Answers in Genesis – How About Spreading Some Love If You Want to Represent Christ Best?

“If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God.” 1 Peter 4:11

It was recently reported that Answers in Genesis, the excellent creationist ministry, had put up a huge, colorful billboard on a high traffic corner in New York City. What did the billboard say? “To all our atheist friends – Thank God you’re wrong”. Somehow, we have to think this will be a less than effective approach to reach our atheist friends. No matter the intent, it is pretty obvious atheists will see the message as confrontational at a minimum. CNN’s headline said Answers in Genesis was “taunting” atheists. Answers in Genesis CEO Ken Ham was reported to say this ad would cost the ministry between $150,000 and $200,000 hard-earned donor dollars. It is hard for us to see how Jesus would have approved this ad, dripping with cockiness rather than humility and love, had he been the Chairman of the board at Answers in Genesis. MinistryWatch.com is certain this money could have been spent in a more effective manner if the goal was really to draw atheists to Christ. We hope the ministry will quickly cancel this effort and replace it with an apology for their bad behavior, even if they sincerely were not aware of how the message would be received. We suspect this would really get the ministry attention, and the right kind of attention as well. No matter how bad atheist groups may act towards Christians, a loving response from us speaks much louder than a taunting one. Answers in Genesis’ ad missed the mark and donors have a right to question why their gifts to the ministry where used in this manner. The ad not only hurts Answers in Genesis, it undermines the reputations of all Christians in the eyes of many. Thankfully, the ministry’s larger efforts are typically very well done and we would recommend their Creation Museum to anyone, skeptics included. This small episode is not the norm at Answers in Genesis and we all make mistakes. But Ham would be wise to correct it quickly.