FFRF Commercial Exposes Noah’s Ark Theme Park

By Gary Nguyen --
30 Mar 2017 --

FFRF attorney films commercial at Ark Encounter.

Creationist leader Ken Ham had to go to court to secure taxpayer-funded subsidies to fund the construction of Ark Encounter, the Christian-themed attraction located in Kentucky.

A Freedom From Religion Foundation lawyer has gone to Ark Encounter, not for a visit, but to film a commercial.[/tweetit] Andrew Seidel, Freedom from Religion Foundation attorney, recently filmed a commercial both inside and outside the Biblically-accurate, life-sized replica of Noah’s Ark to let viewers know that they weren’t going allow public school students to take class trips to the site, or allow Creationists to harm public school science education.

At least, not without legal challenge.

Seidel didn’t pull any punches with regards to his foundation’s views on the “Religious Right”: “If the Religious Right remains unchecked, science based-education will be history and this Ark will become the classroom of the future,” or his views on the structure itself: “This Ark is really a Trojan Horse, emblematic of the Religious Right’s efforts to push our kids into creationist schools.”

In the background of the entire commercial, both inside and out, is the Ark. Just the Ark. Empty. Before the opening in July, 2016, Ham estimated an average of 5,500 visitors would visit the attraction each day. But hardly any people could be seen in the footage. Later estimates concluded that 450 people visited that day.

Ark Encounter, located in Williamstown, KY, was built using $100 million in taxpayer funds. It charges about $40 per ticket to enter (Public school students can enter for $1) and features exhibits they claim to “equip visitors to understand the reality of the events that are recorded in the book of Genesis.”

Among these are the global flood which was the result of God’s judgement, that Noah’s family built an ark large enough to fit and care for all the animals God brought to Noah, that the flood caused mass death and destruction, and that God saved Noah and his family, just as He had promised.

In addition to claims that the Earth is only 6,000 years old, the Freedom from Religion Foundation also disputes the Ark Encounter’s policy of not hiring LGBT and non-Christians.