The park’s centerpiece features three decks of exhibits explaining Answers in Genesis’ views of the biblical flood account..[It] also features a two-story restaurant, aerial zipline cables and the Ararat Ridge Zoo...
“...in a world that we see becoming very secularized before our eyes, it’s really time for Christians to do something of this size, of this quality, that competes with the Disneys and the Universals to get a message to the world.”
— The Charlotte Observer
This might be worth a pitstop for anyone planning a U.S. summer road trip. Envisioned by the Creationist apologetics ministry Answers in Genesis, a replica of Noah's Ark — measuring 510 feet long, 85 feet wide and 51 feet high — opened last week as the centerpiece of the Ark Encounter theme park in Williamstown, Kentucky. As it goes, the theme park [which apparently has a total construction cost of more than $150 million] is “more than just entertainment” and aims to promote the ministry's views on evolution. As it goes, criticism ensues.
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103 Comments
Are there animals inside
If there were live animals running around inside like tigers and bears it would be pretty cool...and also a useful tool for learning about natural selection...
I'd sooner stick my dick in a wall socket than go to this blaspheming shitfest.
I sure hope they still have budget left to install some decent landscaping. Though I suppose it should really be surrounded by water.
I hear this will be the new GOP headquarters. GWharton are you listening?
Are children allowed there?
I consider this as a form of child abuse. Poor little minds indoctrinated by ignorant men and insulting books of rags. Adults can choose what they want to believe, kids don't have that luxury.
Nate - yes, including dinosaurs...
That's sad.
I want to know who is the Architect of Record?
The Troyer Group is the firm responsible
they have dinosaurs, because dinosaurs existed at the same time jesus and noah were hanging out with each other.
so funny. i can't see how anyone would be upset by something so ridiculously ludicrous.
I'd sooner stick my dick in a wall socket than go to this blaspheming shitfest.
omg micropenis!
wouldn't it be ironic if there was a massive flood in Kentucky and this thing got wrecked?
Lmfao at the dinosaurs too...they look like the ones from that Disney movie
it's called micro-phalllus, and it runs in the family.
is the phallus designed micro or did it evolve to be so due to random mutation, environmental change, and a shit tone of waiting?
Yawn…baiting article and comments section filled with more socially acceptable bigotry against Christians...
won, when I was 7 my mom explained to me how I could be Christian yet still accept evolution instead of the Noah's Ark story. For a majority of Christians (though I don't have stats) the Noah's Ark story is metaphorical, not factual. Teaching it as factual is, as Non Seq said, pretty close to child abuse. Imagine teaching a person that the reason the sun rises and sets is that Apollo is that driving his sun-wheeled chariot across the sky every day as fact. Wouldn't that be indoctrination that would not suit a human for engaging with contemporary society?
Those stupid beliefs about science are responsible for the destruction of the earth. My cathedral is nature, this shit is a direct threat to it as it perpetuates the myths of human dominion that serve as a justification for future generations of greedy earth rapists.
^well said Donna.
Also, I think won has the bigotry backwards. Quick, someone book the ark to host a gay massive multi-couple mass wedding.
I am a Christian that believes in evolution, others in creationism, but I can at least accept that others have different beliefs and faiths than mine rather than ridiculing them. That's the difference.
There's an episode of The Skeptic's Guide to the Universe where they ask the question "What's the harm in people having religious beliefs?" The consensus was there is a LOT of harm when those beliefs are translated into action.
The action of teaching a kid that every animal on earth descended from 1,400 pair that were on a boat once forces them to disregard the scientific process. Same with teaching them that the sun is a chariot wheel. Same with teaching them that demons exist and therefore some people should undergo exorcisms: an exorcism is a quantifiable harm that springs from a belief. So yes, I will ridicule that practice, no matter which religion is performing it.
Won, belief in Noah's story and the great flood deserves ridicule... as does belief in creationism. Evolution is also not a belief. It is an observable fact.
These are not real events.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EQHdu-rS6E
I belong to a Lutheran church. Many of the members, I'd not most, are educated, and don't believe in the literal word. They don't check their brains at the door and entertain the idea of Creationism.
It's nice to know we have creationists on Archinect.
Why is it that when a lot of people believe the same dumb idea its more valid than if a few people believe a dumb idea...like a small cult that belives we came from the goat god of Europa. There is nothing wrong with religions stories as metaphorical lessons, but when people try to pass them off as valid facts it becomes plain old propaganda. This idea that beliefs are equally as valid as scientific facts is infuriating to me.
hey now, don't you start speaking ill of the great Goat Lord.
Imagine teaching a person that the reason the sun rises and sets is that Apollo is that driving his sun-wheeled chariot across the sky every day as fact.
this is because helios, a titan, is the one who drives the sun chariot, not appolo, who is an olympian. some confusion has occured with apollo being represented as 'the sun god,' but that still doesn't make him a titan so that can drive the sun around.
i'm kind of upset your church didn't teach you this. it's blasphemy against our common and well established religious culture to make mistakes like this.
Off with her head then!
There is literally no other solution... unless there is a penis, then all is forgiven. Yay!
Thank you, beta, I agree and come from a similar church.
Donna, no one is talking about "beliefs translated to actions" unless you are talking about families going to a Noah's Ark theme park. All I'm saying is why do you care if certain people believe in creationism. It is their right just as much as it is yours to believe in atheism. It is far from "child abuse," as you put it. Also, I just get tired of these not-so-veiled shots at religion that crop up here too often in the articles and comments section. I do think they are bigoted.
won, I outlined above why it bothers me that certain people believe in creationism: because it requires that one reject scientific process, which makes one ill-suited to be a member of contemporary society. The act of rejecting science is what bothers me, not the belief in a fairy tale.
"Gay people can be cured with prayer" is a rejection of science that follows a religious belief, and it's one that has translated into action, harmful action, for thousands of people.
I don't care what people believe as long as it doesn't translate into action within society. If someone wants to live in the woods and never interact with others they can believe whatever they want (and they can not vaccinate their kids, too. Fine by me.). I don't believe in atheism, either.
I mean, I'm a person who apologizes to my closet door when I accidentally slam it, so obviously I have some aspect of "spirituality" or whatever about me if I can imagine my closet door as a sentient being.
curtkram, my Greek Mythology paperback (Penguin 1973) *very clearly* states that Apollo drives the sun chariot. And if we translate this argument into the argument the founder of the Noah's Ark Adventure makes:
"That reading of (genesis) Greek Mythology is important because, (Mr. Ham) Donna said, 'When you take away the foundation of the absolute authority of the word of (God) Greek Mythology 1973 Penguin edition, then anything goes. In other words, who draws the line?'”
Won, it's worth repeating the obvious but atheism is a belief in the same way as not collecting stamps is a hobby or in the same way as Balkins is an architect. Perhaps try and understand the real issue instead of just "getting tired".
Also, if you teach your kids fire and brimstone, punishment in hell or bible stories/creationism as fact, I will have not problem labelling your parenting as abuse. This is not bigotry, it's being intelligent and well informed.
Donna, I see your point, but I think it falls short on a clear enough definition of what constitutes faith and what constitutes an act.
For many religious people telling them they are fine to believe what they want as long as they don't act on those beliefs is an oxymoron. They will point to James 2:14-26 to refute your argument that the two should be held separate and distinct.
I'm not a constitutional scholar, but I wonder what one would say to you about religious belief and that it should not translate into action. The language of the First Amendment states that Congress shall make not law prohibiting the free exercise of religion. Exercise being a fairly action-oriented type of word.
"The language of the First Amendment states that Congress shall make not law prohibiting the free exercise of religion."
how does this apply to a doctor who refuses to treat a gay person or perform an abortion? are the religious nut jobs right or are there other laws that shoot down that kind of nonsense?
This is not bigotry, it's being intelligent and well informed.
Courtesy of Google: bigot: a person who is intolerant toward those holding different opinions.
Also, if you teach your kids fire and brimstone, punishment in hell or bible stories/creationism as fact, I will have not problem labelling your parenting as abuse.
Sadly, to you, this is what Christianity is which is so incredibly far from what it is to the vast majority of Christians. To me, that is at best gross ignorance; at worst intolerance and bigotry.
And, Donna, why is it any of your business if someone chooses to reject science? Is that any different than someone who chooses to reject God? Clearly this has gotten somewhat rhetorical, but I do think people should be aware, particularly on a public forum, that there are likely people reading coming from a very different background than yours and that respect for differences in all forms is important.
no_form, I won't pretend to know the answer to that question. Yes there are laws that shoot down discrimination, but I won't pretend to know the ins and outs of those either and how they would apply in your hypothetical. Ultimately, I think it would come to a question of what does the free exercise of religion mean and whether or not the rights of the woman the gay person to medical treatment would be infringed upon by the rights of a doctor to refuse treatment. Ethically speaking, doctors take an oath that in my mind would not allow them to refuse treatment ... but I'm not a doctor. Ethics would also not be legally binding unless codified into law. Of course in the case of the woman seeking an abortion, there are also fetal rights that come into the equation as well.
There are plenty of examples of conflicts between the government and a religion over the concept of religious freedom (and what that means) and laws that were passed that the religious felt restricted their constitutionally guaranteed freedom of religion. Ultimately, it seems those types of things come down to the Supreme Court to decide. Remember that when electing the president and other representatives this November.
My point was more directed at pointing out the inherent flaws in Donna's logic as she is presenting it concerning faith and action, the precepts of many Christians with respect to faith and action, and the freedom The United States government provides for religion.
won and done williams, not trying to speak for Donna ... but to answer your question as to why it is someone's business if someone chooses to reject science, I would contend that it is because of the nature of society and the necessity for an enlightened public for a proper government. Thomas Jefferson had quite a bit to say on an educated public and the government's responsibility to educate it's citizenry if I'm not mistaken.
Ridiculing silly ideas like creationism, Noah's ark, and the terrible abuse/indoctrination of fragile minds is important. If the fools who hold such ignorant views don't like being ridiculed, then instead of complaining, it is up to them to find justifications without relying on superstitions.
Oh, your invisible sky daddy tells you to be nice or you'll burn for ever and ever? Fuck you, you're a terrible human for thinking this is acceptable.
Is quondam a robot?
Just wanna let everyone, religion and science can be compatible. I don't know whether most of you forgot but the theory of evolution is still just that; a theory! It hasn't been proven. So whats the harm in believing in creationism rather than evolution and possibly teaching your children it. I don't disagree with everyone else about other aspects of people's misunderstanding of religion to influence their views and actions. Im actually writing a paper about this very topic :). Another thing, You guys seemed to have lumped a lot of religions into one group. This is not a very efficient way of judging religion. Some religions encourage those that adhere to it to use their knowledge, common sense, reason and logic to answer questions that they may have about the world. Some religions encourage science. For me, if science disproves a certain saying in a holy scripture, then that's not the faith I would want to be following. And about the exorcism stuff. I 100% agree with all of you. There tends to be a misdiagnoses of mental illness prevalent in communities that consider themselves to be very religious. No scripture that I know states that all diseases of the mind should be cured by exorcisms, its the peoples own misunderstanding of their scriptures that lead to these sorts of acts. Same with groups like the ISIS or KKK. Both consider themselves to be "devout" followers and believe their interpretation of their scriptures to be correct, even though 99.999999% of each faiths populations condemn them.
^You're an idiot.
Surely stating the reasons why you disagree would be of more benefit than just name calling..
Evidence of your less than minimal level of intelligence:
1. I don't know whether most of you forgot but the theory of evolution is still just that; a theory!
2. It hasn't been proven. So whats the harm in believing in creationism rather than evolution and possibly teaching your children it.
3. Im actually writing a paper about this very topic
4. For me, if science disproves a certain saying in a holy scripture, then that's not the faith I would want to be following
Point number 2 is more than enough. Please seek a refund for any post-secondary education you may have completed. Clearly, it's not working and you don't understand the difference between fantasy and reality.
won: TheInternWhoInterned makes a very good argument for why it's all of our business when someone rejects science. What if I just decide one day that I'm rejecting traffic laws because I don't "believe" in them? How does society continue to function?
Science is provable AND is constantly doubting itself and testing itself to make sure its proofs are correct. Faith is a rejection of this approach. Saying "I have faith that the sun will appear on the horizon at 6:29 in my location tomorrow morning" is a belief based on replicable facts. Saying "I have faith that Apollo will swoop in and catch me in his sun chariot if I step off this cliff right now" is not replicable. And not advisable, either.
I have faith in the celestial tea-pot that my construction manager has forwarded my concerns about their sub-spec product submission to our building envelop contractor... sometimes, you just gota pray... that shit won't leak because people can't read drawing notes.
Thank you, and Non sequitur; I wasn't referring to evolution as a whole, just the part where our great grand parents are supposedly monkeys. No religion says anything regarding the topic of animals evolving over time. They simply state their origins. In religions case; God. So if a follower of said religions refuses to believe that animals are able to evolve over time, that's just their ignorance speaking. Seeing as how their religion says nothing on the topic, they would very much be in the wrong to reject anything thats proven to be true due to science. :)
^ so you choose to ignore the immense amount of evidence for a common ancestor? (ie. "monkey" by those who can't fucking understand)
I only choose to believe in the theory of gravity on Tuesdays and sometimes on Wednesdays when it's convenient. I also need to feng-shuay myself a new goat sacrificing hut. That last one was against my municipality's zoning regulations. Damn it... I told them numerous times that it's only a matter of opinion. I can very well place my murderous tent and practice my ignorance as I please.
Donna, I disagree with most everything in TheInternWhoInterned's post, but I absolutely believe that he has the right to express those beliefs without being called "an idiot." That's my point. Furthermore, I would argue that our society is much weaker and fragmented now because of a lack of binding institutions like the church and not because of a lack of science or reason.
" I would argue that our society is much weaker and fragmented now because of a lack of binding institutions like the church"
Although you may have the right to express such opinions, this does not protect your opinions from criticism. The above quoted statement is insane an in no way a reasonable observation. There is nothing the "church" offers that is unique once you remove their superstition nonsense. One can find social binding without the intellectually poor teachings of the church. There is no place or time to respect these archaic views.
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