January 16, 2013
A Bible scholar says that “Think outside the box” provides “the cutest response to creationism ever.”
Dr. James F. McGrath, who is associate professor of religion and the Clarence L. Goodwin Chair in New Testament Language and Literature at Butler University in Indianapolis,
Indiana, posted this illustrated story on his Exploring Our Matrix blog on Patheos. The story’s message (“acted out” here by stuffed animals) could apply to a rigid, unquestioned belief about a world created in six literal days six thousand years ago, or its message could apply to any number of ways we humans tend to close our minds about any topic even though the evidence is right before our eyes. Somehow many people have gotten the idea that our senses can’t be trusted, that questioning is wrong, and that thinking otherwise is a lack of faith. (Incidentally, if you follow the link to “My [confined] Space” posted at the end of McGrath’s post, you’ll be able to trace down some comments from the original poster who says that the two bunnies were by no means meant to suggest gender stereotypes, although some have read that intention into it. The story was first posted on Reddit and then reposted on numerous other sites.)