The Louisville Insider is reporting that Answers In Genesis has filed an injunction to try to force the state of Kentucky to help pay for their religious theme park. The State had chosen to pull back from the project because Answers in Genesis would not guarantee that there would be no discrimination in hiring based on religious belief. Now, Answers in Genesis is claiming that having taxpayers not pay for a part of a religious spectacle is discrimination based on religion.
In its motion on Monday, Ark Encounter seeks to force the Tourism Cabinet to send the incentives application to the Tourism Development Finance Authority for approval, making the project eligible for $18 million in sales tax rebates.
“The state gave us no choice but to bring this legal action,” said AiG president Ken Ham, the self-described “visionary” behind the park, in a news release. “We, along with our attorneys, tried for many months to show these officials why their actions are blatantly violating our rights under the federal and state constitutions, as well as the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Kentucky Civil Rights Act. The law is crystal clear that the state cannot discriminate against a Christian group simply because of its viewpoint, but that is precisely what is happening here.”
…
Ed Hensley of the Kentucky Secular Society said in a news release following AiG’s February lawsuit that the ministry’s acknowledgment of backtracking on the pledge proves that their logic is twisted.
“Claiming it is religious discrimination not to let Ark Encounter, a for-profit company, practice religious discrimination in employment while receiving public tax incentives is the very definition of irony,” said Hensley.
Hat Tip: Joe
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“Their logic is twisted.” That presumes they had a logical argument in the first place. There is no evidence that Ken Ham understands the slightest thing about logic or reason. I just want to know who dresses him in the morning because there is no way he is capable of doing that on his own.
The better question is why the possibility of state funds for this travesty was ever seriously considered in the first place.
His logic is twisted because, well, that’s what snakes do.
Here’s a simple solution to Ken Ham’s issue:
Henceforth, no state (tax) money shall be given to ANY religious group for the purposes of shamelessly promoting their religion & associated viewpoints, including (but not limited to) the form of museums, et al.
There, fixed that for you, Ken. Now you’re no longer discriminated against — None of your competitors gets any free money, and neither do you.
Dean, my brother who lives there notes that this is just one example of BAU in Kentucky.
?BAU?
I’m sure it’s simple but I’m missing something.
Betrayal of American Upbringing, I’d guess (based on context, of course).
Business As Usual
Thank you – I was looking for something biblical or religion themed, but both #6 and #7 are far more reasonable.
I had no idea that opposing discrimination is discrimination. I wonder if WAR IS PEACE, FREEDOM IS SLAVERY, and IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH.
“If God had wanted the state to fund private, religious-themed theme parks, he would have said so in the Bible.
Instead, Jesus threw the money-changers out of the temple, establishing, establishing by precedent the separation between the Christian church and finance.
In short, Your Honor, the AIG is applying their own beliefs in a selective, inconsistent, and hypocritical, and I request that the case be dismissed and the plaintiffs be hit in the head with a first edition copy of On The Origins Of Species.”
Case closed.
Bein agin discrimination iz discrimination agin discriminationers whic is bad cuzin discrimination be only wrong if it be a-discriminatin agin holy bible peepull who have speshul god given discriminatin taste to know what god wants us to be discriminatin agin an all which is proovin when you gits struk by holy spirits an talk in tongues so then you noze science “logic” be the devilz own fancy trickery to fool poor discriminatin’ peepullz.
Amen.
More religious stupidity and demand for “preferential treatment” at the expense of everyone else.
I’ve no use whatsoever for such fools. Shut the park down.
I would want to know why business is chosen over the Bible,but when something goes wrong then people blame the Bible and not the business and its’ decisions?