A developer has plans to build a theme park in Grant County, Kentucky, which has promised to employ almost 900 people, draw up to 30,000 tourists per year, and generate tax income to the state in the millions of dollars. The site has been chosen, because other venues in other states did not offer the tax incentives that the governor of Kentucky has promised.
This is good news, right? Especially in this economy, any large-scale development that promises to provide over 400 full time jobs and generate lots of tax revenue should be joyfully embraced--or one would think.
The problem? Many in the state object to the theme of the proposed theme park: Noah's Ark. And they are none too happy with the developer, a Christian organization devoted to the historical biblical world view that the earth was created in 6 twenty-four-hour days, and that the Bible is to be interpreted literally. This world view would, of course, include the belief that there was a world-wide flood sent by God to punish the unrighteous, and that only one man's family was saved to re-populate the world.
Opponents are already lining up with lawsuits against the project, arguing that this is a breach in the separation of Church and State. Actually, the language the opponents are using goes further than that--they say it is a blurring of the line between government and religion.
What hogwash.
First of all, the Founders wrote the Constitution with specific prohibitions against establishing a State-run Church. Thanks to them, we are not all required to be members of the Church of America. In later writings, and Supreme Court rulings, this concept was shortened to the separation of Church and State. I have no problem with this shorthand, as long as it is understood what the name implies. Specifically, that there will never be a State-run Church.
But the Founders never intended to prohibit a theme park based on a Biblical theme. And I disagree with those who argue that this theme-park would blur the lines between government and religion. To some Democrats, government is their religion: it is the method by which the poor are fed and clothed, it is the way in which children get educated, it is the final arbiter of Truth, it is the End All and Be All of All Things Good and Decent.
I am sure that the children who are riding the roller coasters and eating the hot dogs will not care about these arguments, just as they probably won't care too much about the theme. In the same way that children who go to a Harry Potter themed park that includes a replica of Hogwarts Academy do not get "indoctrinated" into witchcraft, the children who attend the Noah's Ark theme-park will not be indoctrinated into a church.
And that is the crux of the matter here. This theme park does not purport to be a church. The tax breaks that were offered by the Governor of Kentucky will not go to support any single church or faith. Religions other than Christian and Jewish will not be discriminated against--in fact, sociologists will tell you that every major religion on earth throughout history has had some version of what they call a "flood myth."
So offering tax breaks to this non-profit organization to build a profit-generating, tax generating, jobs generating Corporation is no different that offering the same tax breaks to Six Flags, or Toyota, or any other company that wants to build in their state.
Some people need to get a life.
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