There Go the Dinosaurs (Chick tract)

Synopsis

There Go the Dinosaurs is a tract written by the evangelist Jack Chick, concerning the fate of the dinosaurs and the fate of mankind if they do not accept Jesus Christ. It was released to the public in September, 2007.

Tract walk-through

The "dragon" hunt

(Panel 1)

A closeup of a reptilian face displaying a look of horror.

• Dinosaur: (thinking) "Gasp... I think he saw me! I've got to hide!"

(Panel 2)

A "dinosaur hunter", with a spear in his hand, runs out of the forest towards two of his companions.

• Dino hunter 1: "I saw one... I saw one... Everybody follow me!"
• Dino hunter 2: "Grab your weapons!"

Comment: It is unclear, based on the clothing worn by the dinosaur hunters, exactly what time period the beginning of this comic is meant to be depicting. All appear to be wearing shoes, and some wear vests, peasant shirts, and some sort of hat or head covering.

(Panel 3)

The dinosaur is shown climbing a mountain towards the clouds at the peak.

• Dinosaur: (thinking) "If I can get into the clouds, I'll be safe. I'm so tired, I have to rest."

(Panel 4)

Another dinosaur hunter points to large footprints on the ground.

• Dino hunter 3: "I see her tracks... This way!"

(Panel 5)

Again we see the dinosaur, stopping just a few feet away from the protection of the cloud cover to deliver some exposition.

• Dinosaur: (thinking) "I can hear them... they're getting close! A few more feet and I'll be safe."

(Panel 6)

A close-up of the dinosaur's face, framed by clouds.

• Dinosaur: (thinking) "Thank goodness I'm in the clouds. Nobody can see me now."

(Panel 7)

A dinosaur hunter points off-panel at something he's spotted, while another looks on behind him. Judging from the axe and spear hoisted over their shoulders, we assume that there is a gang of more hunters behind them.

• Dino hunter 3: "I think I see her."
• Dino hunter 1: "Where?"
• Dino hunter 3: "Look!"

(Panel 8)

A wide shot of the dinosaur's body sticking out of the cloud — it has foolishly hidden only its head. A dino hunter stands behind it, brandishing a spear and shouting "HAW!"

Comment: Chick's attempt at humor. If this were a video cartoon, this would probably be the place where you hear the muted trumpet go "WAAAH—waaaaaaahhh..."

Note also the use of "HAW!" for laughter here, which is a trademark of many Chick comics. In most cases, it's an expression of cruel laughter, such as that of a demon, criminal, evolutionist, or other "bad guy".

(Panel 9)

Dino hunters climb down the mountain in pairs, carrying large slabs of dinosaur meat lashed to poles. A child and his dog greet them as they pass.

• Dino hunter 2: "Yummy dino-burgers tonight."
• Child: "Yeah, my favorite!"
• Dino hunter 1: "This will take us 36 trips."

Comment: Continuity error: Later panels in the comic claim that dinosaurs were called "dragons" during this time period, and were not renamed "dinosaurs" until 1841 — yet one of the hunters in this panel refers to the meat as "dino-burgers."

Why is it so hard to find dragons anymore?

(Panel 10)

A child and his grandfather are seated at a table. The child is holding what appears to be a shish-kebab.

• Child: "Grandpa... why is it so hard to find dragons anymore?"
• Grandfather: "They're a dying breed. Who knows? You may be eating the very last one!"

(Panel 11)

CAPTION: Where did the dinosaurs go?

An angry looking professor stands before a class, pointing to one of many dinosaur posters behind him.

• Professor: "Millions of years ago... ...only the dinosaurs ruled the world."

(Panel 12)

The professor clutches his fist angrily.

• Professor: "Do you know what killed them? A giant comet hit the earth!"

CAPTION: Is that how the dinosaurs died?

Comment: This is an example of the typical Chick professor caricature — balding and bespectacled, with a tweed jacket, bow tie, and bad attitude. The only thing missing this time are the patches on the elbows.

(Panel 13)

CAPTION: No! It's all a story told by people who don't trust God.

A scene of the Garden of Eden, with a faceless God standing before Adam, Eve, and several species of animals, including a large and small dinosaur.

CAPTION: And God should know. After all, He was there.

(Panel 14)

CAPTION: So what did God say happened?

God created man, animals, and plants — in the same week!* They were created, not evolved.

A scene of various species of animals, including an elephant, lion, zebra, peacock, and stegosaurus.

CAPTION: That includes the dinosaurs.

FOOTNOTE: See Genesis 1:1-2:3 

(Panel 15)

CAPTION: God said that only the fruit of one tree was off limits.

The forbidden tree of knowledge is shown, with a tiny Adam and Eve beneath it. On either side of the panel we see God's admonishing hand on the left, and a large, legged serpent on the right.

CAPTION: But Eve wanted to try it, and Satan saw her weakness. He pushed her, and Adam and Eve disobeyed God. Mankind was lost.*

FOOTNOTE: See Genesis 3 

Comment: It should be noted that the name Satan is never mentioned in chapter 3 of Genesis — or, for that matter, anywhere else in the entire book of Genesis. The tempter in the Adam and Eve story is always addressed as "the serpent."

(Panel 16)

CAPTION: God turned away from them. They were thrown out of the garden.

A caveman, arms akimbo with a large club in his right hand, stands over the bloody body of someone he has apparently just killed. From the captions, we are to assume that the standing figure is Cain, and the deceased one Abel.

CAPTION: Their firstborn killed his godly little brother.* From there, everything went down hill.

CAPTION: Look what happened next →

FOOTNOTE: Genesis 4:1-16 

Comment: The resemblance between Cain and Fred Flintstone is uncanny.

By the way, it is never made clear in the Bible why Abel is considered more godly than Cain — or why Cain's offering of vegetables is less acceptable in God's eyes than Abel's animal sacrifice.

(Panel 17)

CAPTION: They rejected God and created their own gods. Before long, the whole world was filled with wickedness.

A statue of a reptilian monster stands on the left side of the panel with a burning brazier in his lap. On the right, a group of worshipers prepares to sacrifice a baby into the fire. It appears as if the baby's mother is in the panel as well, clutching at the child, but this isn't clear.

CAPTION: "Every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." Genesis 6:5 

Comment: This panel seems to suggest that human sacrifice is a bad thing — and it most certainly is — but remember that God suggested it as a test to Abraham in Genesis 22:2-10  and even demands it of Jephthah in Judges 11:29-39 .

So far, this tract has depicted a reptile luring mankind into original sin and a group of people sacrificing babies to a reptile god. Could the subtext here be that dinosaurs are causing much of humanity's problems?

(Panel 18)

CAPTION: God is righteous. He must punish sin. Yet He gave them 120 years to repent. Everyone ignored Him except Noah.

Noah stands before some unrepentant people. In the background, we can see the ark being constructed.

• Noah: "Turn from your wickedness!"
• Crowd: (in unison) "Shut up!"
• Unrepentant person: "Why should we?"

CAPTION: God had him build a ship that could hold every kind of animal in the world.

(Panel 19)

CAPTION: God put dragons* and other animals in the ark... because the mother of storms was about to hit.

Two pairs of large dinosaurs walk obediently side-by-side into the loading bay of the ark; behind them, a smaller pair of mammals follow, completely unfazed by the large creatures ahead of them.

CAPTION: When they got inside, God shut the door.**

FOOTNOTE: * In 1841 they were renamed "dinosaurs"!

FOOTNOTE: ** See Genesis 7:16 

(Panel 20)

CAPTION: The storm hit, the earth went into convulsions, the underground water shattered the earth's surface, the canopy of water above the earth collapsed.

We see the ark, rolling waves below it, dark skies and lightning above it.

CAPTION: Plants, animals and people were drowned and sandwiched with the dinosaurs into layers of mud and rock, except...

(Panel 21)

CAPTION: Those dinosaurs that were in the ark were "fruitful and multiplied" like other animals.

This panel is a touching scene, with a small dinosaur hatching from an egg, saying "Mama!", and the mother dinosaur looking over it and sniffing with a tear in her eye, thinking "He's beautiful!"

CAPTION: But now the dinosaurs had a big problem... THE AIR HAD CHANGED!

Comment: Excuse me?

(Panel 22)

CAPTION: Remember those trillions of destroyed plants? They made the air rich with oxygen. And big animals need lots of it to survive.

Two dinosaurs, one stegosaurus-like and one brontosaurus-like, cough as two volcanoes spew smoke and ash into the air.

CAPTION: In the thinner air it was harder to breathe — they got slower and easier to catch.

Comment: Easier to catch by what? Other big dinosaurs? Large, carnivorous mammals? Humans? Wouldn't they also be slower?

This panel presents an interesting theory, but overlooks why all dinosaurs went extinct, including small ones, while other large animals such as elephants, hippopotamuses, and rhinoceroses survived in the new, thinner air. It also ignores the fact there were much smaller dinosaurs...something even the How and Why Wonder book Dinosaurs (1960) acknowledged. Archaeopteryx discovered in 1861 is about the size of a modern chicken, Velociraptor discovered in 1923 is the size of a small dog, and Deinonychus discovered in 1931 is roughly man sized. By this logic (and we use the word very loosely) presented we should have Archaeopteryx eggs at the supermarket, be taking our Velociraptors out for walks, and be reading about Deinonychus attacks in Africa.

Where there's smoke(screen), there's FIRE!!!

(Panel 23)

We are returned to the child and his grandfather who are enjoying some dinosaur (or is it dragon?) kebabs.

• Child: "Grandpa, I wish I could have seen the earth, and that beautiful garden before the flood!"
• Grandfather: "That's the price of sin, my boy!"

CAPTION: Now you know how the dinosaurs really died. Because of sin, the Lord destroyed the earth by water*.

CAPTION: But the next time...

FOOTNOTE: 2 Peter 3:5-6 

Comment: Did God destroy the entire earth and nearly all life on it because of the sin of humans alone? Doesn't that seem like a huge overreaction? Why not just punish humans but leave other life untouched?

(Panel 24)

CAPTION: IT WILL BE BY FIRE!

This panel contains a picture of FIRE!!!

CAPTION: But the day the Lord will come... the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also... shall be burnt up." 2 Peter 3:10 

CAPTION: AND THAT'S NOT ALL...

Comment: How much would you pay for FIRE!? Don't answer yet, because you also get...

(Panel 25)

CAPTION: You must know... Every person born on this planet from Adam until the end...

A perspective scene from over the right shoulder of the faceless God sitting on His throne, looking down on a tiny human kneeling before Him.

CAPTION: ...will bow down before the Lord Jesus Christ. Phil. 2:10-11 

Do you know who Jesus really is?

(Panel 26)

CAPTION: Do you know who Jesus really is?

The same scene as the last panel, but from a different perspective. Now we are behind the kneeling human, looking at him and the faceless God in front of us, almost as if we are the next in line to kneel before Him.

CAPTION: If you ignore him... you are doomed

CAPTION: He is God Almighty — He is God the Son — He will rule the world at His second coming — He will judge the nations — When you die he will judge you!

CAPTION: The whole world will see Jesus coming in power and great glory.

(Panel 27)

CAPTION: There are two lessons you must learn from the flood:

CAPTION: #1 God punishes sin*

A scene of the Great Flood — a woman crawls on all fours across a rock as a huge wave is about to crash down on her. In the midst of the wave we can make out the form of a triceratops.

FOOTNOTE: *Romans 3:23 , Ezekiel 18:4 

CAPTION: All that talk about dinosaurs and comets is just a smokescreen to hide what really happened.

(Panel 28)

CAPTION: #2 God provides a way out*

A picture of the ark, floating on the floodwaters. A ray of light shines upon it from the sky above.

FOOTNOTE: *Romans 6:23 , 2 Peter 3:9 

CAPTION: But your enemy has put up another smokescreen to hide the amazing escape plan God has for you!

CAPTION: See for yourself →

(Panel 29)

CAPTION: At the perfect time in history, God sent his Son from heaven... ...to a world that didn't want Him.*

The faceless God and Jesus stand on a cloud in space, looking over at the earth as God points to it.

FOOTNOTE: * John 1:10 

CAPTION: He was obedient, even though He knew saving the world would cost Him His life!

Comment: Since Jesus Christ and God are the same, then he was really only being obedient to himself. Likewise, knowing it would cost him his life would mean little when he also knew that he would be resurrected and ascend into heaven afterwards - if he truly was God, there was no way that he could not have known this. That's not very much of a sacrifice.

(Panel 30)

CAPTION: God's prophets knew He was coming. Even the angels announced His birth.*

A scene of the nativity - the manger in the distance, the star hovering above it and casting a guiding light down upon it. In the foreground, a man makes a heated point to two others and a donkey.

FOOTNOTE: Luke 2:8-18 

CAPTION: No one but a few dirty shepherds paid any attention.

(Panel 31)

CAPTION: His arrival changed the world. The Creator stepped into His own creation as one of us.*

Jesus stands before a kneeling woman in the distance, gesturing for her to leave and saying "Neither do I condemn thee. Go and sin no more!"** In the foreground, a hand drops a stone.

CAPTION: The religious world went ballistic!

FOOTNOTE:*Phillipians 2:7  ** See John 7:53-8:11 

Comment: This scene shows the well-known "cast the first stone" story in the first part of John chapter 8.

How are we, as imperfect humans, supposed to sin no more? Isn't this a command that is impossible for us to follow, especially with loopholes like 'Thinking about sex counts as adultery' and 'Hating someone counts as murder'?

(Panel 32)

Four Jewish men are seen talking in a small circle.

• Man 1: He healed the sick.
• Man 2: ...casy out devils!
• Man 3: He raised the dead and cleansed lepers! But He won't listen to us!
• Man 4: Jesus must die!

CAPTION: Jesus said something so horrendous that the shock waves hit into the 21st century. It was the turning point in history when Jesus said...

(Panel 33)

Jesus stands before a group of people with his arms outstretched.

• Jesus: "I am the way, the truth and the life: No man cometh unto the father, but by me.*"

FOOTNOTE: John 14:6 

Comment: A 'turning point' in history that has managed to only appear in one historical record, the Holy Bible.

What 'shock waves' have been felt in the 21st century from this statement? Does it really offend anyone to quote this scripture from the Bible anymore?

(Panel 34)

CAPTION: The word was out: Jesus was really the Jewish Messiah, the son of God in the flesh.

An angry high priest, Judas, and a guard stand together.

• High priest: Arrest Him!
• Judas: I know where He is.
• High priest: Follow Judas!

(Panel 35)

The high priests stand before Jesus and question him.

• High priest #1: Art thou the Christ, the son of the living God?
• Jesus: I am!*
• High priest #2: Blasphemy!
• High priest #1: He is worthy of death!

FOOTNOTE: *Mark 14:61-64 

(Panel 36)

CAPTION:: This is why Jesus came. As the Lamb of God, He died to pay the price for our sins.

CAPTION:: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16 

A bloody scene of Jesus on the cross. Lightning strikes in the background.

CAPTION:: But that's not all - Jesus did even more for us...

Comment: An extremely popular image in Christian media - so popular that an entire movie was based on it (The Passion of the Christ). Odd, considering how the people that worship this image and wear tiny representations of this torture around their necks will criticize popular culture for glorifying violence.

Wasn't this supposed to be about dinosaurs?

(Panel 37)

CAPTION: 3 days later, Jesus rose from the dead making the way for sinners to be forgiven - and also to have fellowship with God himself.

A faceless Jesus walks out of the tomb, glowing brightly.

CAPTION: To enter heaven we must received Jesus Christ* as our personal Saviour and Lord.

FOOTNOTE: John 1:12 

(Panel 38)

CAPTION: When our sins are washed away by the blood of Jesus (God's blood)* this is what takes place.

Something of a before-and-after picture appears here, with a dirty, smelly sinner asking God for forgiveness - "I believe you are God's son who died for me. Save me, Lord!" - followed by a shiny, clean person exclaiming "Thank you, Lord!"

FOOTNOTE: *Acts 20:28 

CAPTION: This simple act of faith lets you miss the coming wrath of God.

(Panel 39)

CAPTION: Noah's family were the only ones in the whole world who believed in God.

The ark floats on a turbulent sea as lightning strikes in the dark sky behind it.

CAPTION: And they were the only ones who escaped God's wrath.

Comment: ...the wrath of a God who chose to drown the entire population of the world, rather than give them an opportunity to believe - by showing Himself, or performing some sort of sign of His existence.

(Panel 40)

CAPTION: Dear reader, if you were the only one in the world who would believe in Christ, He still would have died for you.

A silhouette picture of a perfect family - father, mother, son, and daughter clutching flowers she has just picked from the grassy field they're standing in.

CAPTION: That's how important you are to Him. The real issue isn't where the dinosaurs went...

Comment: Bait and switch. We are brought here on a discussion about dinosaurs, then are told that it doesn't matter where they made off to.

It's insignificant how many people Christ would have died for - being God and having infinite knowledge, He would know that He will be resurrected and ascend into heaven, rather than sit and rot in a grave. That's not a sacrifice.

(Panel 41)

CAPTION: It's where YOU will go when you die.

A scene of a clean petitioner standing before the faceless God, who is directing him to the steps beside the throne, which we assume are the steps to heaven. White puffy clouds surround them both.

CAPTION: Will Jesus be your Saviour?

Another scene of the faceless God - this time He glares down at a dark figure who is shamefully holding his head in his hands. The clouds and sky are now dark, lightning strikes in the background, the stairs are gone, and the faceless God points angrily to a FIRE!!! that burns in the distance.

CAPTION: Or your Judge?

CAPTION: Heaven or hell? - The choice is yours. "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." Acts 16:31 

See also

• Apologetics and dinosaurs

External link

• Full tract at chick.com