'Broadening of the message': Meet the new CEO of nonprofit that runs Creation Museum, Ark

PETERSBURG, Kentucky ‒ Martyn Iles stands out in Northern Kentucky. He's fresh from Australia, almost 7 feet tall, and drives a Tesla.

He's also a young earth creationist who believes humans were alive at the same time as dinosaurs.

Iles, 35, is the new Executive CEO of Answers in Genesis, a nonprofit most famous for its 510-foot-long replica of Noah's Ark and a museum dedicated to creationism.

The nonprofit is spearheading religious tourism throughout Kentucky. Headquartered in Petersburg, about 25 miles west of Cincinnati, it earned roughly $150 million in revenue last year, he said.

Founder Ken Ham's leadership at Answers in Genesis spans back about 30 years. He's still a leader with the organization as the Founder CEO and is in charge, among other things, of development projects like a proposed Tower of Babel attraction and new dormitories for seasonal workers.

Most reputable scientists and educators debunk the organization's controversial claims – that the earth is only a few thousand years old and that humans lived alongside dinosaurs (yes, all the dinosaurs).

Here's what Iles told The Enquirer:

Note: Answers and questions have been lightly edited for clarity and length.

Question: The Ark Encounter and Creation Museum are two controversial attractions in Northern Kentucky. People either love them or hate them. How do you view that divisiveness as someone coming into the organization? 

Answer: I've spent my life saying things that people agree with and disagree … all I would say is that it's just important to live in a culture that permits the disagreement, that doesn't coerce people one way or the other.

Question: The greater scientific community concludes that humans and dinosaurs definitely didn't exist at the same time and creationism is not accurate. How do you address that?

Answer: I mean, I don't really. The attractions themselves, they make certain claims about the age of the Earth, the fossil record, the timelines involved, the scientific evidence and all that kind of thing.

I think that there are things that are hard to address from a young earth creationist perspective. I'm happy to admit it. I think there's things that are hard to address from an old age perspective as well.

Question: Tell me some of the ways Answers in Genesis will change under your leadership.

Answer: So it used to be that the main argument raised by the culture to say Christianity is false is that evolution is true. I just don't think that's where we are anymore. We're much more into social issues about climate change, racial issues, LGBT issues, all that kind of stuff. ... So there's kind of a broadening of the message that's taking place as well at the moment.

We're not deleting anything or walking away from any of that (creationism, young earth, etc.) just to be clear. ... But what are the pressing issues today? What about when will we destroy the planet through climate change? That's what people are asking, right?

Question: When do you think the world will be destroyed by climate change?

Answer: (Laughs) My philosophy is that God will destroy it first. God has a plan for the world, and it will exist until he's done with it. ... I mean, we could do some damage in the meantime, don't get me wrong, but we're not going to completely destroy it.

Question: That's the most optimistic perspective I've ever heard about climate change.  

Answer: (Laughs more) There's a lot of optimism in this message, I've got to tell you. It all ends well.

You mentioned broadening the message of the organization to include social topics like race and LGBTQ issues. Where do you and the organization stand on that?

Note: Iles answered this question via an email after the interview.

The message will include anything that is introduced in the book of Genesis – this includes race, climate change, family, sexuality, gender, (all LGBTQ issues), identity, life, truth, the problem of evil, political power, and others. Many contemporary topics.

Answers in Genesis believes that heteronormativity is God’s design in creation, and his will for our lives. It is therefore best for us to conform our lives to a heteronormative pattern of heterosexual marriage, gender binary and traditional families. This is good for us, good for society, and honoring to God.

Question: Any other new things you want to bring to the nonprofit?

Answer: I'm very big on embracing technology.

I have a vision with him (a chief digital officer) to build digital attractions. ... We would like to do a whole augmented reality side of the museum. So a kid can come in and have a completely different virtual experience, which will have fun games, and it will have all sorts of animation and movement in it. And maybe even AI-enabled to a guide so it could be in any language.

But then we'd like to roll that product out, not just at our attractions, but all around the world. I'd love people to be able to go to Jerusalem and walk around that area and have an augmented reality."

Question: The Australian Christian Lobby worked with lawmakers to promote Christian values. Are you planning to work with the legislators here in Kentucky?

Answer: I don't plan to do any activist work. That's not why I'm here.

I mean, look, one of the things I did do in Australia that I might do again was that I had a program called "The Truth of It." It was a social media show that I ran and I would commentate on the issues of the day.

Question: Are you working on anything else right now?

Answer: I've just written a book on identity. It's called "Who Am I?" You think of an issue like identity. It's a big cultural dilemma at the moment. It's something that is driving the political aspirations of a lot of people and it's a question that, particularly younger people, have about themselves that they are looking for resolutions to, they're looking for answers to. I truly believe that the Christian message has answers to help us in relation to identity.

There's another book coming (from me) called "Living in Babylon."

Question: What do you think about American culture so far?

Answer: Australia doesn't have a huge population and it's a very secular country, too. It's much, much, much, much, much, much, much more secular than the U.S. That's one of the first things I noticed when I came here. It's like, "Wow. Christian stuff everywhere."

I keep saying it's not worse. It's just different. That's one line that I repeat nearly every day. I'll sit down and they'll serve me biscuits and gravy and I'll go, "It's not worse. It's just different."

I'm not religiously opposed to tasting bourbon, just to be clear. Bourbon is not something we have in Australia. ... They do like Irish and Scotch whiskey. That's kind of a big deal. But American whiskey bourbon is really not common at all.

About Martyn Iles

Age: 35

Family: Single, but with plenty of extended family in Australia.

Background: Iles is the former CEO of the Human Rights Law Alliance, which was a not-for-profit law firm that took on cases about free speech and freedom of religion.

For about the past five years, he was the CEO of the Australian Christian Lobby, which works toward advancing Christian values though legislation.

Controversy: Iles abruptly parted ways with the Australian Christian Lobby because of ideological differences.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Iles said he tripled the organization's membership, but the lobby wanted more political impact on social issues like abortion, voluntary assisted death, and gay conversion therapy.

Iles has also supported controversial rugby player Israel Folau, who posted online “drunks, homosexuals, adulterers, liars, fornicators, thieves, atheists and idolators” would go to hell if they don't repent, The Guardian reported.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Martyn Iles is new CEO of Creation Museum, Ark Encounter