'Tard of the Week - BC Tours

Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Since the UCF had such a fabulous time at the Denver Museum of History and Science yesterday, this week's 'tard is none other than "BC Tours."

In this case, "BC" stands for "Biblically Correct." As in, going places and interpreting the subject matter of the place in "Biblically Correct" terms. From their website:

"The mission of B.C. Tours is
: Communicating Biblical Truth in every area of life through tours of museums, zoos, and historical sites."


That's right, you heathens out there. "Truth" with a capital "T." As in, Truth that doesn't require the scientific method, physical evidence or logic, because Jebus told me it was True.

These bozos have been hanging around the DMNS for a number of years, as well as the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder. the Denver Zoo, the Garden of the Gods, Dinosaur Ridge and other Colorado landmarks. Their plan is to take children, with the blessing of their equally scientifically illiterate parents, and put all of this "so-called science" into a Biblical context. They promise that by the end of the tour, "you will learn how to prove Creation with the fossil record and dismiss foolish arguments based on pseudo science--not reality."

Just pasting that into my Blog makes me throw up in my mouth a little.

So basically, here's a group of non-scientists, who openly admit that they consider the Bible the literal word of God (insert picture of intellectually dishonest tour guide with his fingers in ears, lalalala). They go around to public institutions with their children in order to indoctrinate them into believing that the scientific method is a less reliable arbiter of truth than the translator who worked on their Holy Book.

They do this indoctrination in what is basically the spiritual home of the scientists whose ideas they detest, essentially spitting on their life's work. You can imagine how pleased the DMNS staff is about this. From the blog of Splendid Elles, a volunteer at the Museum:

"I once asked one of the staff members what I should do if a visitor insisted on saying the Earth is 6,000 years old. That's when he first told me about BC Tours, and how when they showed up, everyone would say "they're here" in a spiteful manner.

"Unfortunately, there is nothing they [the museum] can do. The museum is a public institution and people can go there and have their own tours if they wish, so long as they don't harass anybody in the exhibit. That's the only time when they're allowed to kick the creationists out.

"They were able to get them to stop putting the museum logo on their website, and got one of the "tour guides" to stop wearing a lab coat because they want to make it clear that BC Tours do not represent the museum.

"If there was anything more the museum could do, they would... But, to protect our freedom of speech, we have to protect theirs."

Just so. You all know I loves me some 1st Amendment rights. But that doesn't make these idiots any smarter, or less hypocritical.

I can only assume the staffs at the other locations are equally delighted by this asshat invasion.

Want to know which part makes them complete and utter 'tards?

The part where they use electricity, the Internet, modern medicine and other technological wonders that are based on the very methods they deny.

Here we have another issue of credibility. As near as I can tell, the tour guides do not hold degrees in any scientific discipline, let alone evolutionary biology. Yet they feel completely and utterly justified in putting their commentary forward as "Truth" (with a capital "T," remember) in the very home of science. And, it turns out, in a fucking lab coat, for fuck's sake. Pretentious much, you ignoramus?

BC Tours, you are absolutely, positively the 'Tard of the Week. Possibly even the 'Tard of the Last 6,000 Years.

14 comments:

John the Scientist said...

See, I'm willing to engage their arguments in a duel of logic. Up until they put on the labcoat. Then, the idea that they, as outsiders, see past blinders that I may have goes out the window, because they are acknowledging the status that I enjoy as a scientist is because, in every other context, science works.

This is a vast conspiracy theory. That my brethren in science and engineering have a method that allows us to understand the physical world so well as to develop all the great technology that keeps our lives from being nasty, brutish, and short, but in this one instance, we decide to cheat and fudge the data. And not a single real scientist stand up and denounces this. They are, in a very real way, accusing me of this intellectual crime.

I have a lot of choice words, but using them would undermine my ability to engage them as a scientist who is also a Christian. So I seethe in silence.

Janiece said...

"Science. It works, Bitches."

John, I think it's fair to say that folks like me (non-faithful non-scientists) count on people like you (faithful scientists) to call these 'tards out.

At least you have a common point of belief from which to argue.

Me? Not so much. I realize that my criticism of their world-view holds no water with them. I disagree - fundamentally - with their premise, so they can reasonably tune me out, since I've publicly branded them nutbars. So I point and laugh, and while my ridicule is fun, I have no illusion that it's effective.

vince said...

Janiece, as John probably would agree, even when you meet them on their ground and refute them, it generally does no good because they follow the idiot's creed: never let the facts sway you in the face of a higher truth.

I avoid these people and raise my voice and objections usually only when politicians get involved and want to change things based on said idiocy.

Freedom of speech means that idiots get to have their say. And we need to listen, because idiots are often dangerous.

Anonymous said...

A labcoat? Please. Everyone knows you're not a real scientist until you've got a labcoat and goggles.

Sorry I have nothing more intelligent or pithy to say, but these ass-hats annoy me so much that I lose the ability to think.

Jeri said...

I would so love to see Dr. Horrible take on creation science, in the form of a new arch-nemesis Rev. Rightwing, in the next series of installments. Sadly, though, that probably won't happen, Whedon prefers having fun to political jabs.

mom in northern said...

What you do is grab them by their lab coat collers, slam them up against those lovely marble walls, get into their face and say...
"SUPPORT MENTAL HEALTH"

This technique used to work on the bible thumpers who liked to frequent the apartment complex used by students attending SDS. This was several years ago I will admit...

Janiece said...

Tempting...

The Mechanicky Gal said...

Has anyone heard teh one that dinosaur fossils "could have been spewn out by volcanos or something"?
(I swear, told to me in all earnestness by a real person. This same person readily uses ultrasonics, radiography, and other "invisible things" to perform Non Destructive inspections on behalf of a "large governmental agency" cough cough Navy, cough cough.)

Janiece said...

Gotta love putting our country's defense into the hands of the fundies.

Erp.

Jim Wright said...

I blogged about this very group a while back, and yeah, I had exactly the same reaction as you.

Now, here's the thing. They demand equal access. They show up at scientific institutions and preach their version of Truth to their children. And under the 1st Amendment that's their right (even if I personally think this is child abuse).

OK

They've demanded equal time. I say give it to them. Equal means the equation balances. Scientists need to start taking tours to CHURCH and other religious sites and explaining to their children why a literal interpretation of religious texts is just plain fucking wrong (note: I didn't say attack the religion itself, only a literal interpretation of the text).

Equal, roger fucking that. Equal.

Janiece said...

HAHAHAHAHA!

I so want to see that!

HAHAHAHAHA!

mom in northern said...

Can I be a part of Jim's task force?

Anonymous said...

Me too, HotMom! I wanna be part of Jim's task force too!

Because that would seriously rock.

The Mechanicky Gal said...

Count me in, too. I will come armed with my volcanic-debris-that-imitates-a-fossil-to-confuse-scientists bludgeon.
Should be a hoot!