I heard that Jesus had a pet dinosaur. Evolution must be a myth

The humorist John Bacon once declared with irony and jest: “I heard that Jesus had a pet dinosaur. Evolution must be a myth then.” At first, these words strike the ear as absurd, almost childlike in their play. Yet like many sayings cloaked in humor, they carry a deeper weight, a reflection on the eternal struggle between faith and reason, myth and science, belief and evidence. The ancients would have recognized in this jest the spark of satire—the use of laughter to expose the tensions of human thought.

The image of Jesus with a pet dinosaur is both comical and provocative. It conjures a world where sacred history and scientific discovery collide, not gently but with thunder. For in the heart of the saying lies the great debate: did the world unfold in divine miracle, untouched by evolution, or did it grow through slow ages of change, through the birth and death of ancient creatures? By suggesting a holy figure walking with a beast from prehistory, Bacon unites two visions that seem irreconcilable, forcing the listener to confront the paradox.

The mention that “evolution must be a myth” is not a statement of fact, but a challenge to blind thinking. It mirrors the way many have used faith not as a lamp to seek truth, but as a shield to deny it. Yet history shows that faith and knowledge need not be enemies. In the Middle Ages, scholars like Thomas Aquinas sought to reconcile reason with belief, holding that truth is one, whether revealed through scripture or through nature. Bacon’s jest, though mocking, points us toward this deeper question: do we cling to stories without reflection, or do we allow our minds to be expanded by inquiry?

Consider the lesson of Galileo Galilei, who gazed at the stars through his telescope and proclaimed that the heavens were not as men had long believed. His findings challenged the church of his day, which saw his science as a threat to faith. Yet Galileo himself never sought to destroy belief, only to illuminate the truth of creation more clearly. His suffering under condemnation is an eternal reminder that mocking or denying knowledge serves no one; only harmony between wisdom and wonder brings peace.

The origin of Bacon’s humor lies in satire’s long tradition: to reveal folly by exaggeration. The ancients told tales of gods in comical disguises, of kings who believed ridiculous things, in order to show the people where error lay. In the same way, Bacon’s dinosaur is not an argument, but a mirror. It reflects the absurdity that arises when belief is stripped of reason, when myths are clung to so tightly that they leave no room for truth.

The meaning of the quote, then, is not that evolution is false, nor that faith is foolish, but that unexamined belief—be it in myth or science—is a danger to the soul. To laugh at the image of a pet dinosaur is to recognize the human tendency to distort truth into caricature, to bend knowledge to fit comfort. Yet wisdom demands we do the opposite: bend ourselves toward truth, even when it challenges our assumptions.

The lesson for us is clear: do not fear the tension between faith and knowledge, myth and evidence. Instead, let the tension refine you. Study deeply. Question bravely. Laugh when folly is exposed, but never let laughter become contempt. Respect the mystery of faith, but also honor the clarity of reason. In this balance lies the path of wisdom.

Practical action follows. Seek to learn, not to mock. Read both scripture and science, history and philosophy, and hold them in dialogue. When you encounter absurd claims—be they about Jesus and dinosaurs, or any other mingling of myth and fact—respond not only with laughter but with thoughtful reflection. Teach others to discern truth from folly, and to find joy in the pursuit of understanding. For the highest calling of humankind is not to deny mystery, nor to deny reason, but to embrace both as twin guides in the great journey of life.

Thus the words of John Bacon, though jesting, may be passed on as wisdom: Do not cling blindly to myth, nor mock faith in ignorance, but seek truth with courage. For in truth, both laughter and reverence can coexist, guiding us closer to the eternal.