Religious Theme Park set to break ground.....Noahs Ark Encounter

Wanted to get some feedback from my fellow members here on ATS. I live in Williamstown KY, a small rural town about 30 minutes south of Cincinnati Ohio. Here is a link to give you guys and gals a glimpse at the demographic. www.city-data.com...

This is a fairly poor to medium income county that has a population of 3277 as of the 2000 census and is race based as a Caucasian majority. I guess the best way to describe our dwelling is as "a one stop-light town." Our county, and the state of Kentucky, recently received some pretty big news that was covered on ABC nationally. Its a 150 million dollar project set to break ground in June of 2011. A religious based theme park is ready to set up shop. This park, The Ark Encounter, www.arkencounter.com, is posted as being,

:What is the Ark Encounter?

The Ark Encounter is a one-of-a-kind historically themed attraction. In an entertaining, educational, and immersive way, it presents a number of historical events centered on a full-size, all-wood Ark, which should become the largest timber-frame structure in the USA.

Plans for the attraction include a Walled City, the Tower of Babel, a first-century Middle Eastern village, a journey in history from Abraham to the parting of the Red Sea, a walk-through aviary, a large petting zoo, and so on.

It is designed to be family oriented, historically authentic, and environmentally friendly.



Now, with that being said, this is a major happening for our small one stop light town. There is a Wal-mart, a McDonalds and a couple gas stations within a five minute drive. There is some saying that the state, county, and city government officials are "selling out" and infringing on the separation of church and state. This is a for-profit organization toting that this will have an estimated 1.5 million visitors the first year, which means a large economic boom for this county along side the ripple effect of other major business coming to support the influx of people.

What do you guys think? Whether you believe in the christian religion or not, I believe in economic stimulus and growth.

Tammy Baker as the side show attraction for this money trap, if they cant get you at the tray in church, they will blind you with amusment and get your buck.

reply to post by Patrioitinsheepclothing


I agree in a way...the upside is an economic boost for this area that is up in unemployment rates. People have been collecting money from religion for centuries, namely the church.

reply to post by crkking


religous theme park or religous propaganada park?

It'll probably rain for forty days and forty nights when they open it.

Will there be a ghost train to represent hell?

reply to post by crkking


Yes indeed, your right about that. Plenty of jobs for folks hopefully they will opt out of paying those Fed taxes when they take the job, and put more of their hard earned money back in their pocket.
Its a sad state of affires around "ALL" over, alot still havent been effected by it yet, and alot have been suprised by it.
I hate seeing people out of work, especially around the holidays, puts a pisser on the mood.
There was a special about this on the other day, they did a walk through on the part thats already there and I was just amazed how so many people were flocking to this thing and how they have wrapped the word of god around Amusement...... maybe theres a conspirecy behinde that???
Its America's version of Meca

sounds decent. beats the muslim "how to blow up your infedel neighbor", or "if you can't how to take over their country from the inside" camps this summer. Maybe this is the "invade their country and shove the freedom they hate" rides or "all christians must make you love them" funhouse. I could care less. Kill em all and let God sort em out! Merry Xmas!

It is designed to be family oriented, historically authentic, and environmentally friendly.

I object to this attraction based on the three points they presented above. Here's my take:

1) Family-oriented- Says who? While I'm sure the attractions will be 'clean',the stories behind them from the Astro-theological Literary Hybrid (a.k.a. the 'Bible') are full of foul deeds involving sex,murder,greed and betrayal. You know, all those great things good families subscribe to. And whose family is it oriented for? Certainly not my family. This cliché phrase categorically lumps all families together and thereby fails to address the needs or concerns of families who may object. Disney,this ain't.

2) Historically accurate- Really? Considering that most,if not all the stories in the ALH appear to have been written sometimes hundreds of years or more past the time the events supposedly occurred by mostly unknown or unverifiable authors and the fact that we've yet to find any credible,indisputable evidence of the existence of Moses,Jesus,Noah's Ark or the Ark of Covenant,ad nauseam..., I would find this assertion to be ludicrous, arrogant and completely fraudulent.

3)Environmentally-friendly-Again,really? They will need to tear up vast tracts of land with combustion-powered machines ran by hard-working people who will consume large amounts of food and leave behind large amounts of both human and construction-related waste which will need to be disposed of. Plants and animals will be displaced and or destroyed in the process. The attraction itself will also generate waste water,consume electricity and generate garbage. Additionally, any economic boom which results from this attraction appearing will lead to yet more construction and waste as the town expands to handle the influx of additional people. Not to mention the increased fuel consumption and pollution related to bringing in more goods to the town and visitor's traveling to the area.

Verdict: EPIC FAIL,on all three points. This story absolutely chaps my hide to no end,in case you couldn't tell. Great find and S&F for you!

That's just my two cents,for what it's worth.