Alpha Omega Institute
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Alpha Omega Institute (AOI) is a Christian playground founded by Institute for Creation Research Graduate School alumni Dave and Mary Jo Nutting. The organization is dedicated to teaching and evangelizing young Earth creationism, evolution denial, Biblical literalism, and pseudoscience.
About[edit]
The AOI was founded in 1984 to stop the "moral decay" caused by evolution by indoctrinating children and adults into believing that creationism is scientific fact. Founders Dave and Mary Jo Nutting were originally math and science teachers in Alaska before receiving an epiphany after finding Duane Gish's science-abusing screed Evolution: The Fossils Say No![1] in a secondhand book store, and then turning into creationist evangelists after encountering Henry Morris and the Institute for Creation Research (ICR) and getting pseudo-graduate degrees from the ICR's graduate school.[2]
AOI is billed as an "educational outreach" teaching people about a literal interpretation of the Book of Genesis.[3] They are listed as a member organization of the Colorado Nonprofit Association.[4] The organization has an overall failing score from the Charity Navigator, related to finance and accountability.[5]
Camps and tours[edit]
The AOI offers camps and tours to sites such as Yellowstone National Park and Costa Rica among others where speakers indoctrinate people on how everything came into existence by the work of God.[6]
Discover Creation Training Adventure[edit]
The "Discover Creation Training Adventure," formerly known as "Discover Creation Training Institute,"[7] is an yearlong "adventure" into evangelical indoctrination and pseudoscience, "designed to fortify students with a creation-based Biblical worldview with an emphasis on applied apologetics and personal discipleship."[8] For US$4975 (add $US2900 for the Costa Rica adventure option), participants can experience "exciting" field trips and "engage in real ministry."[9] The "adventure" claims to provide training in creation science, apologetics, Bible studies, ministry outreach and evangelism, team building, and communication skills development.
Speakers[edit]
- Dave Nutting: Founder of AOI who holds a M.Sc in Geology from the Institute for Creation Research Graduate School, a diploma mill. One of Dave's topics is, "Was Darwin Wrong? Part 1:Cavemen and Fossils" which contains pseudoscience surrounding ancient human and humanoid species.[10]
- Mary Jo Nutting: AOI co-founder who holds a M.Sc in Biology from the Institute for Creation Research Graduate School. One example of Mary Jo's topics is "You Can Do It! A Homeschool Pioneer Shares Challenges and Insights," which is about forcing creationism on to kids via homeschooling.[10]
- Lanny Johnson: Said to have a degree in geology but internet searches turn up nothing on these supposed credentials and the AOI website does not mention Lanny's education level nor where he got his claimed geology degree from.[11]
- Marilyn Johnson: Said to have a degree in geology but like Lanny, AOI does not mention where her degree is from nor what education level.[11]
- Richard Stepanek: Listed as a speaker but does not have any science credentials at all yet he is able to "teach" about biology and paleontology as well as an actual scientist who is trained in these fields.[12]
- Brian Mariani: Listed as a speaker on creation and evolution but has no credentials in biology.[13]
- Aimee Mariani: Again, listed as a speaker on creation and evolution but has no biology credentials.[13]
External links[edit]
References[edit]
- ↑ Gish's Evolution: The Fossils Say No! (ISBN 0890510466) is an early work that contains all of the scientifically refuted arguments Gish would use over his creationist career.
- ↑ Christine Dao, ICR's Impact: The Alpha Omega Institute. Institute for Creation Research, 1 May 2009.
- ↑ About Alpha Omega Institute. Alpha Omega Institute.
- ↑ Alpha Omega Institute member page at the Colorado Nonprofit Association.
- ↑ Alpha Omega Institute Inc., Charity Navigator.
- ↑ Camps and tours, Alpha Omega Institute.
- ↑ Discover Creation Training Institute, Alpha Omega Institute, archived from 2019. Apparently they realized that calling it an "institute" was too close to fraudulently claiming that they were an actual school.
- ↑ Discover Creation Training Adventure, Alpha Omega Institute.
- ↑ Admissions and costs, Alpha Omega Institute.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Dave and Mary Jo Nutting, Alpha Omega Institute.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Lanny and Marilyn Johnson, Alpha Omega Institute.
- ↑ Richard Stepanek, Alpha Omega Institute.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Brian and Aimee Mariani, Alpha Omega Institute.