Ark Encounter—The Lessons

Our announcement several weeks ago that Answers in Genesis will be building a full-scale, all-wood Noah’s Ark in northern Kentucky, together with exhibits that answer the most-asked questions about this huge vessel—the centerpiece of an amazing 160-acre history-based theme park called Ark Encounter—received remarkable media attention.

A feature story on ABC-TV’s “World News with Diane Sawyer” and a lengthy article in the New York Times (plus an item in Newsweek) started a media frenzy that quickly went international. Two reporters from German newspapers came here to interview us, and stories also appeared in newspapers in India, Israel, Italy, Hong Kong, Norway, Czech Republic, UK, my native Australia, etc.

As might be expected when a project of this size and growing popularity affirms the truth of the Bible, many in the secular media (plus bloggers) reacted quite negatively. Misinformation and outright false accusations were made about how the Ark is to be built and operated. The same sort of thing happened years ago as we were building and then opening the Creation Museum.

Sadly, even some church leaders have blasted the project or made ill-informed, negative comments.

Of course, atheist bloggers poured forth hatred as they wrote (and continue to write on a daily basis) emotional, error-laden blogs against the Ark project.

There were also hundreds (perhaps thousands) for-and-against letters and web comments in newspapers and on the Internet.

The Ark Encounter project certainly created a buzz! And it’s a buzz that should remind us of lessons we should have already learned in regard to the spiritual nature of the world we live in today.

Before I get to those lessons, here are just a couple of negative reactions to the future Ark Encounter and our current Creation Museum:

The most tragic part of the Creation Museum on both of my visits was the intellectual child abuse. There’s some heartbreaking stuff in this video [on the Ark Encounter website] . . . plus a preview of the idiotic Noah’s Ark nonsense that Kentucky will soon be known for around the globe if Ark Encounter is built.

Not only will the state of Kentucky give $40 million in tax breaks to Ken Ham so we can be an accomplice to such intellectual child abuse, we’re also going to spend many millions on road construction to help them out as well. Based on the numbers in Ken Ham’s insanely inflated fake study, of course . . . .1

And here is one co-authored by a Baptist minister in the state where we will build the Ark:

We represent lay and clergy leaders from the Christian, Jewish, Islamic, Baha’i, Quaker, Buddhist, Hindu and other faith groups practicing in Central Kentucky.

As an organization that has been promoting and practicing interfaith engagement and understanding here in the Bluegrass [State] for over 10 years, we have serious concerns about the recent announcement of the proposed Ark Encounter theme park sponsored by Answers in Genesis . . . .

We know many people still hold anti-scientific views. However, when Kentucky presents even the appearance of advancing or promoting one particular version of faith over other faiths, or over none, it does enormous damage to the future of interfaith understanding, respect and hope for peace that so many have worked so hard to ensure.

Here are the lessons for believers to learn—or to be reminded of—as we see how biblical Christianity is being attacked in an increasingly secular world.

First, don’t be surprised at how the world reacts. Romans 1 tells us that the ungodly “suppress the truth in unrighteousness.” The reason so many atheist bloggers and secular reporters/editorial writers reacted so negatively and write so furiously against the project (and AiG) is because they know in their hearts that there is a God—and they actively suppress that.

What we are seeing today is just the outworking of this active suppression. Right before our eyes, the warnings from God’s Word are being illustrated.

Also, remember that “the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked” (Jeremiah 17:9). Proverbs 1:29 also reminds us that these scoffers “hate knowledge.”

Second, we should not be surprised when religious leaders oppose those of us who stand for the truth of God’s Word. When Jesus the “God-man” walked on earth, He had to deal with—and rebut—the religious leaders of the day.

I think of the verses: “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves” (Matthews 7:15) and how “shepherds have led them astray . . .” (Jeremiah 50:5).

One of the thrilling lessons from all the opposition is that God’s people will see this attack on biblical authority and will get excited to be part of a project that will boldly and publicly take a stand for the truth of God’s Word in this culture. Thankfully, there are thousands upon thousands in this nation who haven’t “bowed the knee to Baal.”

As we move forward in faith with this phenomenal God-honoring Ark project, we humbly ask you to join us. And let’s remember the lesson from Jude 3, where we are told to “contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.”