☆ TexasFreethinker ☆ Posted June 30, 2005 Share Posted June 30, 2005 Tulsa Parks Board To Revisit Decision On Zoo Display POSTED: 12:08 pm CDT June 29, 2005 TULSA, Okla. -- The Tulsa Parks and Recreation Board plans to revisit its vote to allow a display at the Tulsa Zoo that includes a biblical account of how the Earth was created, a department manager said. Board members want to clarify their June 7 motion, which was approved 3-1, in favor of the display, said Ross Weller, Park and Recreation Department administrative manager. "One or more of the board's members misconstrued what the motion was so they want to clarify that," Weller said. "The misunderstanding is who would design the exhibit and what the content will be." Board Chairman Walt Helmerich said there are some discrepancies between the written minutes of the meeting and the recorded oral minutes regarding the exhibit's content and design. Helmerich said a team organized by the zoo plans to put together an exhibit composed of six or seven creationist stories - all equal in size and text amount. Dan Hicks, a conservative Christian activist who proposed the Genesis story exhibit, said he wants the creationist story to be displayed as he presented it at the meeting. "What we voted on was my proposal and that the content will not be adulterated," Hicks said, noting that the text for the display comes directly from the Bible. Hicks said he has hired a sign company to build a full-scale mock-up of the 5-foot-by-3-foot display. "I have no problem with the zoo making the final display as long as they don't adulterate the content," Hicks said. Helmerich said quoting the Bible verses verbatim likely will be too lengthy for the exhibit. A newly organized group called Friends of Religion and Science has collected about 1,000 signatures on a petition asking the park board to reverse its decision, member Brian Cross said. The group plans to attend the board's next meeting, which is yet to be scheduled. "It's bad for science. It's bad for religion, and it's bad for the zoo," Cross said. "There's been such a groundswell of opposition to this display." Hicks and Mayor Bill LaFortune, who voted in favor of the exhibit, said a zoo sculpture said to depict the Hindu god Ganesha opens the door to equal representation of art depicting the Christian perspective. From here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
☆ TexasFreethinker ☆ Posted June 30, 2005 Author Share Posted June 30, 2005 "I have no problem with the zoo making the final display as long as they don't adulterate the content," Hicks said. Helmerich said quoting the Bible verses verbatim likely will be too lengthy for the exhibit. This Hicks guy needs to simmer down. Nobody is going to stop and read every word of the genesis creation account while at the zoo. He's just following with that superstitious christian belief that the more the scripture is written, the more God's presence will be there... or something like that. Hicks and Mayor Bill LaFortune, who voted in favor of the exhibit, said a zoo sculpture said to depict the Hindu god Ganesha opens the door to equal representation of art depicting the Christian perspective. I wonder if the Hindus are demanding that huge portions of the Vedas be added to the Ganesha sculpture? Probably not. I think it's funny that the Hick kept using the word "adulterate". Preachers have a talent at making everything sound like a horrendous sin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
☆ TexasFreethinker ☆ Posted June 30, 2005 Author Share Posted June 30, 2005 LOL! The zoo board should come back and say, "We have been fornicating with your plans and decided to bastardize your scriptures. Your initial plans have been aborted. Have a nice day." I think you have the beginnings of a great letter to the editor of the Tulsa World! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
☆ TexasFreethinker ☆ Posted July 6, 2005 Author Share Posted July 6, 2005 CLICK HERE to send an email message to Tulsa City government officials urging them not to install creationist exhibits in their zoo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texmex2003 Posted August 3, 2005 Share Posted August 3, 2005 Good news on this, the zoo board has taken away the creation display by using the excuse (if I remember correctly) "the display was too large". It seems the Rev Hicks wanted to place all of Genesis 1 on the display. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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