Soon after the publication of your first book, Take Me For a Ride, you were sued $30 million. How do you think The Monkey Bible will compare in controversy?
Mark: The Monkey Bible touches controversial subjects—such as how humans actually came to be—in ways that gently attempt to bridge seemingly incompatible worldviews. Is it controversial to explore, and ask questions about, the story of our creation?
Phase one of The Monkey Bible Teaching Evolution Contest is complete—thanks to all those who have participated. We’re currently reviewing submissions...stay tuned!
How could it be? How could we have let it happen? First the mountain gorillas, then the orang utans, then the bonobos. Next on the list for extinction: the chimpanzees...
The above paragraph isn’t true—not yet. But it’s a possible, even likely scenario, perhaps just around the corner. Humans are likely to drive wild populations of great apes to extinction in our lifetime. Think I’m being alarmist? Think I’m overreacting? Do the research, do the math, think again.
Dear creative people! There's a wonderful Teaching Evolution Contest going on, and the deadline for submissions is April 15th!!! Please check it out!!! Don't be shy.........
Here's how it works:
Describe one or more ways of teaching evolution that is imaginative, scientifically rigorous, and designed for a religious audience. $500 1st prize and and 10 runner-up prizes.
How, really, did we get here? Did we derive from related species in a process known as evolution? Did God create us exactly as we are (if so, when)? Can both explanations be true? How so?
A related question: where are we going? Will we continue to gather genetic variation, some of which will be more suited for survival and reproduction? Will we remain exactly as we are for millions or billions of years? Can both possibilities occur? How so?
The Monkey Bible has a facebook page and below are posts which occurred after I posted the URL to a youtube video about Kentucky’s Creationist Museum.
Peter:
Amazing Ignorance flourishes in Petersburg, KY!
Bill:
bourbon plus bible= kentucky
John:
Great bourbon but really stupid people. New state logo.
Me:
The legend of BORGo, mentioned in an earlier post, describes an ape-human hybrid, the exact nature of which is unclear and open to interpretation. One story describes a creature which looks rather human, with both chimp and bonobo features. BORGo, goes the story, is articulate, dapper, and concerned.
Why is BORGo concerned? It’s because he’s confused and anxious. Confused about who he is, confused about the story of his creation. Anxious because it matters.
BORGo looks in a mirror and wonders to what extent he is bonobo and to what extent he is chimp.
Run, don't crawl, to Creation: The Movie. Saw it last night...kudos to the people behind this film...deeply moving...it humanizes the man who many demonize...like The Monkey Bible project the movie explores, gently, the line which separates and connects religion and science, humans and non-humans...it is a stunningly beautiful and thoughtful story...if you're not crying during this film it may be you're already dead. More soon on this important film which is just now opening in North American cities.
A few years ago I googled my own name as research for the Monkey Bible project. The idea was to see how my first book—Take Me For A Ride—was doing. The idea was to better understand the potential market for my second, up-coming book, The Monkey Bible.
Ever run into an angry athiest?
I did at a New Year’s party. Interesting lady: an artist, a thinker, and a host to what became for me an interesting party. We got talking about my soon-to-be-published book, The Monkey Bible, and I mentioned that I was trying through the book to build bridges between scientific and religious communities.
Suddenly, things got interesting.
