by William Trollinger
An acquaintance passed along to Dan Phelps a quiz – displayed below – that was given to pre-high school students at a private school in rural Kentucky. If you find this young Earth creationist quiz ludicrous, please understand that the logic employed here is very much in keeping with what one finds in the Creation Museum and Ark Encounter, as well as in Answer in Genesis apologetics materials. That is to say, creationist materials for adults are not notably more sophisticated or nuanced than what one finds in this quiz.
I have a few additional comments to make at the end. But first, here’s the quiz (and good luck!):
Comments:
- While the explanations of the right answers for questions #5 and #7 claim that they were “covered above” in earlier explanations, this is obviously not the case.
- The explanation of the right answer for question #8 – “creationists and evolutionists . . . interpret the facts differently because they have different presuppositions” – is at the heart of all creation science apologetics, and is central to what is going on at the Creation Museum. Of course, such an argument goes beyond young Earth creationism to legitimate all forms of pseudo-science.
- The explanation of the right answer for question #10 – “all Christian doctrine is founded in the book of Genesis” – is (to understate the point) a novel theological assertion that is at odds with two millennia of Christian thinking. But it is all part of the young Earth creationist effort to minimize the Gospels and – in particular – the teachings of Jesus.
- The explanation of the right answer for question #1 reflects a young Earth creationist obsession with explaining why Cain marrying and having sex with his sister was ok. This is the topic of one of the most bizarre placards at the Creation Museum, “Where Did Cain Get His Wife?” The argument presented on this placard is virtually identical to the argument presented in this quiz. As we note in Righting America:
Even in the context of the Creation Museum, this is one strange placard. Here we have an argument on behalf of incest that includes questionable claims about human genetics, an attack on those who criticize incest on any grounds other than the Bible, and the suggestion that incest is not as bad as it seems, given that all humans engaging in sexual activity are having sex with relatives. Here we have an argument that renders a near-universal moral taboo wrong primarily on instrumentalist grounds. (177)
I am stunned! I thought with my seventy-year exposure to fundamentalism/evangelicalism, I would certainly be able to answer every question with the answers intended by the author of the test, but no…Do I laugh or cry? Forget it. 😝
Maybe laugh AND cry?
It reads like an infomercial for their publications and videos.
I taught for 38 years and got three correct.
I’ve never been so embarrassed by the human race in my life
Thank you for sharing this quiz. The aim of the quiz is to help the respondent understand worldview. To have good relations and respect with other people it is to understand each other, where they are coming from and their assumptions about the world. Not only does this help us to appreciate other people but it helps us to understand ourselves. It helps bring into the open our own assumptions and what is driving our thinking and emotions. You will not benefit from this quiz is you simply dismiss it as ludicrous and stupid. You need to understand the deep felt assumptions of the people behind this quiz, and compare your own assumptions and the basis for them.
Thanks, Mario and Myles. And Tas, I agree that it’s important to work to understand where people are coming from. But I have to say that this quiz is not about encouraging dialogue, but about instilling the “Truth” in these children.
1 out of 13. A bit ashamed I didn’t get zero.
Since my original comment will likely be deleted, the people teaching this to children claiming it as science should be jailed for child abuse, because it is abuse!
This isn’t even bible study! This is fanatical cult brainwashing.
Thanks, James, for commenting again. We appreciate your understanding of our comment policy.
I’m not sure how Genesis can be the “foundation of all major Christian doctrines” when one of the major foundations is the Passover and its fulfillment in Christ, but the Passover is instituted in Exodus.
Christians see Jesus as their saviour. What is he saving them from? Original sin. Where does original sin come from? Adam and Eve rebelling against God in the Garden of Eden. If humans evolved from non-human apes, and Adam and Eve did not exist, there is no original sin, and no need of a saviour. YECs reject evolution because it makes their entire theology fall apart.