A Subtle Moment with Other Believers

I took my family to the Dinosaur Valley State Park in Glen Rose, TX, today. Dinosaur Valley is a state park designated around fossilized dinosaur footprints in the bed of the Paluxy River. These footprints were discovered in the early part of the 20th century, when flood waters subsided, breaking off a shelf of limestone, thus exposing the footprints. What paleontologists found is up for debate.

The official record states that a variety of dinosaur footprints were found. Some were removed and taken to the natural history museum at the University of Texas, while others were taken to some paleontology lab in New York. The rest of the footprints were left in tact, and later incorporated into a park for the enjoyment of the public.

Creationists have alleged that the footprints taken from the park contained more than just dinosaur footprints. They contained human footprints as well, thus proving that dinosaurs and humans coexisted, rendering the Biblical account of creation more credible and shooting some holes in the theory of evolution. Therefore, the government removed the human footprints so as to preserve the teaching of evolution (even though creationism was the more popular view in that day, as was being taught in the classrooms). There is much documentation of both sides of this argument.

So, we viewed the dinosaur footprints, and I also look for any signs in the rock that there was a human presence in that time. So far, no luck. (We've visited several times.)

Today, while walking along the banks of the Paluxy River, a couple approached us and asked about the human footprints. I told them that I hadn't found them and that they had likely been removed. It was a brief encounter, but very interesting that there are others with the same fascinations as me. A couple searching for human footprints in the bed of the Paluxy River are more than likely believers, and possibly creationists. Either way, I totally blew an opportunity to have meaningful conversations with other believers.