Creation Museum to host anti-abortion event with extremist pastor, Ky legislators | Opinion

Ken Ham and Answers in Genesis (AiG), along with the extremist Jeff Durbin of Arizona’s Apologia Church are hosting a political event for pastors at the Creation Museum this Wednesday, Jan. 25 to support pending Kentucky anti-abortion legislation.

If you’re not familiar with Rev. Durbin has gone full Taliban and advocated the execution of women who have had abortions. To my knowledge this legislation has not yet been introduced as of Jan. 23. The leaders of this event and pastors who attend have every right to speak their minds on abortion, but by supporting and sponsoring specific legislation they are stepping into politics.

Back in March 2007, when the Creation Museum was about to open, AiG’s Mark Looy and Ken Ham penned a post to their website titled “Goose-stepping to Zion.” This essay claims AiG is “apolitical” and states:

“…AiG is apolitical. It avoids the political arena. It’s not our job to change the culture—it’s our job to disseminate information, proclaim the gospel, and stand on the authority of God’s Word … and THEN see hearts changed for the Lord.

Now, if these changed lives impact the culture, and if God blesses that, then we’re happy to see it. But we’re not going to be an activist ministry in the sense of legislating, litigating or lobbying key leaders to mandate change in society.”

Obviously, policy on politicking has changed for AiG since 2007. Last October AiG had an “Answers for Pastors” meeting at the Ark Encounter featuring White Christian Nationalist Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council. The Family Research Council has been identified as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

I think this upcoming political rally for pastors supporting specific legislation is particularly disturbing, and not because it is about abortion. This event indicates Ham/AiG are becoming more overtly involved in Kentucky politics. Will Kentuckians see AiG become more involved in a multitude of political issues? Will AiG begin to endorse political candidates? Ken Ham is the CEO of AiG and his organization owns the Creation Museum where this event is taking place. Disturbingly, AiG also owns the Ark Encounter, a for-profit business that receives $1.825 million per year sales tax rebate from the Kentucky Tourism Cabinet. AiG is considered a 501(c)(3) religious non-profit and this status may preclude such political activities under the Johnson Amendment of the US tax code. Alas, the IRS has generally been lax in enforcement of the Johnson Amendment.

It will be interesting to see which state legislators, candidates for governor, and other politicians attend the Creation Museum rally. The separation of church and state in Kentucky looks weak at this writing. Meanwhile, AiG’s influence in Kentucky, political and otherwise, continues to grow.

Dan Phelps is a Kentucky native and a long-time critic of the Creation Museum and Ark Encounter. He appeared in the documentary “We Believe in Dinosaurs.”