Creationist organization building replica of the Ark

http://www.vice.com/read/creationists-are-building-a-real-life-noahs-arc-456?utm_source=vicefbus

http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/nov/12/kentucky-creationists-full-scale-ark-bible

The modern-day ark will open in July 2016 in Williamstown in the north of the state, it was announced on Thursday.

“Some supporters who have been watching the construction of the huge ship have said they believe this Ark will be one of the ‘wonders of the modern world’,” said Ken Ham, president and founder of Answers in Genesis, the group behind the plan.

The sea-faring craft is being built according to the dimensions provided in the Bible, according to Answers in Genesis. Specifically, it will be 510ft long. It is unclear if the ark will actually float, although the “long-range forecast” section of the National Weather Service’s website makes no mention of an imminent flood.

Ham said the ark would open for “40 days and 40 nights” from 7 July – the night opening has been added to deal with expected demand, and Answers in Genesis expect 1.6m visitors to the ark in the first year.

They're also planning on adding a petting zoo, as a latter addition to the park. Some of you may know this organization from the Creation museum, what are your thoughts on the articles ?

If they manage to raise some money and it goes to a noble cause Yahweh bless them. I just hope they don't fill it with animals and drop it in the ocean in attempt to prove a point.

Originally posted by carthage

They're also planning on adding a petting zoo, as a latter addition to the park. Some of you may know this organization from the Creation museum, what are your thoughts on the articles ?

Well, creationism is daft, but I'm not exactly going to object to building a boat. I do wonder if they have the shipbuilding skills to pull it off, a 500-foot ship is no small task!

Ark building has been done before, so it wouldn't be the first time, though he cheated a bit using a metal frame- iirc there's question about whether a wooden ship of the size could support itself.

As for the petting zoo, I wonder if they're going to do things with 'two of each animal,' or the more proper seven pairs of each 'clean' animal.

The outcome that I would like from this is that they build an ark (and barring that it breaks apart because it is wooden and structurally unsound) they start putting in animals (just two of each if they want to) and as the ark fills up and they still haven't put in the zebra, elephant and panda they realise that some of the stories in the bible are at best metaphorical and it will be a good learning experience for them. Then they accept gay people and realise that abortion is a necessary evil and vote for the Democrats in the next election...

The supporters think it will be one of the "modern wonders of the world". That is just precious.

Originally posted by Bardock42
The outcome that I would like from this is that they build an ark (and barring that it breaks apart because it is wooden and structurally unsound) they start putting in animals (just two of each if they want to) and as the ark fills up and they still haven't put in the zebra, elephant and panda they realise that some of the stories in the bible are at best metaphorical and it will be a good learning experience for them. Then they accept gay people and realise that abortion is a necessary evil and vote for the Democrats in the next election...

But that is not how these people work. They won't say "this isn't possible" they will say "this isn't a God sanctioned ark, when it comes time for him to commit almost total genocide then we can magically build arks that function similarly to the inside of a TARDIS." Godly magicks require a large amount of sacrifice.

Which is of course bunk. We all know that the ark was an alien spaceship that merely contained the *dna* of every living thing on the planet.

Originally posted by Q99
Well, creationism is daft, but I'm not exactly going to object to building a boat. I do wonder if they have the shipbuilding skills to pull it off, a 500-foot ship is no small task!

Ark building has been done before, so it wouldn't be the first time, though he cheated a bit using a metal frame- iirc there's question about whether a wooden ship of the size could support itself.

As for the petting zoo, I wonder if they're going to do things with 'two of each animal,' or the more proper seven pairs of each 'clean' animal.

Apparently the longest confirmed wooden ship ever was this one, about 450ft long, but it would flood due to the structural limitations of wood on such a scale so they had pumps to bail it out.

Why not make an ice ship? It would look cool and take over a year to melt.

Originally posted by Surtur
Why not make an ice ship? It would look cool and take over a year to melt.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Habakkuk

Neat stuff. Ultimately impractical, but a cool concept nonetheless.

Those are why I brought it up actually.

If there's ever a new Ice Age, the first nation to build a fleet of pykrete icebreakers will control the seas.

What Ken Ham Isn't Telling You About Ark Encounter Funding

Originally posted by Adam_PoE
What Ken Ham Isn't Telling You About Ark Encounter Funding

👆

Great summary from the article:
As a Humanist, I’m greatly concerned the residents will be left to flounder in the flood of debt. As a secularist, I’m pissed off that the public’s money is being spent on an unabashed religious ministry. As a skeptic, I’m suspicious of why the TIF wasn’t common knowledge. And as a science enthusiast, I’m aghast that this is a conversation we’re having in the 21st century.

The publicly funded part is the one that will likely get the most peoples' knickers in a twist. Live and let live is great, and if people want to build a boat, more power to them. But where they're getting the money is a very real issue.

Wait it's getting publicly funded? Yep, we do not have anything else that money could be better spent on.

Lets tell them this: build something without any religious connotations or build it on your own dime. *Waits for the GoFundMe for this to be put up*

Originally posted by Surtur
Wait it's getting publicly funded? Yep, we do not have anything else that money could be better spent on.

Lets tell them this: build something without any religious connotations or build it on your own dime. *Waits for the GoFundMe for this to be put up*

They already tried to crowd-fund it. They only received 26% of the total cost in donations. That is why they are using tax increment financing for the remaining 74% and sticking taxpayers with the bill.

So then it's really just taxpayers building this for some Creationist nutjobs.

Ok, trying to get it taxpayer funded, *that's* not cool.

Originally posted by Omega Vision
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wyoming_%28schooner%29

Apparently the longest confirmed wooden ship ever was this one, about 450ft long, but it would flood due to the structural limitations of wood on such a scale so they had pumps to bail it out.

And this one shouldn't have pumps, and was made with more primitive shipbuilding...

Originally posted by Adam_PoE
What Ken Ham Isn't Telling You About Ark Encounter Funding

This thing is going to fail miserably and the people of the state and especially city/county are going to get screwed; then Ken Ham will blame everyone except himself.

This project have revenue generation potential.

Originally posted by S_W_LeGenD
This project have revenue generation potential.

But quite possibly not enough to cover the costs.

I don't know if they can even do it without cheating.