to think that if you are going to present intelligent design to children as fact there should be some indication of this?

[ArmadilloDaMan]

Took ds to a zoo today. As it was half term they were running some extra events.

One was a talk on the animals with the chance to bottle feed lambs and to stroke an alligator. So we went.

It was a detailed talk on different kinds of farm animals and things like crops (they are also a working farm) and well aimed to cover all ages of children.

So far so good. Me and dp thought it was a little odd when they showed a donkey and said the cross was the result of Jesus (you probably know the story) and then the slide show changed from pictures of animals to crosses on a hill in the sunset. They presented it as fact rather than an idea, but we thought no more than odd.

Then they started discussing how chickens grow in an egg (with live chicken, baby chick and egg along with slides). All fine (well the picture on the screen of a live chick next to one lying down with the caption - live body, dead body, both the same body- but they didn't talk about it adn the children were too interested in the chicken trying to escape).

However then he started talking about DNA and genomes. And how they are obviously designed. Therefore there must be a designer and that designer is God. Talked for a few minutes on the subject.

As we went around other areas of zoo there were posters on 'why men and apes are not related' and other such topics, but mostly you would need a GCSE level in science to even start to understand them, so again not too bothered about that (anyone of that age knows enough to make their own mind up).

However there is no indication on the advertising stuff that they are even a christian organisation, let alone one that believes in intelligent design. And if like us you did not go into the undercover areas until the talk you would have no idea.

So AIBU to think that they should at least promote this on their leaflets so people are aware and can choose whether or not they want their children introduced to this as fact before they go?

[ArmadilloDaMan]

see there is no indication of that on the site.

I have no problems with it being a christian organisation (for those that know Bristol - WIndmill Hill City Farm is also one, but I can't remember them forcing ideas onto others as fact). BUt I think it should be on advertising literature if they want to promote these ideas.

I don't think the name is enough as it has, in some cases (shops etc I have seen) fallen into generalised use so I wouldn't assume it was necessarily christian from the name, as the leaflet gave no indication.

[Pruners]

Message withdrawn

[PeachyFleshCrawlingWithBugs]

Thinki they took a while to get it up and going IIRC- though may have it confused with another local similar place that went under.
Actually can think of a few animally palces in that area that did (sister worked for a palce called secret wrold- animal rescue centre- that almost did and wasnt far away)

Although I suppose God was watching over them, and all that.

[choosyfloosy]

Yes I think they should advertise their purpose more clearly. YANBU. (Sorry, is this even in AIBU?)

[mesaloca]

YANBU.

Unless they are upfront about what is going on there, unsuspecting folk are giving these people funding for what they are doing.

Nice zoo or not I would not choose to give money to groups peddling nonsense.

[Pruners]

Message withdrawn

[CrookshanksinJimmyChoos]

Windmill Hill Farm as well??? How am I not noticing it when I visit these places?? I know, its my hejab...it scares them...

Mind you, this could explain why it took me ages to get given a guinea pig for a cuddle at Noah's Ark...

[talulasmum]

sorry armadillodaman, got half way through your op and fell asleep.

couldnt you of shortened it a bit

[CrookshanksinJimmyChoos]

She was trying to get her point across...

Hope you enjoyed your nap

[UnquietDad]

Time for my favourite diagram again

my favourite diagram

[CrookshanksinJimmyChoos]

Lol at diagram!!!

Mind you, I've found Islam and Science do marry very well together - one of the reasons why I'm so happy with it

[ArmadilloDaMan]

lol at diagram.

Hello crookshanks!

[CrookshanksinJimmyChoos]

Hiya Dillo - look how your thread has grown since you left it!!!

[ArmadilloDaMan]

I know

[Blu]

It is all there, dep in the website, here
Outrageous that they make sucha song and dance about helping with SATS etc...but i guess the schools do have it sussed.

[CrookshanksinJimmyChoos]

I still maintain that the reason they took so long to give me a guinea pig to cuddle was cos of my hejab....nothing to do with fact that I was only adult in sea of kids and they prob thought fgs, let the kids have a go you selfish mother!!!

I paid to get in - why can't I cuddle a guinea pig!!!

[Blu]

You woz robbed, Crookshanks!

Or maybe they thought people in hejab don't like to cuddle little pigs of any description, and were having an over-zealous outbreak of religious tolerance to other faiths

[CrookshanksinJimmyChoos]

That was it Blu!!!

I did get some funny looks that day I tell you! Was only when I went to the Gift shop and saw the books that I started to think ahhhh.....

Mind you, we went to the monkey/gibbon what ever enclosure and the deviant little bastards start shagging! Cue me turning DS's buggy away (I don't know why!!), DH chortling and all this going on and they probably weren't even married primates!!!! Is that the right message to be giving out??? I think not....

[Blu]

LOL!

[madamez]

I'd have asked for my money back. Don't want to give funding to bunch of nutters, thanks. DOn't actually want to give funding to any propaganda if it's sneaked up on me.

[portonovo]

That's funny, we've been there and found that side of it to be much more low-key. The only part where it was really evident was in the education centre bit where they had the huge Noah's Ark model (my husband did have a laugh at their timeline, his specialist subject is geology), and I think a lot of visitors missed that bit out unless it was poor weather and just did the outdoor bits and the playbarn! There didn't seem to be many people looking in that bit, everyone seemed to be there for the animals and the play areas!

There weren't any posters in the playbarn (this was about 2 years ago), and certainly no mention of intelligent design in any of the talks! I don't know if that was one particular member of staff being a bit over the top or whether they've changed how they do things.

Have to say though, it was one of places my children loved most in that area, and it was a really good-value family day out. Perhaps we need to do a return visit to suss out how/whether things have changed! I'm intrigued now...

[edam]

YANBU. They should not be tricking people. Or pretending their beliefs are science. They aren't.

If their beliefs were any good, they wouldn't have to be so underhand about it, would they?

[ArmadilloDaMan]

IT's lovely when so many agree with you

I found the 15th century manuscript tracing the English kings back to Adam hilarious when presented as truth (covered this sort of thing in my degree), but sadly couple on bench were blocking half of it and I thought it was rude to move them.

[PeachyFleshCrawlingWithBugs]

if you believe in christianity then EVERYBODY traces back to Adam- not just Kings! I'd have been so sorely tempted to add Muhammad, Buddha, Mahavira.....

Crookshanks hardly surprising Islam and Scinece amrry better..... Muslims pratically invented the discipline after all (albeit from influence from Chinese and greek philosophy). (noew that's what MY degree presentation was on alst eyar, LOL )

[StIncognita]

Are you down Bristol way?