The atheist group Freedom From Religion Foundation has accused the recently-opened Museum of the Bible of “indoctrinating” visitors and vowed to give the museum the “same treatment” it has given the Ark Encounter exhibit in Williamstown, Kentucky.
In a lengthy op-ed published on Patheos.com, Andrew L. Seidel, Director of Strategic Response for the Freedom From Religion Foundation, said that while the FFRF hasn’t yet visited the Washington, D.C.-based museum, it plans to give it “the same treatment we meted out to Ken Ham’s ark park.”
“Our group has been monitoring the museum’s progress for more than three years, including filing Freedom of Information Act requests to ensure that the enterprise received no taxpayer funds. So we know a lot about the venture and its genesis,” Seidel wrote.
He pointed out that back in 2014, the FFRF prevented Hobby Lobby owner Steve Green – who is also behind the Museum of the Bible – from implementing a Bible course in Mustang, Okla., public schools.
“The materials show a clear Christian bias, treat the bible as historically accurate and true in all respects, and make theological claims, to name but a few problems,” he said. “The class was about preaching the bible, not teaching it objectively. The Greens wanted to indoctrinate, not educate.”
Seidel said he expects to see “more of the same in the Museum of the Bible.”
