Science Guy' Bill Nye and Prominent Christian Set to Battle It Out Over Evolution and Creationism

Scientist Bill Nye has agreed to debate Christian leader Ken Ham next month at the Creation Museum in Petersburg, Ky., where the two will face off over the ever-contentious topics of evolution and creationism.

According to a release published on AnswersInGenesis.org, the website for Ham's organization, the event will begin at 7 p.m. on Feb. 4, 2014 inside the museum's 900-seat Legacy Hall.

The two will dialogue on an agreed upon topic: "Is creation a viable model of origins in today’s modern scientific world?"

Credit: Answers in Genesis

Ham said that he's looking forward to the debate -- one that he believes will help shed light on how young people are being educated; Nye once had a popular kids' show called "Bill Nye the Science Guy" and has made comments touting the importance of evolution in children's education.

"This year, our AiG theme is ‘Standing Our Ground, Rescuing Our Kids," Ham said. "Having the opportunity to hold a cordial but spirited debate with such a well-known personality who is admired by so many young people will help bring the creation/evolution issue to the attention of many more people, including youngsters."

The creationist leader is hoping he can show Nye and the debate audience that Genesis -- and not evolution -- provides an accurate creation account.

Tickets, which will cost $25, will go on sale starting Jan. 6.

In the past, Ham and others from his organization have responded to Nye's negative claims about creationism.

Consider that Nye captured headlines in 2012 when he lambasted creationists in a Big Think video and proclaimed that teaching ideas contrary to evolutionary theory is damaging to both children and society.

Here's Nye's controversial video:

Just days after Nye’s proclamations reached millions, Answers in Genesis responded with an article and videos of its own.

In a piece entitled, "Time is Nye for a Rebuttal," Ham tackled Nye’s claims and took offense at the scientist’s purported view that those who teach creationism are, in a sense, “abusing” children.

“A recent tactic by evolutionists in their battle against creationists, one that is especially used by Richard Dawkins, is to employ an ad hominem argument—that creationists are committing a form of ‘child abuse’ when they teach creation to children,” Ham contended.

Ham responded with a video, too, noting that "Nye really doesn't understand science." Watch it:

Ham  also employed the knowledge of two PhD scientists who embrace creationism — Dr. David Menton and Dr. Georgia Purdom -- both on staff with the Creation Museum. In another anti-Nye clip, Purdom made the argument that children should be exposed to both creationism and evolution, not one or the other, exclusively.

“[Bill Nye] might be interested to know I also teach my young daughter about evolution and I know many Christian parents who do the same,” she said. “Children should be exposed to both ideas concerning our past.”

Watch that video below:

TheBlaze will cover the debate, so stay tuned for additional updates.

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Featured image via Answers in Genesis

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