7 Wonders Museum
Encyclopedia
The 7 Wonders Creation Museum, also 7 Wonders Museum of Mount St. Helens, is a museum and bookstore dedicated to promoting young Earth creationism
in Silverlake, Washington (or Toutle, Washington
) near Mount St. Helens
, United States
. Admission is free, and often accompanied by a guided tour of volcano sights.
The two-room museum was founded in 1998 by Lloyd and Doris Anderson, who live in a nearby house. Lloyd Anderson, born circa 1934, has a master's degree
in theology
from Dallas Theological Seminary
, and is a retired former pastor
; his wife Doris has worked as a registered nurse and journalist. The 7 Wonders Museum takes its name from seven Mount St. Helens land features that changed in no more than a few years. Lloyd claims that it offers creation evidence
to support the Bible as "without error in the original writing." The Andersons see the eruption as divine evidence for young earth creationism
, and see their museum as a counterpoint to the many shops and visitors centers near Mount St. Helens conveying the secular view.
The scientific community considers creationism to be pseudoscience
. As a result, science organizations, such as the National Center for Science Education
, criticize the promotion of creationism as a form of non-science. Scientists say the museum rejects modern science because it that doesn't agree with the museums preconceived religious views, and misleads visitors by extrapolating very special geologic events into equivalence with much longer-term events.
Wilfred Elders, an emeritus professor of geology at the University of California-Riverside and a former chairman of the Education Committee of the Geothermal Resources Council of the U.S.A. stated:
Young Earth creationism
Young Earth creationism is the religious belief that Heavens, Earth, and all life on Earth were created by direct acts of the Abrahamic God during a relatively short period, sometime between 5,700 and 10,000 years ago...
in Silverlake, Washington (or Toutle, Washington
Toutle, Washington
Toutle is an unincorporated community in Cowlitz County, Washington, United States. Toutle is located approximately ten miles east on SR 504 from exit 49 of I-5. Toutle is not very far from the well-known Mount St. Helens...
) near Mount St. Helens
Mount St. Helens
Mount St. Helens is an active stratovolcano located in Skamania County, Washington, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is south of Seattle, Washington and northeast of Portland, Oregon. Mount St. Helens takes its English name from the British diplomat Lord St Helens, a...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Admission is free, and often accompanied by a guided tour of volcano sights.
The two-room museum was founded in 1998 by Lloyd and Doris Anderson, who live in a nearby house. Lloyd Anderson, born circa 1934, has a master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
from Dallas Theological Seminary
Dallas Theological Seminary
Dallas Theological Seminary is an evangelical theological seminary located in Dallas, Texas. It is known for popularizing the theological system known as Dispensationalism...
, and is a retired former pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
; his wife Doris has worked as a registered nurse and journalist. The 7 Wonders Museum takes its name from seven Mount St. Helens land features that changed in no more than a few years. Lloyd claims that it offers creation evidence
Creation science
Creation Science or scientific creationism is a branch of creationism that attempts to provide scientific support for the Genesis creation narrative in the Book of Genesis and disprove generally accepted scientific facts, theories and scientific paradigms about the history of the Earth, cosmology...
to support the Bible as "without error in the original writing." The Andersons see the eruption as divine evidence for young earth creationism
Young Earth creationism
Young Earth creationism is the religious belief that Heavens, Earth, and all life on Earth were created by direct acts of the Abrahamic God during a relatively short period, sometime between 5,700 and 10,000 years ago...
, and see their museum as a counterpoint to the many shops and visitors centers near Mount St. Helens conveying the secular view.
The scientific community considers creationism to be pseudoscience
Pseudoscience
Pseudoscience is a claim, belief, or practice which is presented as scientific, but which does not adhere to a valid scientific method, lacks supporting evidence or plausibility, cannot be reliably tested, or otherwise lacks scientific status...
. As a result, science organizations, such as the National Center for Science Education
National Center for Science Education
The National Center for Science Education is a non-profit organization based in Oakland, California affiliated with the American Association for the Advancement of Science. It is the United States' leading anti-creationist organization, and defends the teaching of evolutionary biology and opposes...
, criticize the promotion of creationism as a form of non-science. Scientists say the museum rejects modern science because it that doesn't agree with the museums preconceived religious views, and misleads visitors by extrapolating very special geologic events into equivalence with much longer-term events.
Wilfred Elders, an emeritus professor of geology at the University of California-Riverside and a former chairman of the Education Committee of the Geothermal Resources Council of the U.S.A. stated:
External links
- 7 Wonders Museum of Mount St. Helens official site