A creationist Christian has built a £77million replica
of Noah’s ark to prove that the story actually
happened.
Back in 2010 Ken Ham, who believes everything in
the Bible should be taken literally, announced that
his organisation Answers in Genesis would
construct the 510-foot-long ship in Kentucky.
Since then, scientists have been arguing that it
would be detrimental to children’s education –
taking particular umbrage with the fact that it was
granted state tax incentives.
However, it was opened to great fanfare on Tuesday
– with a high school marching band performing
before a ribbon cutting.
‘I believe this is going to be one of the greatest
Christian outreaches of this era in history,’ Ham,
president of Answers in Genesis, said.
The attraction, called Ark Encounter, is based on the
Old Testament tale about a man who got a warning
from God that a flood would destroy the world.
Ham says the ark will now stand as proof that
stories in the Bible are true.
Answers in Genesis believes that God created
everything 6,000 years ago – including humans and
dinosaurs.
Dinosaurs became extinct around 65million years
before the first humans appeared.
Jim Helton, leader of the atheist group Tri-State
Freethinkers, said: ‘Basically this boat is a church
raising scientifically illiterate children and lying to
them about science.
‘It’s a clear violation of separation of church and
state. What they’re doing is utterly ridiculous and,
anywhere else, I don’t think it would be allowed.’
