After the Kim Davis marriage license debacle, Kentucky probably wishes it was out of the limelight, but another recent court decision supported a Christian organization when it came to tax breaks. Ken Ham, creationist and founder of Answers in Genesis, is bringing the story of Noah’s Ark to Kentucky at a theme park called Ark Encounter. No, there’s no one requiring students go to the park, and it’s not being built on government land. But it got taken to court after a long debate over church and state separation.
It’s About Tax Incentives
Although Ham’s organizations, Answers in Genesis and the Creation Museum, are religious non-profits, the theme park has a for-profit status. Ark Encounter applied for state and federal tax benefits based on its business status. However, the for-profit status also meant that the park needed to follow all federal and state regulations.
If Ark Encounter planned to follow all equal-employment rules, there probably wouldn’t have been an outcry. When job listings were posted, it required employees to stand by the religious organization’s statement of faith. This was brought to the attention of a number of groups that watch for this type of thing. The Kentucky governor and the Kentucky Tourism Board found Ark Encounter to be in clear violation of the separation of church and state and denied the tax incentives. Just to put it in perspective, it was $18 million that Ark Encounter lost. The project is expected to cost about $92 million.
Just a few months later, in February 2015, Answers in Genesis sued the state of Kentucky seeking to restore the credits. It took almost a year to get an opinion from U.S. District Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove. The decision gave the organization back its tax incentives, stating that even though Ark Encounter was clearly a religious organization, it would ultimately “serve the state’s secular goals” by increasing tourism.
Interestingly, the ruling came down just a few weeks after Kentucky had a new governor take office. Matt Bevin is backed by many Christian conservatives. A spokesperson for the governor’s office stated that they were pleased by the ruling because it is a worthy economic development project. Answers in Genesis is calling the ruling a victory for religious freedom.
No One Wants to Shut the Park Down
Answers in Genesis fully believes that atheists want to keep the park from being built. The Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, one of the organizations that was instrumental in bringing the park to the attention of the Kentucky governor, denies this claim. Americans United, another group that is against the park, states that the goal is not to shut down the park, but to keep taxpayers from paying for religious theme parks.
Every private business has the right to hire employees of their choosing. When they are receiving federal and state benefits, the business should have to adhere to all laws. This includes discrimination against religion. Ark Encounter is basically saying that it will only hire Christians who believe in creationism, which should not be allowed in this type of situation.
It’s evident that Ark Encounter could boost tourism in Kentucky. Over one million visitors to the park are expected within the first year. That could really help the economy in the area. Williamstown is in a rural area south of Cincinnati, Ohio, and north of Lexington, Kentucky. It could use the added income that a major attraction would bring in. Taxpayers should not be funding Answers in Genesis’ proselytizing efforts. It remains to be seen if there will be an appeal of the judge’s decision. The park is hoping to open in July 2016. Eventually, it plans to add the Tower of Babel, a historic journey of Biblical history, and a petting zoo. Will taxpayers be funding each of these exhibits, too?