01 December 2008

Cincinnati zoo dissociates from Creation Museum

John Walkenbach posted this comment from Panda's Thumb on J-Walk this morning:

The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden and the Creation Museum have made a joint marketing agreement and are selling "combo tickets" to get into both attractions for one price...

I believe the Cincinnati Zoo has betrayed its mission and its trust in a disgraceful way, by aligning themselves with a creationist institution that is a laughing stock to the rest of the world, and a mark of shame to the United States.

I urge everyone to contact the zoo; write to their education and marketing and public relations departments in particular and point out the conflict between what they are doing and what their goal as an educational and research institution ought to be.

I emailed the zoo this morning to say that it was wrong for them to "lend a patina of legitimacy to the Creation Museum" and asked them to withdraw from the arrangement. Three hours later I received this reply:

Thank you for contacting the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden. The combo package with the Creation Museum has been cancelled.

Kudos to Panda's Thumb and J-Walk for their proactive approach to this situation. I suspect the zoo tries to increase its attendance through lots of joint ventures and simply failed to think this one through.

Update here from the National Center For Science Education.

3 comments:

  1. I am so sorry that the zoo gave in to such uneducated people trying to put down the Creation Museum. I was so happy to see the combo pack between the zoo and the Creation Museum. I guess you people can now at least go hang out with your ancestors.

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  2. I agree. You people are pathetic. I have been a member for over 20 years and was a member on my parents’ membership prior to that. I also have participated in the ADOPT program and CREW and have given other donations to the zoo. I am pretty confident that I will not be renewing. How ignorant of them to give into the pressure to cancel their deal with the Creation Museum. In what way was it hurting the bloggers and “scientists” if someone chose to enjoy both places? Oh, that’s right, it’s ok (actually fashionable) to discriminate against Christians. You wouldn’t want a “scientist” to have to admit that there are opposing views and maybe it is a good thing to have people see both.

    I have never been to the Creation Museum and I hold an advanced degree in computer science. But I am sick and tired of people and organizations acting in this way and am especially tired of sending hundreds or thousands of my family’s hard earned money to organizations that act this way.

    It doesn't matter if you are a believer or not, there is nothing wrong with actually allowing people to see opposing views.

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  3. My goodness, so good to read that we have some open minded people wheather you call your self a Christian or not. I looked on the zoo site to find a positive word about the museum...found NOT ONE. I looked on the museum site to find a positive word about the zoo...and found MANY MANY positive words about the zoo!! Now let me see...WHO is not tolerant here?...the zoo people/some zoo supporters. One does not have to see/listen too much to see that Christians, as a whole, are VERY tolerant of people who are afraid of God. I guess they are afarid of God why else would they do away w/ prayer in school, Christmas nativities, the 10 commandments, be against the teaming up of the zoo and museum and the list goes on. I agree w/ anonymous 10:45 pm Dec 1st...when they said,it doesn't matter if you are a believer or not, there is nothing wrong with actually allowing people to see opposing views. That IS after all what God does...allow us humans to make our own decisions.

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