A summer destination for the whole family

For the last week and a half, my wife and I have been doing a bit of traveling down in the Lower 48 where we ran across an interesting bumper sticker: “Eat Out — Stimulate the Economy One Bite at a Time.”

As we chuckled to ourselves, I thought about that simple truth. While the wealthy and the poor alike look to Uncle Sam for their stimulation, leave it to the middle class to come up with a tasty solution.

But seriously, as springtime has arrived and our thoughts turn to summer, where will you spend this year’s vacation?

For the last couple of years I have heard rumor of a place called the Creation Museum, somewhere in the neighborhood of Cincinnati, that upon opening even public school buses could be seen crowding the parking lot. As it turns out, it is just south of there across the Kentucky border — yes, the very state that boasts the Scopes trial. How fitting that where creationism in public schools received its death knell that public schools should return to pay homage.

Perhaps part of its popularity is to be found in its presentation. Rather than being a large hall with pictures on the wall, this museum is a full multimedia experience. Whether your interest lies in archeology, astronomy, filmography or even robotics, it all can be found within the walls of its 77,000-square-foot facility. And because it will probably take you at least an entire day to take in just what’s on the inside, there is a café inside for those who would like to dine there.

For those of you hardy folks who are undaunted by the summer heat that afflicts that part of the country, the outside grounds are equally appealing. Outside exhibits are found alongside trails that weave around a lake. And the botanical gardens are so picturesque that wedding parties and photographers frequent the grounds. And what creation exhibit would be complete without animals? There are plenty to be found at the petting zoo.

But let me be honest, Ron Hamman did not go there just to be entertained. No, if I had wanted entertainment, there are plenty of other places I could have gone. While there is an element of entertainment here, this was not my focus or my purpose.

I went there to encourage my soul. The moment I stepped on the grounds I felt as though I had just stepped on hallowed ground. As I reclined in the planetarium and watched how the heavens declare the glory of God, I shed tears of joy for what God was doing there. At the end of the day, as we made our way back to the minivan, my soul found renewed vigor and echoed the words of the psalmist, “He restoreth my soul.”

But in addition to this, I also went there to encourage the souls of others. While my wife accompanied me on this trip and my daughter and son-in-law, of particular concern to me were the souls of my little grandchildren. Though they are but babies and toddlers at this point in their lives and are yet too young to grasp the truths of creationism. As they grow older, they will be told that this is one of the places they visited with grandpa.

Ours is a patriarchal society, even today. To acknowledge this in no way disparages the importance of the women in our lives. Yet to deny it is to damage our society in ways nothing else can. It is vitally important our children know what their fathers believe; fathers must be the guiding influence in their lives. And I want my children and grandchildren to follow me in believing that God created everything we see and know.

But why should you go?

While this depends on who you are, I dare say that many of you out there have never had the chance to hear much, if anything, about creationism. While I cannot speak for every public school classroom, I know that in my day it was treated with scorn. But how intelligent is it to only present one side of the argument? How really scientific is it to present a theory, which cannot be proven, as fact just because some who call themselves scientists believe it?

You owe it to yourself to make sure that what you believe about creation and evolution is correct. This year put the Creation Museum on your list. You simply must see what you are not being told.

Ron Hamman is pastor of Independent Baptist Church of Wasilla. Contact him at 357-4229 or ron.hamman@gci.net.

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