Londonderry pastor backs robust Christian Dan Walker in face of secular critics

Rev. Campbell of Newbuildings Independent Methodist Church said Mr Walker, a long-standing and respected sports journalist and broadcaster, who is taking up a new role on the British state-broadcaster’s flagship breakfast television show, was being attacked due to his creationist views.

But Rev. Campbell said Mr Walker is a believer in the truth of creation and that his detractors are those who believe in “fairy tales.”

In a recent sermon at Newbuildings Independent Methodist Church, Rev. Campbell said: “The furore and the annoyance has been caused because he’s a creationist. He believes in creation.

“Isn’t it wonderful that the creator, God, has put a young man like that at the heart of the BBC.

“Isn’t it amazing? No wonder the atheists and the evolutionists are tearing their hair out today. Pray for him. A young man like that needs prayer and, you know, people talk and say, ‘Dan Walker, the guy who believes in some kind of sky fairy. The man who believes in fairy tales. The fairy tale of creation.’

“Well I want to say today that the fairy tale is evolution. Mark my words today, evolution is a fairy tale.”

Rev. Campbell went on to compare evolution to ‘The Frog Prince’ folk tale.

He asked his congregation: “Have you ever heard the fairy tale of the frog turning into a prince? Did you hear about that one? How the princess, wasn’t it? The princess kissed the frog and the frog turns into a prince. Isn’t that interesting? Today as we think about the frogs that came up from the River Nile.

“Remember, last week we touched on evolution, and this week again, we’re touching on it, it’s a very important subject, the battle between evolution and creation, the lie of evolution and the truth of creation, the frog became a prince: isn’t that more or less the message that evolution preaches?

“Isn’t that what Richard Dawkins and his cohorts proclaim? That you and me, that we came from the frogs, that we came from the animals after millions of years. All I can say is, if you believe evolution, you’ll believe anything.”

Rev. Campbell’s defence of Mr Walker comes after bullish secular critics complained about his Christian views ten years into his distinguished career with the state-broadcaster.

“It’s not true what the media have said this week about Dan Walker,” said Rev. Campbell.

“No, he’s the one that believes the truth and the atheists who believe the fairy story. Don’t let evolution make a monkey out of you.”