The inane debate over creationism has found a new battleground, Kenya. Apparently in addition to normal commodities, we are now exporting Evangelicals and creationist teachings.
The AP reports that in the birthplace of humanity, some of the most important and complete skeletons of early humans are in danger from American-style Evangelicals.
More below...
Apparently there is a rather large American Evangelical movement in Kenya today.
The AP reports that the most complete skeleton ever found of an early hominid, "Turkana Boy," is set to go on public display for the first time ever. What should be a powerful and enlightening exhibit of the biological history of mankind and the legacy of Kenya, is now boycott fodder for American-trained Evangelicals in Kenya.
"I did not evolve from Turkana Boy or anything like it," says Bishop Boniface Adoyo, head of Kenya's 35 evangelical denominations, which he claims have 10 million followers. "These sorts of silly views are killing our faith."
Their solution? Shove the bones into deep storage and label them with a warning that evolution is just one of many theories. (Possibly so that when some poor curator in the future stumbles onto the abandoned fossils, they won't be fooled into thinking they are from a human ancestor.)
Richard Leakey, probably the most famous hunter of hominid fossils is now forced to defend his scientific finds:
"Whether the bishop likes it or not, Turkana Boy is a distant relation of his," Leakey, who founded the museum's prehistory department, told The Associated Press. "The bishop is descended from the apes and these fossils tell how he evolved."
The potential danger to the study of evolutionary biology goes far beyond the potential censorship of a single exhibition. If the so many Kenyans are taught to hate and fear these fossils, I dread what will happoen when more are found. Gone will be any cooperation between Mr. Leakey and native Kenyans. New fossils might be destroyed before the scientific community ever finds out.
Furthermore, I fear damage is being done to the Kenyan people by exporting this extreme brand of Christian fundamentalism. I am by no means qualified to comment on the effects of missionary work in Africa. But this seems an especially insidious form. It is not merely supplanting native culture or religion. It is creating a generation of Kenyans lacking a credible education in the sciences. If the Bishop's numbers are correct, nearly 30% of Kenyans would be ill prepared for higher education in the sciences. Creationist teachings are already creating a class of second-classs children in our own country (as I wrote about here). Do we really have to export this problem to Kenya too?
This is not the type of aid we should be giving to Africa.