It has been a dodgy couple of days for news about my part of England. Yesterday I watched with pride as my hometown football team - Wigan Athletic - scored three goals in the first half against Blackburn. This then turned to horror as they conceded three, with my pride eventually recovering after they pulled a couple back for a scrappy 5-3 victory (first in thirteen games). Then (via PZ) I find out that the same type of creationist nonsense that we're forced to waste time and effort fighting in the U.S. is rearing its empty head in England, and in Lancashire no less! As the Observer reports
The AH Trust, a charity set up last year by a group of businessmen alarmed by the direction in which they see society heading, has identified a number of potential sites in the north west of England to build the £3.5m Christian theme park. The trust claims it already has a number of rich backers who are keen to invest in the project, which will boast two interactive cinemas, a cafeteria, six shops and a television recording studio, allowing it to produce its own Christian-themed films and documentaries.
Oh the horror! What is going on in my home country? And this isn't just a place to churn out rip-offs of The Passion of the Christ; they have other issues
'The church in this country is in crisis and many church leaders living in Australia, America and Canada have openly proclaimed that God has left the church in England,' the trust states on its website. 'Evolution has falsely become the foundation of our society and we need the television studio to advocate Genesis across this land in order to remove this falsehood, which presently is destroying the church foundation.'
It just brings tears to my eyes. But I'll end on a note of pride. Even better than Wigan breaking their losing streak at football is to read this about your hometown
The theme park's anti-evolution bias and its emphasis on Genesis has raised eyebrows among planning officials, according to Jones, who originally wanted to build the park at the site of an old B&Q store but was refused permission by the council. 'Wigan council slammed the door in our faces. You mention the C [Christian] word, and people don't want to know,'
It just warms your heart doesn't it?
