Biblical Authority -
Biblical Relevance -
Graffiti Alley -
Culture in Crisis -
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Biblical Authority - Resistance is Futile!
Trekkies are undoubtedly familiar with fictional race known as the Borg
and their popular refrain: “Resistance is futile. You will be
assimilated.” Like the Borg the Creationists display tenacity and guile
to which this museum stands as a testament. In this part of the museum
you’re constantly reminded that God’s Word will prevail, regardless of
science and other secular movements. Why? Because it always has. This
is the mantra that is repeated over and over by soothing voices
accompanied by soft music as you walk through the section known as
Biblical Authority. As the name suggests, this cozy room was set up
with the sole intention of convincing you that the Bible is The
Authority, and The Way to a better life, and by extension, a better
world. The solemn yet friendly faces of life size representations of
prophets along with Jesus’ empty tomb set to soft music and video makes
you feel eerily comfortable.
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Biblical Relevance - God is Dead
As with the entire museum the next exhibit, Biblical Relevance,
dovetails beautifully with the previous one. As you enter the room you
encounter a mannequin of Martin Luther nailing his 95 Theses to the
door of the castle church at Wittenberg followed by a replica printing
press symbolizing the Bible's prominent place in history, its
prevalence, and, of course, its relevance. It's at this point that
things take a turn for the worse. You're shown how Christianity and
God's word have come under attack in recent history with an artistic
rendering of the Scopes Trial, a symbol of the anti-Christian movement.
The exhibit ends with a truly beautiful mural that conjures Nietzsche's
infamous declaration: God is Dead.
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Graffiti Alley - Shock to the System
Logically the death of God, or the loss of faith in God, would lead to
a fall from God’s grace and a culture in crisis. However, before you
get to the actual Culture in Crisis exhibit you must pass through
Graffiti Alley. This mini-exhibit marks the break with the previous
ambivalent treatment of secularism. Mimicking an inner city alley, the
hallway is replete with cigarette butts, a cardboard sign presumably
left behind by a homeless person that once took this space up as his or
her home, graffiti, faux brick walls, and even a pair of shoes dangling
from the ceiling. Collages composed of clippings from magazines and
newspapers carefully selected from articles dealing with abortion,
Columbine, and other cultural atrocities litter the walls. The previous
room foreshadowed such a change, but not enough to deflect the shock
you feel when entering such a visually alarming space.
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Culture in Crisis - Peeping Thomas
The final exhibit in the sequence is Culture in Crisis. Here there’s a
row of house facades that allow you to peep through their front windows
into modern dysfunctional family life. The façade of a church is up
ahead, a wrecking ball symbolically tears down the Christian faith
while a man with a familiar face (you’ve seen it at the dig site and
you’ll see him again throughout the museum) works to rebuild it.
Statistics are presented indicating the current trend in the decline of
Christianity, which the boorish goings-on in the room are
representatives of. The room also serves a utilitarian purpose: it is a
waiting area for the upcoming short film of the Six Days of Creation.
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Exhibits: Biblical Authority
