Nathaniel Jeanson is a Harvard-educated biologist. For the past year, he has been involved in a spectacular $100 million project, designed to educate and astonish the world.
His project, however, has left many scientists in despair.
For Dr Jeanson is one of the advisers of Ark Encounter – billed as “a life-sized Noah’s Ark.” The 510-ft long boat and its surrounding attractions, unveiled in Kentucky on Thursday, has sparked a wave of protests, but he insisted that, far from being an outrage, the theme park was a gift to humanity.
“This is not anti-science,” he said, speaking to The Telegraph on the eve of the theme park’s opening. “I would say we embrace all science.
“We are just teaching people to think differently.”
Indeed, he admits that his thinking is radically different to that of many of his Harvard peers.
He and his Creationist colleagues believe that the Bible is a book of historic record. They argue that Genesis tells a factual story explaining that the Earth is only a few thousand years old, and that Noah built an ark to save animals from a flood, which wiped out the dinosaurs.
Evolution, he believes, is a myth: Darwin’s work has been misinterpreted.
But many scientists are in despair at the museum, created by controversial Australian Creationist Ken Ham, and funded by donations, junk bonds and tax incentives – which have been challenged in court.
“To me, this is a perversion of what religion is intended to do,” said Dr James Krupa, who teaches evolutionary biology at the University of Kentucky.
The movement, known as young earth creationism, emerged only about 60 years ago, and has remained a marginal creed within Christianity. Even many Bible-believers and evangelicals accept the science showing that the universe is billions of years old — some reasoning that each of the six “days” of creation in the Book of Genesis may have lasted millions of years, not 24 hours.
Dr Krupa said the theme park was intended to “advance ignorance,” and described the museum’s opening as a “very, very sad” day for the nation.
“That Ken Ham is trying to ignore vast evidence to the contrary and convince people the world is 6,000 years old is an embarrassment to Kentucky, the US, and to Christianity,” he told The Telegraph.
Dr Krupa wrote an article in Orion magazine telling how, in his classes, students shook their heads in disbelief, and one promised to pray for his soul.
“We live in a nation where public acceptance of evolution is the second lowest of 34 developed countries, just ahead of Turkey,” he said.
“Roughly half of Americans reject some aspect of evolution, believe the Earth is less than 10,000 years old, and that humans coexisted with dinosaurs. Where I live, many believe evolution to be synonymous with atheism, and there are those who strongly feel I am teaching heresy to thousands of students.”
His colleague, Professor Philip Crowley, tells a similar story.
Professor Crowley is preparing to teach a new seminar on science and religion with a philosophy professor this autumn, at the University of Kentucky.
He said that he has taken to asking his students how the concept of evolution is seen in their families.
“A significant proportion, maybe 20 or 30 per cent, will say that people in their families believe evolution is evil,” he said.
“They are taught by their parents that Darwinism and the theory of evolution is the work of the devil.
“In a state like Kentucky, the primary interest should be in the education of its children. Yet it is putting forward this park with an idea which is scientifically preposterous.”
The park shows children alongside dinosaurs, and features a petting zoo, daily animal shows, zip lines, live entertainment and a 1,500-seat restaurant. Future phases of the project call for building “a walk through Biblical history”, as well as the Tower of Babel. Standard admission is $40 for adults and $28 for children, while parking will cost an additional $10.
Jim Helton, president of the Tri-State Free Thinkers, was among 100 people who protested outside the gates of the park on Thursday, waving signs that read: "A taxpayer-funded flood of ignorance. What a disaster!" and "Instead of forcing your kids to learn your version of the truth, teach critical thinking instead."
Mr Helton described the park as being symbolic of the societal malaise in the United States.
“It absolutely is dangerous,” he said. “Parents are telling their kids that you’ll burn in hell if you believe in evolution.
“We are taking the view that science isn’t true, and that facts, reason, don’t matter.
“It’s by this same logic that transgender people using the bathroom of their choice is a problem; that dying with dignity is forbidden; that contraception and abortion is frowned upon.
“At the root of all US social issues, it boils down to this.”
And he said he hoped his protest would raise awareness of the fact that only Christians could be employed, with a letter from their Pastor certifying their faith. Gays were forbidden from seeking employment there, he said, and unmarried Christians had to sign a vow of chastity.
“This isn’t a harmless boat,” he said. “You should care about it.”
But Dr Jeanson, who described his role as giving technical advice to the team behind the exhibits, remains proud of his work.
He defended the park’s right to employ who they wish, saying: “I wouldn’t expect them to hire someone like me at an Atheist park.”
He added that the policy “flowed on from our position in Genesis,” and insisted that “Christian morality is not invented.” All people are welcome to visit the site, he added.
“We are simply challenging people’s thinking,” he said. “We want to say: ‘Hey, perhaps you’ve never thought of this.’
“Ultimately, the question is: Why do you believe what you believe?”
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