The earth was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. So God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. And God said to Noah, “The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make yourself an ark of gopherwood; make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and outside with pitch.…I Myself am bringing the flood of waters on the earth, to destroy from under heaven all flesh in which is the breath of life; and everything that is on the earth shall die. But I will establish My covenant with you; and you shall go into the ark—you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you.”
—Genesis 6:11-14,17-18—
To rebuild the Ark, to full-scale biblical dimensions, as a sign to the world that God’s Word is true and its message of salvation must be heeded (Romans 3:4, 5:12). Just as the Ark in Noah’s day was a sign of salvation, as well as judgment, an Ark rebuilt today can be a sign to point to Jesus Christ, the Ark of our salvation, and to coming judgment (2 Peter 3:5-13; John 10:9).
—Ark Project Vision, Answers in Genesis1—
Construction for the Ark Encounter, which will feature a life sized Noah’s ark, is currently underway. The Ark Encounter, which will open in the summer of 2016,2 will be located in Williamstown, Kentucky, about halfway between Lexington, Kentucky, and Cincinnati, Ohio. Williamstown is also located a mere 45 minutes away from the Creation Museum.3 Answers in Genesis [AiG] is responsible for both projects.
Answers in Genesis opened the Creation Museum in Petersburg, Kentucky, just south of Cincinnati, on May 27, 2007. Even though it was privately funded, the $27 million museum4 was controversial from the start because of its adherence to the biblical account of the origins of the earth and life on the earth. AiG interprets, and the Creation Museum presents, Genesis 1 and 2 as affirming a creation time frame of six 24-hour days. AiG also believes in “young” earth; it sees the earth and universe as being about 6,000 years old rather than billions of years.5 Fully aware that these positions are deemed unscientific by most non-Christians and that there is debate even within the Christian community regarding these interpretations, AiG seeks to present its case on many different levels. The Creation Museum, therefore, isn’t just a place where theology and biblical hermeneutics are discussed. It’s also a place where visitors hear and learn about evidence for a literal interpretation of Genesis from disciplines such as history, astronomy, biology, archaeology, and geology. According to the Answers in Genesis website, AiG “is an apologetics ministry, dedicated to helping Christians defend their faith and proclaiming answers to questions about the Bible—particularly the book of Genesis—regarding key issues such as creation, evolution, science, and the age of the earth.”6 Most importantly, AiG upholds the Genesis record as true, not just historically, but also as foundational for living and for finding a relationship with God.7 We should note that AiG’s positions on origins and on the Scriptures are held by many believers; they are not at all unusual or fringe perspectives in conservative Christian circles.
Despite the controversy it has stirred, the Creation Museum has become a popular attraction. It has drawn hundreds of thousands of visitors each year since it opened.8 Prior to welcoming its first guest, one professional research firm9 estimated that in its first year, the Creation Museum would host 400,000 visitors. The actual number was 404,000. That same firm is forecasting that the Ark Encounter will host at least 1.4—and possibly as many as 2.2—million guests during its first 12 months of operation.10
This, of course, is good news for the economy in northern Kentucky. Hotel owners, food service providers, and other business operators can only benefit from the influx of people who will come to the park. Moreover, the Ark Encounter itself will employ a large number of people: “When all phases of the Ark Encounter are completed, we anticipate employing up to 900 full and part-time staff….It is also anticipated that additional staff will…be added at the Creation Museum to support its expected attendance increase.”11
You would think the state of Kentucky would be pleased. Initially, it was. The entire project, of course, is a massive and very expensive undertaking. As of this writing, roughly two-thirds of the 29.5 million has raised to cover the cost of the Ark alone.12 The cost of phase one of the park was reported in early 2014 to be more than $70 million.13 Understandably, Answers in Genesis was grateful that Kentucky had a program that offered tax incentives for projects that benefitted the state. The program “would…let the park keep 25 percent of the sales tax it collects for 10 years, amounting to more than 18 million.”14 Answers in Genesis official Mark Looy later would explain that AiG simply
applied to participate in a rebate program that has been used by many other tourism developments in the past. The program allows a possible refund of a portion of the brand-new sales tax that is generated by a tourist venue (such as from ticket sales and merchandise), if and only if that attraction draws large crowds and brings hundreds of millions of new tourism dollars into the state.15
The Kentucky Tourism Development Finance Authority voted unanimously in May of 2011 to approve Ark Encounter’s participation in the program.16 In late 2014, however, Kentucky tourism officials changed their minds. Their rationale? State money could not be used to support a park that would hire only those who agree with one religious viewpoint and that would seek to convince visitors about a particular religion.17 In the words of Bob Stewart, Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet Secretary, Kentucky’s “tourism tax incentives cannot be used to fund religious indoctrination or otherwise be used to advance religion. The use of state incentives in this way violates the separation of church and state provisions of the constitution and is therefore impermissible.”18 Interestingly, the phrase, “separation of church and state” appears neither in the U.S. Constitution nor the Kentucky Constitution.19,20 Answers in Genesis president Ken Ham pointed out that “The state has known all along that our ark project was based on the Bible. It’s always been a religious attraction.”21 He also said,
We have been working on this project with Kentucky for more than two years, so this just-received denial announcement is as disappointing as it is costly for our ministry without the expected rebate. Our construction has already begun at the Williamstown, Kentucky, site, and it must proceed. We are fully prepared to defend our fundamental rights in court if necessary, as this issue is of huge importance, not only to us, but to every religious organization.22
Scott R. Bauries, associate law professor at the University of Kentucky, is an expert in employment law and in state constitutional law. He observed, “If you’re a religious employer and you’re hiring people to perform the activities that advance your religious purpose or your religious mission, then you are not bound by the prohibition against religious discrimination that an employer would normally be bound by…I don’t know that the Ark Encounter has a clear winner here, but they seem to have a case.”23
On February 5, 2015, officials representing the Ark Encounter filed suit against the state of Kentucky.24 The suit states that Governor Steven Beshear, who initially supported tax incentives for the project,25,26 and Secretary Bob Stewart are illegally and “wrongfully excluding the plaintiffs from participation in the Kentucky Tourism Development Program simply because of who the plaintiffs are, what they believe and how they express their beliefs.”27
Two non-profit legal organizations, the Center for Religious Expression and Freedom Guard, are assisting Answers in Genesis. Even before the lawsuit was filed, Mike Johnson, Chief Counsel for Freedom Guard, said, “The legal question here has already been answered unequivocally by the courts. No state is allowed to treat religious organizations less favorably than other organizations who seek to avail themselves of a facially neutral economic incentive program. Just because some state officials may not agree with the message of a Christian organization does not mean that organization and its member can be censored or treated as second-class citizens.”28 Later, Johnson made these statements. “Every American should be concerned with this kind of overt government discrimination, regardless of their individual perspectives on the Bible. When such an unconstitutional state action goes unchallenged, it sets a dangerous precedent for all other religious and minority groups. If our freedom of religion is not vigorously defended, it will be taken away.”29
Some observations about this dispute are in order at this point.
- The state of Kentucky is trying to bar the Ark Encounter from participating in the state’s tax incentive program because it will “discriminate” on the basis of religious beliefs in its hiring; yet Kentucky itself is discriminating against the Ark Encounter on this very same basis!
- In its posture toward the Ark Encounter and AiG, the state of Kentucky is not being neutral regarding religion or religious expression. Instead, it is unfairly attempting to exclude a particular religious perspective from a program that should be available to all.
- As explained above, the Kentucky tax incentive program does not authorize any direct funding from state revenue coffers for any project. Instead, it provides a tax break to projects that have, through their existence and operation in Kentucky, brought substantial revenue to the state. It’s a win-win for everyone involved—unless certain projects that would otherwise qualify are disqualified arbitrarily, for illegitimate reasons.
- We live in a day when the worst thing people can do, apparently, is discriminate. People need to understand that employers discriminate in their hiring practices all the time, and they do so legitimately and legally. A software design company, for example, is well within its rights not to consider applicants who have no background or knowledge in computer programming. A company offering bus tours legitimately refuses to consider applicants for tour guide positions when those applicants have no knowledge or interest in the locations tourists desire to see. This is not about treating people unfairly; it’s about filling vacant positions with qualified people. Answers in Genesis and the Ark Encounter are religious entities; they should be permitted to hire employees who agree with their mission and vision.
We should expound on this last point a bit, because homosexual rights advocates and liberals are crying foul over the hiring practices of AiG and the Ark Encounter. In a piece appearing on The New Civil Rights Movement website (thenewcivilrightsmovement.com), David Badash writes,
Australian-born Ken Ham believes many things. He believes the bible is the literal word of god, he believes in the Christian story of creation and that the universe is just 6000 years old. He believes in the story of Noah’s ark. And he believes in his god-given and constitutionally protected right to discriminate.30
Badash then goes on to discuss how employees at the Creation Museum must agree with and live according to AiG’s statement of faith. He even quotes from it. Indeed, AiG’s statement of faith explicitly states,
In order to preserve the function and integrity of the ministry in its mission to proclaim the absolute truth and authority of Scripture and to provide a biblical role model to our employees, and to the Church, the community, and society at large, it is imperative that all persons employed by the ministry in any capacity, or who serve as volunteers, should abide by and agree to our Statement of Faith, to include the statement on marriage and sexuality, and conduct themselves accordingly. [We have quoted the entire preamble here; Badash quotes the underlined portion.]31,32
Just what are some of the elements of AiG’s Statement of Faith that David Badash apparently finds so offensive? He mentions several specifically.
- The Bible—all of it—is inspired by God and without error in all that it says. This means that it is true and authoritative, and not just in spiritual matters, but also in all that it says that touches on other areas as well, including history and science.
- Satan is real and is the enemy of both God and humanity.
- Conception is the point at which life begins.
- Marriage, which has been designed and ordained by God, is a sacred union of one man and one woman. Intimate sexual expression should be practiced in the context of marriage. Moreover, sexual immorality in any form, including “adultery, fornication, homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, pornography, or any attempt to change one’s gender, or disagreement with one’s biological gender, is sinful and offensive to God.”33,34
One gets the impression that Badash expects his readers to gasp in horror at this point. Yet to Bible-believing Christians, the fact that AiG holds these positions is quite unremarkable. In fact, it actually is what we would expect of a Christian ministry. We who believe the Bible and who seek to promote what it teaches, both individually and through our organized efforts, have every right to expect those who work with us to seek to live by it.
According to David Badash, however, if a Christian organization receives state tax incentives, that organization has no right to expect its employees to practice the very principles and values the organization was established to promote! Please note carefully that as of this writing, same-sex marriage is still illegal in the state of Kentucky. If it does become legal as a result of the Supreme Court’s ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges, the marriage case currently before the Supreme Court, it won’t be because the people of Kentucky wanted it to become legal. In 2004, 75 percent of Kentucky voters voted to keep marriage between one man and one woman in the state.35
David Badash is not alone. A salon.com article by Sarah Gray is titled “Report: Creationist organization up for taxpayer-funded payout discriminates against non-creationists.” Gray quotes and expounds on points like this one made in an Op-Ed piece by Daniel Phelps: Apparently, “Ark Encounter is likely to discriminate against non-Christians. Moreover, Catholics, mainstream Protestant Christians and some conservative Christians who have different doctrinal beliefs also are unlikely to be hired.”36
Later in the article, Gray, like Badash, quotes AiG’s statement regarding marriage and sexuality. She also quotes AiG’s declaration in its Statement of Faith that says essentially that all truth claims must be tested and evaluated by the Scriptures. Then she writes, “Requiring agreement with this statement [the entire Statement of Faith], seemingly means that there could be employment discrimination against non-creationists, LGBTQ persons, atheists or others who don’t believe the statements in the ‘Statement of Faith.’”37
One wonders why an LGBTQ individual, or an atheist, or even a non-creationist would even want to work for the Ark Encounter or Answers in Genesis. With all due respect to those individuals, such an arrangement would not be a good fit. Employees of an organization should share that organization’s vision, and the employer has a right to expect this of its employees. This is foundational to a well run organization.
Reading between the lines, one gets the distinct impression that the problem these people are having isn’t primarily what they see as taxpayer-funded discrimination, but the fact that AiG and other Christian entities, including many churches, believe what the Bible teaches about sexuality, marriage, God, creation, and sin in the first place.
It runs even deeper than that. The ark of Noah, like the cross of Christ, offers strong reminders of humanity’s guilt before a righteous God. It is just as AiG states in its Ark Project Vision Statement: The ark is “a sign to the world that God’s Word is true and its message of salvation must be heeded (Romans 3:4, 5:12). Just as the Ark in Noah’s day was a sign of salvation, as well as judgment, an Ark rebuilt today can be a sign to point to Jesus Christ, the Ark of our salvation, and to coming judgment (2 Peter 3:5-13; John 10:9).”38
So, by the ark and by the cross we are forewarned of the coming judgment—but we also are invited to run to safety in the shelter that God provides. In Noah’s day, that shelter was found in the ark. Today, it is found in the cross, the very event the ark foreshadowed (see Luke 17:26-27,30). These divinely designed symbols do not stand alone, for numerous Christian leaders are speaking explicitly of God’s coming judgment.39,40,41,42,43,44,45,46
As believers, we can expect more of the kind of opposition we’ve been discussing in the days ahead. Yet we cannot compromise our most cherished beliefs. We must continue to fight to preserve religious liberty and the freedom to speak the truth openly—but of course we must speak the truth lovingly as well. In these turbulent days, we can look back into history to Noah for an example to emulate. The Bible tells us, “Thus Noah did; according to all that God commanded him, so he did” (Gen. 6:22). Let us obey the Lord as well.
May 15, 2015
Updates:
- January 26, 2016: Ken Ham Wins Million-Dollar Religious Freedom Case for Ark Encounter Theme Park
- January 27, 2016: Ken Ham Wins Discrimination Suit Over Kentucky’s Denial of Sales Tax Rebate for ‘Ark Encounter’
- WallBuilders Live! radio broadcast for March 11, 2016, with Ken Ham as guest
Notes:
1Load this URL in your browser and press Enter: http://legacy-cdn-assets.answersingenesis.org/assets/pdf/ark/ark-bonds-letter.pdf
2http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/02/27/ark-encounter-theme-park/5881323/
3https://arkencounter.com/about/#faq
4https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Answers_in_Genesis
5https://answersingenesis.org/age-of-the-earth/how-old-is-the-earth/
7https://answersingenesis.org/genesis/
8https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creation_Museum
9http://argconsumer.com/about.html
10answers update: A monthly newsletter equipping Christians to uphold the authority of the Bible from the very first verse, volume 22, issue 5 (May, 2015) p. 1.
11https://arkencounter.com/about/#faq
12https://arkencounter.com
13http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/02/27/ark-encounter-theme-park/5881323/
16https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Answers_in_Genesis
17http://www.wlwt.com/news/noahs-ark-park-could-sue-to-get-back-ky-tax-incentives/30524590
18http://www.kentucky.com/2014/12/11/3588824_ark-encounter-leader-says-group.html?rh=1
19put this URL in your browser and press Enter: http://alliancedefendingfreedom.org/content/docs/resources/Signature-Brochure-Insert-Church-State.pdf
20http://www.freedomkentucky.org/index.php?title=Kentucky_Constitution
21http://www.wlwt.com/news/noahs-ark-park-could-sue-to-get-back-ky-tax-incentives/30524590
22http://www.charismanews.com/us/46462-ken-ham-s-ark-encounter-under-government-attack
23http://www.wlwt.com/news/noahs-ark-park-could-sue-to-get-back-ky-tax-incentives/30524590
26https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Answers_in_Genesis
28http://www.charismanews.com/us/46462-ken-ham-s-ark-encounter-under-government-attack
31https://answersingenesis.org/about/faith/
33https://answersingenesis.org/about/faith/
36http://www.salon.com/2014/08/19/ken_hams_ark_encounter_no_non_creationists_need_apply/
37http://www.salon.com/2014/08/19/ken_hams_ark_encounter_no_non_creationists_need_apply/
38Load this URL in your browser and press Enter: http://legacy-cdn-assets.answersingenesis.org/assets/pdf/ark/ark-bonds-letter.pdf
39http://www.wnd.com/2015/05/billy-grahams-daughter-issues-mayday/
40http://www.wnd.com/2014/04/harbinger-author-to-open-national-day-of-prayer/
41http://www.wnd.com/2014/10/james-dobson-america-headed-toward-depravity/
42http://www.christianpost.com/news/john-macarthur-says-america-is-under-divine-judgment-51584/
43http://www.charismanews.com/us/49377-is-america-ripe-for-god-s-judgment
45http://www.afa.net/the-stand/news/will-god-judge-america/
Copyright © 2015 by B. Nathaniel Sullivan. All Rights Reserved.
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture has been taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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