Science Guy' Bill Nye Responds to Claim He Attacked Christians, Says 'It's Difficult to Respect What Seems Like Irrational Thinking

"Science guy" Bill Nye told TheBlaze Wednesday that he's feeling good after his face-off last night with creationist Ken Ham. He also responded to accusations that he attacked Christians during the debate, claiming that he was merely focusing on the importance of embracing science rather than strictly Biblical tenets.

"My supporters have been very supportive. I've gotten messages from all sorts of people saying, 'Maybe it wasn't such a bad thing to go into the lion's den,'" Nye said.

The former PBS host noted that he was surprised by how "well-funded" Ham's Creation Museum is, though he expressed concern over the accuracy of at least one of the displays he observed while at the Kentucky venue for last night's event.

Nye said he voiced worries over the purported inaccuracy of a dinosaur that was on display to museum staffers, but that they essentially ignored him.

TV's "Science Guy" Bill Nye stand speaks during a debate on evolution with Creation Museum head Ken Ham, Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2014, at the Petersburg, Ky. museum. (AP Photo/Dylan Lovan)

"One thing that very much surprised me is that museum is extraordinarily well-funded and I suspect -- I'm gong to look at tax records -- I suspect that there's someone or some group of people who are throwing money at the problem," Nye explained.

On a complimentary note, the "science guy" said he was impressed by Ham's passion for his worldview and that he even respected the sentiment, though he said "it's difficult to respect what seems like irrational thinking."

Nye did accuse his opponent of not answering the key questions he asked of him -- mainly elements surrounding Ham's claim that the earth is only 6,000 years old; Nye believes that the world is actually 4.55 billion years old.

The science aficionado felt that his creationist foe failed to address points he made about Noah's Ark and Nye pointed out a purported lack of evidence backing up the theory that the earth is so young.

"He also has a very untenable position that there's a difference between natural laws you can observe right now ... and natural laws in the past," Nye continued.

He added, "It was up to him to defend his extraordinary point of view ... I don't think he did."

As for the claim that he attacked Christians during the debate, Nye brushed the notion aside, adding that he knows many religious people who are enriched, have a strong sense of community, are spiritually uplifted -- yet do not agree with Ham that the earth is only 6,000 years old.

Creation Museum head Ken Ham, right, speaks during a debate on evolution with TV's "Science Guy" Bill Nye, at the Creation Museum Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2014, in Petersburg, Ky. (AP Photo/The Courier-Journal, Matt Stone)

Nye said that he doesn't personally have a definitive faith in the almighty and that he doesn't believe the Bible offers up any basis for proving hypotheses.

"To me, I point out to everybody the cosmic scheme of things. You can't know," he said. "I'm an agnostic. With that said the earth's not 6,000 years old."

When asked if he had any definitive proof that a failure to teach children evolutionary theory would have economic consequences -- a point he has frequently made -- Nye was quick to correct the question, asking that I refer to it as an "evolutionary explanation" and noting that he believes evolution is "a provable fact."

He went on to provide anecdotal examples surrounding the failure to embrace scientific innovation, but his examples were not directly tied to the complexities surrounding evolutionary theory.

"The science we were debating last night was, at its highest, middle school science," he added later in the interview.

The debate aside, Nye said that science is the key to the future and that there is a real opportunity to advance scientific education in America if we invest in it. He believes that the investment will inevitably may off.

For a recap and to watch the nearly three-hour debate, go here.

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