
Last year, there was a story about how Bible Park USA was going to open in Murfreesboro, TN.
What sort of attractions would this theme park have?
- The Bible Land Fly-Through indoor ride that boasts the newest generation of IMAX-like technology with surround imagery; The Exodus Experience, an indoor experience featuring the parting of the Red Sea with high-tech standing 25-foot waves and image projection.
- An entire teen area with an enclosed ride, coffee house and retail offerings; a state-of-the-art recording studio where teen choirs and church choirs will be invited to record; A recreation of Noah’s Ark and a play where animals from the Ark will act; gathering places for youth groups and Bible study groups where they will be surrounded by the full text of the New Testament inscribed on a stone wall.
Not surprisingly, it’s still controversial. And not just because it distorts reality.
The board will hold a public hearing Wednesday on a proposal to use $27.9 million in property tax dollars to pay off bonds to finance the park.
That money would be generated over the next 22 years by the 282-acre Bible Park and businesses on more than 450 acres of adjacent property in the Blackman community.
…
[Board Chairman James] Baker couldn’t say if the board will vote on the [tax-increment financing] on Wednesday or defer it for further research. And final approval of the deal would be up to the county commission.
A zoning request to allow for the park is also working its way through county committees and could be voted on by the Rutherford County Commission as early as May 15.
Tax money to fund a Bible theme park. Why aren’t more people making a fuss about this?
At least there are local opponents to the whole deal:
[Park opponent John L.] Batey will join other opponents at an anti-park rally Saturday at the Blackman Community Center in advance of upcoming public meetings for approval of zoning and financing next week and potentially a deciding vote by the County Commission in May.
We don’t need another way to warp the minds of children. We certainly shouldn’t be doing it under the guide of a theme park. At the very least, this sort of garbage should be privately funded.
We can also look at it in practical terms. The projections for attendance is vastly overstated, according to the articles. It’ll hurt the community financially. Voting for the park is going against their best interests.
Hopefully, they’ll see that.
(via The Asian Atheist)
[tags]atheist, atheism[/tags]