John D. Morris is the son of the original modern young earth creationist, Henry Morris, the first one to try to construe science as “just another religion”, and hence on equal footing with respect to truth-aptness as Biblical literalism. John D. has followed in his father’s footsteps as president of the Institute for Creation Research (he is also an engineer). Most of his time is spent touring churches to misrepresent the fossil record (some of it is actually covered here; see also this and this).
His general tactic is to contrast the “harmful philosophies” and “evil practices” that are “fruits” of the evolutionary tree (including promiscuity, pornography, homosexuality, atheism & abortion), with the “genuine Christianity” and “correct practices” of the creationist tree (including “true history”, “true Americanism”, “true science”, and “true government”). Relatively standard fare, discussed nicely in this three part series (John features prominently): Part I, Part II, and Part III.
Together with Ken Ham he has written what seems to pass for a science textbook among creationists.
He’s not the only spawn of Henry Morris running around creating havoc. Henry Morris III is the CEO of the Institute for Creation Research (and ol’ Henry’s grandson, apparently). He was the guy who was most involved in the institute’s attempt to be given the authority to pass out graduate degrees in science. While their attempts found some support (see Leo Berman), it eventually failed, fortunately.
Diagnosis: Pretty standard fare for an Encyclopedia of Loons, but that does of course not excuse any of it. Dishonest nutters, both of them.
Some "novel" (?) and exceptionally stupid, recent arguments from Morris include his argument from thorns (really just a reassertion of his conviction that all mutations are harmful) and his argument for why sickle cell anemia proves that evolution does not occur. No, he has never understood evolution, and is certainly not about to begin now. Though his argument that evolution is for "gullible people" who "rely on silly stories" is one that many young earth creationists have previously avoided using.
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