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Creationist Geologist Sues the National Park Service Over Grand Canyon Sample Collection

posted by on Sunday May 28 2017, @03:22PM   Printer-friendly
from the why-so-choosy-about-rocks? dept.

takyon writes:

http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2017/05/creationist-geologist-sues-us-park-service-after-it-rejects-request-collect-samples

The Interior Department is facing a lawsuit from a Christian geologist who claims he was not allowed to collect rocks from Grand Canyon National Park because of his creationist beliefs.

In the suit filed earlier this month, the Australian geologist, Andrew Snelling, says that religious discrimination was behind the National Park Service's (NRS's) decision to deny him a permit to gather samples from four locations in the park.

Snelling had hoped to gather the rocks to support the creationist belief that a global flood about 4,300 years ago was responsible for rock layers and fossil deposits around the world.

NPS's actions "demonstrate animus towards the religious viewpoints of Dr. Snelling," the complaint alleges, "and violate Dr. Snelling's free exercise rights by imposing inappropriate and unnecessary religious tests to his access to the park."

The lawsuit was filed May 9 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona. NPS has yet to respond to the allegations.

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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday May 28 2017, @06:12PM (9 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Sunday May 28 2017, @06:12PM (#516829)

    The same problem as with exploring the possibility we are all surrounded by invisible clowns: complete lack of evidence for the hypothesis and overwhelming amount of evidence that contradicts it.

  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday May 28 2017, @06:36PM (7 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Sunday May 28 2017, @06:36PM (#516837)

    "Complete lack of evidence?" There are cultures all around the world that have the same story about a huge flood sometime in the distant past.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flood_myth [wikipedia.org]

    • (Score: 3, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday May 28 2017, @06:44PM (4 children)

      by Anonymous Coward on Sunday May 28 2017, @06:44PM (#516841)

      Peoples all around the world also believe in a giant sky fairy who watches to see if we touch ourselves at night and, if we're really good, helps our football team win.

      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday May 28 2017, @09:01PM (3 children)

        by Anonymous Coward on Sunday May 28 2017, @09:01PM (#516872)

        What if we touch ourselves during the day? Or does he only hover over the night side of the earth?

        • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday May 28 2017, @10:59PM (2 children)

          by Anonymous Coward on Sunday May 28 2017, @10:59PM (#516902)

          Son, don't touch yourself. It ain't worth it. Be extra careful not to shake off too much after you pee. And as for wiping after pooping... that's a thin sheet of paper away from sodomy. If your finger slips thru, boy you're fucked. He is watching.

          • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday May 28 2017, @11:42PM

            by Anonymous Coward on Sunday May 28 2017, @11:42PM (#516915)

            That's why I don't wipe.

          • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday May 29 2017, @12:21AM

            by Anonymous Coward on Monday May 29 2017, @12:21AM (#516933)

            I have an important safety tip for this weekend! I'm guessing I'm not the only person eating hot wings, so MAKE SURE to wash your hands THOROUGHLY after you've had your fill! Otherwise the giant sky fairy will give your genitals a sample of the fires of hell when you whack off!

    • (Score: 2) by hemocyanin on Monday May 29 2017, @12:04AM

      by hemocyanin (186) on Monday May 29 2017, @12:04AM (#516924) Journal

      Right, because destructive floods are so rare and people only recently developed a sense of hyperbole.

    • (Score: 2, Insightful) by khallow on Monday May 29 2017, @12:07AM

      by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Monday May 29 2017, @12:07AM (#516926) Journal

      "Complete lack of evidence?" There are cultures all around the world that have the same story about a huge flood sometime in the distant past.

      Every culture experiences floods even the ones in the driest of deserts. Flood myths would be universal anyway. Thus, the widespread presence of flood myths is not evidence for a global flood. It's just evidence that all parts of the world can flood.

  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday May 28 2017, @06:37PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Sunday May 28 2017, @06:37PM (#516838)

    Why do you hate the invisible dragon in my garage? :(