
[Photo by Mark Lyons/Getty Images]
