tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9045865350669064515.post590121511495666461..comments2023-10-24T04:37:49.053-07:00Comments on Ad Absurdum: Jesus Park: The Holy Land ExperienceBjorn Watlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05144413933796145344noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9045865350669064515.post-33747140151342177932009-09-22T13:47:38.957-07:002009-09-22T13:47:38.957-07:00We took our kids there last week and they had a ba...We took our kids there last week and they had a ball. Gayle, I appreciated your detailed write up and your humor. I admit the PTL and TBN flavors were a bit overboard for my taste, but we had an enjoyable experience overall. I think you have to cut them a little slack given the fact that they are in ORLANDO of all places and trying to bring in a wide audience from little kids to old folks. Try to imagine a theme park on atheism. . . Kids could play with primordial soup, watch the big bang on IMAX generated by the uncaused cause followed by a display of 100 monkeys typing on typewriters through out the ages until they could come up at random with a line from Shakespeare "To be or not to be, that is the question!" as an indication of how long it might take for DNA to randomly generate into existence. The next exhibit could a petting zoo with fun and bizarre mutations of animals with extra legs or eyes followed by a release of wolves on them to demonstrate survival of the fittest. Of course, we could educate the little tykes about punctuated equilibrium since there is no longer sufficient support for gradual evolution so we could have holograms of whales sprouting wings and humans growing antennae that sense IR and xrays plus other handy adaptations for their survival. (But make sure we card all critical thinking I.D. scientists or microbiologists at the door.) On the second to last display, we could appreciate a suspended large planet of several million live cockroaches who are destined to rule the planet after we pollute and nuke ourselves out of existence, at least until the sun supernovas. Finally, at the exit, they can walk into a black parking lot where their cars are gone and there is no light representing a universe that has finally converted all possible mass into energy and then whatever cold dark heavy matter remaining continues to expand into nothingness at an accelerating rate (according to current astronomy.) Don't forget to pay all the workers, the light bills and Orlando taxes! But I'm sure people will be lined up to want to get in and see we are only matter and the logic that we are freak accident of chemical processes and lots of time.<br /><br />Back to the B.L.E. (where there is ample room for criticism that any visitor to any theme park can level) I must say for anyone who appreciates history as well as the unique story of the Bible and its influence on western civilization (or for that matter the whole world) whether you believe in Christ/God or not, the Scriptorium is actually an amazing display well worth seeing. At first, I thought the artifacts were fake, some claiming to be up to 4000 years old. Check it out, these are the real thing! The Van Kampen Collection is on display and even though it's presented in a popular format, the depth, cultural and spiritual richness should not be lost! As you pass a mock-up of Gutenberg's press with an actual Bible printed by the original press, you have to ask the question, what drove men like this? They were running AGAINST the establishment. Why is it that the Chinese, with the invention of the printing press HUNDREDS of years prior didn't have the same impact on their culture, technology and industry? We are fond of looking in the West to Gutenberg's technological contribution as a key to the Enlightenment and Industrial Revolution, but perhaps it has much more to do to with the words printed on the pages! T.A.I.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00466674986355707742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9045865350669064515.post-39618344472697774312008-10-12T06:49:00.000-07:002008-10-12T06:49:00.000-07:00Well, that certainly sounded like a horrible exper...Well, that certainly sounded like a horrible experience. It's scary to think what is out there to try and get people "into the fold". I remember when PTL was huge in the early 90"s before Jim and Tammi got busted by the Feds. Alot of people I worked wih were really into them, sent them money and truly believed in their message. I think if I were a disciple in Jesus day (or today) I would be Thomas simply bcause their are so many people preaching false messages out here. They want to sell me trinkets, religious gadgets and simple answers. They tell me I can be successful and rich because God loves His children and wants them to be happy and successful. Well, I am. I've got a great family, pets and good job, I'm not being foreclosed on. Increasing your faith is a daily task. It requires patience, reading, learning, prayer and learning to accept answers to prayers. Sometimes we don't get the answer we want or the answer is simply "wait". Oh well, you got an experience you'll probably never forget.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17485922772616761258noreply@blogger.com