This isn’t a joke. Well, it is a joke, but it’s a completely serious joke.

You know how Creationists often complain they can’t get published in peer-reviewed journals? Well, Answers in Genesis (the Creation Museum people) began their own “journal” a while back so they could say, “Creationists get published, too!” The idea is that if it looks professional, gullible children (and adults) will think AiG does real science!

And the latest published, peer-reviewed paper is a perfect example of how Creationists approach big questions. Simon Turpin tackles the question we’ve all been wondering: “Did death of any kind exist before the Fall?” (PDF)

This paper will demonstrate that human physical and spiritual death, together with the death of animals, came about through the disobedience of one man by examining nine key passages: Genesis 1, 2, and 3; Acts 3:21; Romans 5:12–21; 8:19–22; 1 Corinthians 15:22–55; Colossians 1:15–21 and Revelation 21–22.

Conclusion: Death did not occur before Adam sinned.

Evidence: The Bible said so.

Someone give this man a Nobel Prize now.

Take a look at how he builds his case:

There are three lines of evidence in Genesis 1 that rule out the possibility of any kind of death or disease before Adam’s disobedience: the length of the days of creation, the vegetarian diet prescribed to man and animals in Genesis 1:29–30, and God’s declaration that His completed creation was very good.

Evidence! He actually, seriously used the word “evidence”!

And what does his “evidence” say?

God created the world in six 24-hour days… so there wasn’t enough time for anything to die.

God made all humans and animals vegetarian… so they didn’t eat each other.

And God liked what he made… so he wouldn’t want anything to die.

Therefore… proof.

The paper goes on like this for a while. Find something in the Bible. Back it up with something else in the Bible. Cite the Bible. (And a whole bunch of theologians.) Call yourself a scientist.

And keep in mind: This is one of the papers that got through the vetting process! What the hell got turned down?!



