The Creationists at Answers in Genesis think they know why Libby Anne — who was raised in a fundamentalist family — is now an atheist. Obviously, she just didn’t understand the Bible. Or she attended a secular school. Or she took a wrong turn somewhere down the line.
It’s insulting and demeaning and Libby Anne has responses to all of it:
… if the only way to preserve your creationist beliefs is to not have them challenged — i.e. not attend a college that teaches any contrary view — that says more about your beliefs than anything else. If creationism is true, someone raised as I was should have no problem defending it.
…
… I didn’t “give up.” Rather, I realized I had been wrong. There’s a big difference there. And once I saw that creationism didn’t actually hold water, and that evolution was supported by the evidence, I had the intellectual honesty to change my mind. Why? Because that’s what you do when you realize you were wrong.
…
… My goal is not to teach [my daughter] to believe one specific thing, but to open her mind and teach her to think critically and come to her own conclusions. Ken Ham and Dr. Purdom, though, refuse to do that. Because, apparently, exposing children to a variety of viewpoints and teaching them to think critically and make their own decisions is dangerous.
I wonder if Ken Ham remembers the little girl in braids who stood in awe in his presence and eagerly asked him for his autograph all those years ago. Probably not. But that little girl, that little girl fascinated by science and ever eager to find truth, she’s still here. She’s just sitting on the other side of the fence now.
It’s a powerful response worth reading in full.
Also incredible is how neither Ken Ham nor Georgia Purdom have the guts to actually link to Libby Anne’s website, as if they’re afraid their followers might — *gasp* — get exposed to new ideas.
It’s Moving Day for the Friendly ..."
It’s Moving Day for the Friendly ..."
It’s Moving Day for the Friendly ..."
It’s Moving Day for the Friendly ..."