I’m in Springfield, Missouri, and today at noon I’ll be joining a mob of skeptics and atheists at the Gillioz Theater to prepare to hit the Creation Ministries of the Ozarks. We shall descend upon them as a horde and sweep through their “museum”, documenting the foolishness and mocking the silly. You’re all welcome to join, but if you do show up, there are a few rules to follow:
-
Be polite and nondisruptive. This is their property and you are a visitor.
-
Remember: the Christians running this show, and the Christian attendees, are the delusional victims here. Feel some pity for them.
-
Do not, however, forget that this is an institution dedicated to promoting lies and ignorance. Do not pull a Michael Ruse and start admiring what they’ve accomplished.
-
Do not loudly insult the gift shop, if they have one. They hate that — that was the one thing that made the goons at our last #creozerg snap.
-
Do not have gay sex on the exhibits.
-
Document. Take notes and photographs. Your goal is to come away from this with a better understanding of what the promulgators of ignorance are teaching, and to spread the word about their folly afterwards.
-
Converse. One of the cool things about these trips is that you’re in a large group of critical thinkers, many of whom may have expertise on the subjects being mangled by the exhibits. Ask questions. Learn stuff.
-
Just to be on the safe side, you probably shouldn’t have heterosexual sex on the exhibits, either.
-
Be in the right frame of mind: you are not a gang of hooligans planning to vandalize the place, you are skeptical anthropologists there to observe the peculiar and pathological folkways of a backwards, intellectually impoverished people.
-
Have fun.
I’ll try to throw a few comments on twitter, hashtag #creozerg, as we pass through the halls of unlearning. Don’t expect a lot, though; this is a small, rinky-tink local creation “museum”, unlike that monument to idiocy built by the notorious leech, Ken Ham. We’ll probably race through it fairly fast, just because there won’t be a heck of a lot to see.
(Also on Sb)
Ruth/STL says
This is near where “Slaughter House 5” was banned. Maybe leave controversial classic fiction in the hotel rooms to replace the bibles?
Glen Davidson says
Do not tell the straight truth about their fantasies.
They hate that.
Glen Davidson
Kevin Anthoney says
How about solo sex? Or is that reserved for your dino ride?
Brownian says
Thanks, PZ. Frankly, I’m exhausted and can use a break.
Kaintukee Bob says
What if we have a partner of each gender? Can we have bisexual sex on the exhibits?
What about sex *with* the exhibits?
What? I always thought Eve was kinda hot, she really rocks the fig leaf.
SQB says
Is it okay to ask “were you there”?
Pete Moulton says
“We’ll probably race through it fairly fast, just because there won’t be a heck of a lot to see.”
If there’s a dino ride, it could take a bit longer, eh, PZ?
Daniel S says
‘Do not have gay sex on the exhibits.’
I can’t help but notice that this implies we can have straight sex on the exhibits. Just sayin’.
Stefan says
And look here…Google gives you a malware warning when you go to their site –>
Warning: Something’s Not Right Here!
cmoto.org contains content from t26.cz.tf, a site known to distribute malware. Your computer might catch a virus if you visit this site.
Google has found malicious software may be installed onto your computer if you proceed. If you’ve visited this site in the past or you trust this site, it’s possible that it has just recently been compromised by a hacker. You should not proceed, and perhaps try again tomorrow or go somewhere else.
Ed Oleen says
WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!
I clicked on the link to the Creation “Museum” just out of curiosity and MY AVG KICKED IN AND STOPPED THE BROWSING!!!! It found a threat on the site: a piece of code that was attempting to take over my computer, phish for information, or something else. In short MALWARE. Specifically, it was an attempt to link to cmoto.org/wp-admin/network/choosedate.php, which AVG has determined to be evil.
WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!
Sili says
Can the lesbians masturbate with Bibles and Bacon?
raven says
I very rarely visit xian sites, especially ones run by individuals. Or linked to by xian trolls.
There seems to be a high probability of acquiring malware.
From one site, I ended up getting godspam email for months afterwards.
A3Kr0n says
Ed Oleen #10 – Avast! didn’t give such a warning.
#12 – Godspam? What an awesome excuse for me to rant!
'Tis Himself, OM says
PZ never lets us have any fun. :-(
benjamin5152414 says
no gay sex on the exhibits. and not heterosexual sex either. is masturbation okay?
peterh says
Firefox (latest upgrade) refuses to load the site’s home page.
scorpy1 says
So, um, how was Dr. Butterworth?
electrabotanical says
Springfield – the lower half of the state is making the rest of us look bad. I’d just like to point out that there are plenty of rationalists north of the Babbly belt.
Monado, FCD says
I think you made their rent for the month. Probably kept them going for another six.
F says
Malware warning seems to be due to malicious Flash content hosted at that domain.
Nerdette says
Is this the same museum near the giant statue of Jebus? If so, I visited six years ago for UChicago Scav Hunt. There is a giant poster of the man who founded the museum, dressed in movie dinosaur dig-garb, and sporting the title of “Dr.” When I asked the ladies at the front desk what he got his degree in, one woman, clearly tipped off by my pro-science shirt, began aggressively asserting that he was “a preacher, a teacher, and a scientist.” I gave a little puzzled look, responded, “Okay, but what did he get his PhD in? It says he is a doctor.” Again, she repeated the trio of roles. I was about to try again when the other receptionist answered, “I believe it was in theology.” I thanked her the direct answer.
bjoern s. says
so, bestiality it is, then
shouldbeworking says
Masturbation is permitted if you use the right hand only. No left-leaning liberals permitted.
A3Kr0n says
Only sex for the purpose of procreation is allowed on the exhibits, and you must not enjoy it!
Waydude says
“…you are skeptical anthropologists there to observe the peculiar and pathological folkways of a backwards, intellectually impoverished people…”
That’s fantastic! That’s how I get through life in Utah. Well, that and our amazing skiing! It’s snowing, bitches!
tim rowledge, Ersatz Haderach says
How about if we get a friend to keep us upright?
Hazuki says
@11/Sili
Bibles are for studying, not for rubbing off on. Bacon is for eating, also not for rubbing off on.
That is what the corner of the lady receptionist’s table is for :)
DrewN says
I’ll bring the sheets with holes cut in them!
wasp says
Why does gay sex need to be explicitly forbidden? Did someone have it the last time?
John Phillips, FCD says
Wasp, no, but I did hear a rumour about Ken Ham and his piglet abuse problem.
Agent Smith says
If you’re caught having heterosexual sex, say “It’s OK, we’re only microevolving the species.”
If you’re caught having gay sex, say “Homosexuality is an abomination in the eyes of the Lord. Thanks for distracting him with that picture of Eve.”
Bruce Crutchley says
Sounds like a lot of fun. I suppose It’s a good thing that we don’t have these over here (New Zealand – At least I don’t know of any), but it would be a good day out to do something like this
William says
Re: #32
There is at least one in New Zealand:
http://www.creation-museum.org.nz
Randomfactor says
This is near where “Slaughter House 5″ was banned. Maybe leave controversial classic fiction in the hotel rooms to replace the bibles?
Your project interests me strangely. Would it cause a rift in the space-time continuum to substitute paperback copies of Dianetics for the normal Gideon bibles?
Sytec says
Missed the zerg… and now can’t find out where people are drinking skeptically… We’re not off to a good start.
Woof says
Today’s #creozerg site appears to have been Pharngulated:
billygutter01 says
Woof @36
For what it’s worth, I visited that site earlier today.
You’re not missing anything.
SinSeeker says
Re: #32
Interestingly enough, the museum is located in Hawksbury Village. This used to be called “Cherry Farm” when it was a Mental Health Asylum until it closed in the early 1990’s. The various buildings (“Villas”) that used to house the criminally insane and the mentally impaired were sold off to private buyers.
Seems like the perfect location for a creation museum?
TimKO,,.,, says
Gay sex IN the exhibits?
(and by gay, we mean happy, right?)
Rumtopf says
Ew. No.
Ben says
Love the satiric sexual commentary and possible loopholes (NPI)in their rules that have been humorously suggested…too funny.
Hmmm,…haven’t heard anything about transsexual/transgender transgressions(TTTs?)being disallowed on the properties.
Z’at ok with ’em? (Just askin.. :) :)
David Marjanović, OM says
*puzzled* Where else? I’ve never had heterosexual sex anywhere else.
yiab says
A suggestion for next time: Do not have gay sex on the exhibits unless instructed to by security.