THE Grand Canyon was formed a few thousand years ago by Noah鈥檚 flood, and not a few million years ago by geological forces, right? So says a glossy book still on sale in Grand Canyon National Park, despite scientists鈥� protests.
The National Park Service has been promising to reconsider whether to sell the book since 2003 (New 杏吧原创, 9 July 2005, p 8), but an investigation by the Washington DC-based pressure group Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility discovered that the review hasn鈥檛 happened. PEER also charges the NPS with blocking the publication of a pamphlet which describes creationism as non-scientific and advises park rangers how to distinguish science from religion in explaining geology to the public.
NPS spokesman David Barna compares the park鈥檚 bookshops to a public library, with books on 鈥渕any alternative beliefs鈥�, adding 鈥渋t is not our role to tell people what to believe鈥�.
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However, PEER director Jeff Ruch says that by selling the book, the government-funded park is breaking its own rules by appearing to support a religion.
鈥淏y selling the book the park is breaking its own rules by appearing to support religion鈥�