Hominid fossils ‘under threat’ in Kenya

NAIROBI – The global debate between scientists and conservative Christians over evolution has hit Kenya, where an exhibit of one of the world’s finest collections of early hominid fossils is under threat.

As the famed National Museum of Kenya (NMK) prepared to re-open next year after massive European Union-funded renovations, evangelicals were demanding the display be removed or at least shunted to a less prominent location. They said the “Origins of Man” exhibit, comprised of pre-historic finds from around Africa’s Great Rift Valley considered by many to be the cradle of humanity, was offensive as it promoted Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution.Bishop Boniface Adoyo, who was leading a campaign against the exhibit, said: “When museums put it out there that man evolved from apes, theologically they are affecting many people who are Christians, who believe God created us.”He said: “It’s creating a big weapon against Christians that’s killing our faith”, calling evolution theory an “insult” and dangerous to youths.Adoyo, of Nairobi’s “Christ is the Answer Ministries” and chairperson of the Evangelical Alliance of Kenya, which claimed to represent churches of 35 denominations with nine million members, said: “When children go to museums they’ll start believing we evolved from these apes.This is not the truth.” The bishop’s high-profile drive to force the government-funded museum to downgrade what was arguably its most important collection had put him squarely at odds with the scientific community and curators.Many of the fossils were discovered by legendary paleontologists Louis and Mary Leakey in east Africa whose pre-historic finds around the Olduvai Gorge, Lake Victoria and Lake Turkana were seen by many as proof of Darwin’s theory.Their son, Richard, a noted anthropologist and conservationist, was particularly disturbed by the furore .He said: “The church is being ridiculous.The church leaders are out of step.They should concentrate on their faith and leave scientists to concentrate on their historical work and defend it.News24They said the “Origins of Man” exhibit, comprised of pre-historic finds from around Africa’s Great Rift Valley considered by many to be the cradle of humanity, was offensive as it promoted Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution.Bishop Boniface Adoyo, who was leading a campaign against the exhibit, said: “When museums put it out there that man evolved from apes, theologically they are affecting many people who are Christians, who believe God created us.”He said: “It’s creating a big weapon against Christians that’s killing our faith”, calling evolution theory an “insult” and dangerous to youths.Adoyo, of Nairobi’s “Christ is the Answer Ministries” and chairperson of the Evangelical Alliance of Kenya, which claimed to represent churches of 35 denominations with nine million members, said: “When children go to museums they’ll start believing we evolved from these apes.This is not the truth.” The bishop’s high-profile drive to force the government-funded museum to downgrade what was arguably its most important collection had put him squarely at odds with the scientific community and curators.Many of the fossils were discovered by legendary paleontologists Louis and Mary Leakey in east Africa whose pre-historic finds around the Olduvai Gorge, Lake Victoria and Lake Turkana were seen by many as proof of Darwin’s theory.Their son, Richard, a noted anthropologist and conservationist, was particularly disturbed by the furore .He said: “The church is being ridiculous.The church leaders are out of step.They should concentrate on their faith and leave scientists to concentrate on their historical work and defend it.News24