They do not miss the key insight of Darwin, they just plainly ignore it. This IS a defense mechanism.

Hovind is a classic example of a man defending his most precious possession .... his ignorance

And in his case definitely willful ignorance.

If the education doesn't evoke the ability to think, ignorance is gradually replaced by servitude. The church teachings are old and so must be good and true. They are not educated ( life skills, if nothing else) enough to do anything but follow blindly what seems close to the bible.

a classic example of a man defending his most precious possession .... his ignorance

I love that line, socratoad. Good one. I think, though, it is second to arrogance.

Debatable Willhelm, debatable. However methinks both are axioms.