Creationist Ken Ham’s Noah’s ‘Ark Encounter’ opens with an upgrade — Dinosaur cages

Creationist and Kentucky’s Creation Museum founder Ken Ham built what he believes to be a replica of Noah’s Ark, although the bible never mentioned the boat’s dinosaur cages.

With help from taxpayer subsidies, Ham has spent around $101 million on the project — and as the Los Angeles Times reports, he claims the exhibit “will stand as proof that the stories of the Bible are true.”

Ham and his followers believe the bible should serve as a historical record since it’s to be interpreted literally. This premise has led Ham to become one of the most widely recognized proponents of the idea that the earth is only around 6,000 years old. In order to make this dogma consistent with the known natural world, he’s had to extrapolate theories (from astoundingly juvenile logic) to maintain his core belief that dinosaurs actually lived alongside humans while key events in the bible were taking place.

Not that it needs reiterating, but the scientific consensus is that dinosaurs died out roughly 65 million years before the first homosapien appeared.

“Basically, this boat is a church raising scientifically illiterate children and lying to them about science,” Tri-State Freethinkers leader Jim Helton told the L.A. Times.

“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,” Helton added.

The ark will open to the public Thursday and Ham’s group has estimated it will draw 2 million visitors in its first year, putting it on par with some of the big-ticket attractions in nearby Cincinnati.

The group says the ark is built based on dimensions in the Bible. Inside are museum-style exhibits: displays of Noah’s family along with rows of cages containing animal replicas, including dinosaurs.

Ham and his project became the subject of controversy in June when it was revealed that he forced Ark Encounter employees to sign pledges stating they believed the Bible to be literally true and they would not engage in premarital sex.

Featured image via Facebook

Sky Palma

Before launching DeadState back in 2012, Sky Palma has been blogging about politics, social issues and religion for over a decade. He lives in Los Angeles and also enjoys Brazilian jiu jitsu, chess, music and art.

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