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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: 2) by hemocyanin on Monday May 29 2017, @12:01AM (2 children)

    by hemocyanin (186) on Monday May 29 2017, @12:01AM (#516922) Journal

    I believe farting unicorns blew out the Grand Canyon as part of religious belief system. I deserve a permit to go in and dig up what belongs to all Americans to further my religion. Thank you for your support.

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  • (Score: 2) by Justin Case on Monday May 29 2017, @05:11PM (1 child)

    by Justin Case (4239) on Monday May 29 2017, @05:11PM (#517225) Journal

    You infidel! It was the Flying Spaghetti Monster that dug the canyon. I will be applying for a permit to keep chopping up the canyon rocks until I find the spaghetti fossil evidence.

    (Hint: If you start from an "ism", like Creationism, you aren't a scientist. The Canyon has millions of visitors per year, and the National Park Service doesn't hand out permits for everyone who wants a sample to take one home.)

    • (Score: 2) by Osamabobama on Tuesday May 30 2017, @11:09PM

      by Osamabobama (5842) on Tuesday May 30 2017, @11:09PM (#517966)

      It was nothing as grand as the mythical events described. The Grand Canyon was created by throngs of tourists removing rocks as souvenirs. Over time, this led to significant erosion of what was once a high plain.

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