Ken Ham Criticizes Unitarian Church's 'Evolution Camp' for Children; 'Shocked' at Assemblies of God Presence
Creation Museum CEO and President Ken Ham expressed "shock" that an Assembly of God member volunteered as a teacher for a Unitarian Church's "Evolution Camp" for children in Missouri.
Ham posted on his Answers in Genesis blog on Sunday a response to a recent News-Leader article, which highlighted the camp.
"I must admit I was shocked to read (if it is true) that an 'Angela McCoy, who homeschools her son, Finn, 6, and is a member of a local Assembly of God church, volunteered as a teacher for Evolution Camp,'" he wrote.
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"I know there are leaders in the Assembly of God denomination who accept evolution, but it's a shock that a member of the AoG church is claimed to help at this camp sponsored by what is really nothing more than a secular (anti-Christian) institution—the Unitarian Church."
As the article in question points out, most of the children who attended the camp were not First UU members. Some were part of other churches, and others didn't go to church.
"It's awe-inspiring, an amazing thing, how the earth came together," said First UU's director of religious education, Jennifer Lara. "We can just enjoy the beauty of the science."
Lara admitted that evolution is a "touchy subject," and explained that the program is "not trying to change anyone's beliefs." She said that she wants to "provide children with language they can use to defend their beliefs in science and evolution" from those who would hassle them for their beliefs. She noted that creation beliefs "can be used to bully other kids."
On its website, First UU clarifies that it is not specifically a Christian church, but that many of its members identify and draw inspiration from Christianity, Humanism, Paganism, Judaism and other religious and philosophical traditions.
Ham wrote in his blog that whenever children are invited to the Creation Museum, his organization is sometimes accused by secular voices of being "child abusers" and of brainwashing children.
"The reason for the secularists' frequent outbursts is because they want to indoctrinate children in their worldview of atheism—and they are some of the most intolerant people around. They only tolerate the views of people they agree with, and they really become intolerant not just of Christian views, but of Christians themselves," the Creation Museum president said.
Ham also labeled Lara's claim of children being hassled by those with creation beliefs as "nonsense."
"Evolution is basically taught as fact in most of the public education system—and it's Christians and the teaching of creation that are discriminated against. There are some Christian teachers (and they are a small minority) who will do their best to teach students to think critically about origins—but by and large, most students are taught evolution as fact," he stated.
Ham also argued that Christians need to give children a "strong biblical foundation of truth and equip them with answers." While children can also be shown other views, he said, they must also be shown why such views "are false and why God's Word is true."
"We need to teach them clearly the difference between truth and error—between good and evil," he added. "We are not doing our duty as Christians if we are not striving to train them up in the fear of the Lord (Psalm 34:11)."
Ham has often criticized secular schools in America, arguing that they have "by and large eliminated God, the Bible, creation, and prayer."
"In essence they have become churches of atheism. The more students are taught that they are just animals and that life arose by natural processes, the more we will see this religion reflected in the students' worldview," Ham wrote in June in response to an Indiana-based energy distribution group announcing that it will not be hiring homeschooled graduates.
Ham has also spoken out strongly against Christian leaders, such as CBN host Pat Robertson, who have criticized Young Earth Creationists.
"Pat Robertson illustrates one of the biggest problems we have today in the church-people like Robertson compromise the Word of God with the pagan ideas of fallible men," Ham said in May, after Roberson called Young Earth Creationists "deaf, dumb and blind."
