From: slinke@sdcc3.ucsd.edu (Steven Linke)
Newsgroups: sci.skeptic,talk.origins
Subject: I visited the ICR in person (1 of 4)
Date: 29 Aug 92 09:09:07 GMT
Followup-To: sci.skeptic

I visited the Institute for Creation Research (ICR) on August
27th.  This institute seems to be a common topic of debate on
these groups, so since I live relatively nearby and have had an
interest in the discussions, I decided to pay them a visit.  In
addition, I was seeking original creationist papers on molecular
biology (I never found any).  I hope this information isn't
redundant or included in the FAQs.  I found it to be quite
interesting.
 
The ICR is located in Santee, CA, a suburb on the far eastern
edge of San Diego (about 20 miles from the coast and my residence
in La Jolla near the University of California - San Diego
campus):
 
  Institute for Creation Research
  10946 Woodside Avenue North
  Santee, CA 92071
  (619) 448-0900
 
It is a relatively new (built in 1985) and attractive two-story
building located in an industrial park off a frontage road of
highway 67.  It is located between Westmark General Contractors
and a rather ugly dirt field serving as home to the Santee Swap
Meet.  There were about 20 spaces in the parking lot.
 
Much of the first floor is devoted to the "ICR Museum of Creation
and Earth History."  In general, the museum is visually quite
impressive.  They are calling it "San Diego's NEWEST Museum" and
are having a Grand Opening Celebration September 18-20.  A
pamphlet reads: "Free guided tours!  See live animals and learn
about their Creator!  View exhibits and videos that present the
case for creation and the evidence against evolution!  Enjoy Free
refreshments!  Special Thanks to K-PRAISE 1210 AM Radio!"  The
pamphlet also states: "`Home schoolers' especially invited
Friday--Meet Dr. Richard Bliss, designer of the `Good Science'
curriculum for home and Christian schools."
 
The agenda of events for the Grand Opening include 25-minute
guided tours, 20-minute live animal presentations, 20 minutes of
science experiments conducted by Dr. Richard Bliss, book signings
(by Dr. Henry Morris, Dr. John Morris, Dr. Duane Gish, Dr.
Richard Bliss, Ken Ham, and others), a "Media Tour," a video
called "The Great Dinosaur Mystery," and a live broadcast by K-
PRAISE 1210 AM on September 18th from 4-6 PM.  In reference to
the live broadcast the pamphlet says: "`The Grapevine' radio
program with Michael Law will be broadcasting live on the Museum
Patio in front of the ICR Museum.  Come with your questions (or
phone in with a question at 1 (800) 281-1210).  Guests: Dr. Duane
Gish and Ken Ham of ICR."
 
After receiving a copy of the museum pamphlet and the newest copy
of the "ICR Graduate School" catalog (1990-1991), I proceeded
through the museum.  (By the way, the curator of the museum was
listening to Rush Limbaugh at the front desk.)
 
I thought the museum was relatively busy (for a Thursday
afternoon).  Several parents brought their children through the
museum to show them creationism.  In fact, the ICR Graduate
School Catalog states: "The Museum of Creation and Earth History
is open to the public and is frequently toured by visiting
classes of school children, as well as individuals."  I felt this
post would be of interest to relay what the ICR is showing, in
their simplified layman terms, to the general public who might
come to visit the museum.
 
The exhibits started (appropriately) with the first day of
creation and continued forward in creationist time.  I will
describe the exhibits that I perceive to be the most hotly
contested topics, but not near all of them.  I spent about two
hours going through and scribbling down quotations from the
various exhibits, but certainly can't cover everything.  There
were Impact articles (ICR publications) available at various
locations pertaining to the subject matter of the exhibits.  I
have split the museum up into ten different exhibits:
 
EXHIBIT #1: SCIENCE AND FAITH
=============================
Various wall plaques.  A few read:
 
Science and Religion
--------------------
"Religion and science are not separate spheres of study, as some
say.  Both involve the real world of human life and observation.
If both are true, they must agree.
 
"In fact, true science supports the Biblical worldview.  There
are many facts of science revealed in the Bible and no proven
scientific errors.
 
"However, science does not support false religions (e.g. atheism,
evolutionism, pantheism, humanism, etc.)"
 
Importance of the Origins Issue
-------------------------------
"...The tree of evolutionism bears only corrupt fruits;
Creationism bears good fruits...It is vitally important that we
and our children believe and obey the Biblical teachings on
Creation."  [This is a repeated theme in the museum.]
 
The plaque then goes on to quote the National Science
Foundation's resolution on the freedom of scientific inquiry,
followed by their comment: "With remarkable inconsistency,
however, the National Academy opposes the teaching of scientific
creation!"  [This, also, is a repeated theme.]
 
Creationist Religions
---------------------
The plaque states that there are only three "real" creationist
religions:
  1. Orthodox Judaism
  2. Orthodox Islam
  3. Biblical Christianity
It adds: "`Liberal' branches accept `theistic evolution.'"
 
Evolutionary Religions
----------------------
Examples listed: "Atheism, Humanism, New Age-ism, Occultism,
Liberalism, Marxism, Fascism."  [The fact that these are
"evolutionary religions" is yet another repeated theme of the
museum.]
 
EXHIBIT #2: SEVEN DAYS OF CREATION
==================================
This exhibit, among many other things, answers the question,
"Which came first, the chicken or the egg?"  The answer is the
"chicken," of course!  Just read Genesis 1:11-12.  :-)
 
For the first days of creation (heaven, earth, etc.), the exhibit
features impressive pictures of the planets and stars with
dramatic lighting and backgrounds.  For the creation of animals,
they actually have several small live animals in cages behind
glass windows.  These include a bird, some fish, a tarantella, a
cricket, a lizard, a rat, and a snake.  There were also some
empty cages.  Overall, the live animal exhibits were pretty
pathetic, especially the "cricket exhibit" and the empty cages.
 
Creation of Functional Maturity
-------------------------------
This plaque described how fruit trees were created mature and
able to produce fruit (so they presumably already contained
rings), and how Adam was created as a full-grown man.  It
concludes that, "...If one denies the true revealed history of
the world, and attempts to date the object or the world, this
functional maturity could be mistaken for age."
 
EXHIBIT #3: THE FALL OF MAN
===========================
Nothing I found interesting, except that supposedly no animals
died until Adam sinned by eating the apple.  The first animals to
die were those used to make skins to cover Adam and Eve's
nakedness.

-- 
Steve Linke
Salk Institute (Gene Expression Lab)
La Jolla, CA
Newsgroups: sci.skeptic,talk.origins