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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: 1) by khallow on Monday May 29 2017, @12:14AM

    by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Monday May 29 2017, @12:14AM (#516929) Journal
    Another obvious point here is that the NPS might not want to enable a potential fraudster. This game has been done before. Perform an elaborate science-like ritual, reach the desired conclusion, and of course, rake in the sucker money to continue the good work.