There is this new museum near to my home, I am ashamed to say, called the Creation Museum.  I haven’t been, nor will I go, but it depicts how the earth was created from the literal Biblical accounts – seven days, you know.  It tries to debunk that supposed ‘myth of evolution’ by depicting Adam and Eve hanging around with the dinosaurs.  The scientists are up in arms, as are a lot of other people. But  a lot of folks are rather impressed with the museum, support it, plan to take all their out of town guests there. To each his own . . .

But I can’t help thinking about the millions of dollars that were spent to portray one side of an old and tired debate – creationism vs. evolution. I think I remember seeing $29 million in the paper. 

And I am thinking about that phrase that was popular a while back, “What would Jesus do?”

I think Jesus would have said to stop the debate and get to work helping people.  What if that $29 mil was spent providing safe, decent, affordable housing for low income families? Think what a difference that would make for those families.  They would probably not stop and worry, “But wait, someone is not getting the message about the literal intrepretation of the Bible!” They would appreciate that their children were warmer, safer, better prepared to learn. 

What if that $29 mil went to educating families about the dangers of predatory lending, and to shutting down the lenders that are trying to take advantage of those who think they have few choices.  Or if it went toward raising the minimum wage to a living wage.  Granted, $29 million would be only a drop in that very large bucket, but it would at least be a start.

Or what would $29 million do to lower our use of fossil fuels to slow the global warming crisis? Another drop in the bucket, I’m afraid, but it is a drop we must add, and soon. Instead of fighting about whether this environment we have was created or evolved, it’s time to get together to save it instead.