Beshear defends use of tax incentives for biblical theme park

www.kentucky.com...=mirelated

Gov. Steve Beshear defended state tax incentives that could surpass $37 million for a religious theme park in Northern Kentucky, saying Wednesday he's happy to lend state support to a business that will bring hundreds of jobs.

State involvement in the $150 million project brought outrage from groups focused on the separation of church and state, but Beshear said there was nothing "remotely unconstitutional" about the proposal.

"The people of Kentucky didn't elect me governor to debate religion," Beshear said. "They elected me governor to create jobs."

I am sure that this cannot be truly justified by the Kentucky state Constitution or even the Separation of Church and State. He claims he is not here to debate religion yet he is clearly involved in using state funds to help create this biblical theme park.

Currently the major argument against this is the question whether or not this sort of funding would also go to per se a Koran theme park or a Torah theme park. I do not believe that in Kentucky regardless whether or not it creates 50,000 jobs that the government would use public funds to subsidize a theme park for any other religion.

I hope they build the place. It's 15 minutes from where I live and I could use the job. Grant County has really grown over the past twenty years and this will be another big boost for it.

Are theme parks usually paid by taxes?

If they are it wouldn't seem that strange if there is a strong christian community in Kentucky even though creating a non-agenda theme park would have made more sense.

How much will be spent on the Resurrection Roller coaster? Will they put in the famous throw the penis into the popes mouth game? (as a prize you get to go to heaven)

Something about this just seems wrong to me. Why do we need bible theme parks? Seems exploitative, I'm pretty sure god never intended for the bible to be illustrated through amusement park rides. Sounds like a circus to me (figuratively). I saw advertisement for a bible theme park that said "you can walk on water just like Jesus!"

reply to post by kennylee


I think that it is a great idea.I have been to the creation museum
and I loved it.I am looking forward to seeing a full-size version of
Noah's ark.
I know that the aclu will be busy with the multitude of lawsuits that
will be filed to stop this.Maybe,when people have been unemployed
for a long time,they will be grateful for any kind of work they can get.
Even if it is a christian-based theme park.

This is wrong for a list of reasons.

Amendment the First:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

he's happy to lend state support to a business that will bring hundreds of jobs.

Beyond any 1st amendment issues, there is a question of stepping outside the scope of their legal power.
By what authority do they justify subsidizing private interests with the taxpayers money? When this business goes belly up in 6 months, who will be stuck with the bankruptcy? I'll give you 3 guesses.
Government can't sell whiskey and hookers to truckers in the desert.

Someone needs to dig deep on these government criminals and find out who is benefiting from the deal.

reply to post by Misoir


OK, nobody faint when they read this, but since this is a FOR-PROFIT Corporation, and the State of Kentucky has a record of offering FOR-PROFIT Corporations tax incentives for locating themselves in Kentucky and providing the citizens of Kentucky with employment and such, it would be improper for them to NOT do the same for this delusional Creationist Corporation... It's about the jobs and the economic impact of the endevour, not the product that they will be slinging...

reply to post by JaxonRoberts


Is there a medic in the audience, I am about to faint?
I did read this post correctly,right?

reply to post by mamabeth


You read it correctly... If this were a non-profit, or tax-exempt (due to religion) venture, I would be against it and screaming about it from the rooftops, but this is a for-profit venture, and thus is SHOULD get the same tax breaks that any other for-profit company would get. Just because it's Ark World instead of Disney World makes no difference... and for the record, they both share one thing.... They are based in FANTASY! (OK, now do you feel better about the order of the Universe, mamabeth???)