A creationist Christian Johan Huibers, has built a £77million replica of Noah’s ark to prove that the story actually happened.
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in 2010 Ken Ham, who believes everything in the Bible should be taken
literally, announced that his organization Answers in Genesis would
construct the 510-foot-long ship in Kentucky. See More Photos after the cut…
Since then,
scientists have been arguing that it would be detrimental to children’s
education – taking particular umbrage with the fact that it was granted
state tax incentives.
However, it was opened to great fanfare on Tuesday – with a high school marching band performing before a ribbon cutting.
‘I
believe this is going to be one of the greatest Christian outreaches of
this era in history,’ Ham, president of Answers in Genesis, said.
The
attraction, called Ark Encounter, is based on the Old Testament tale
about a man who got a warning from God that a flood would destroy the
world.
Ham says the ark will now stand as proof that stories in the Bible are true.
Answers in Genesis believes that God created everything 6,000 years ago – including humans and dinosaurs.
Dinosaurs became extinct around 65million years before the first humans appeared.
Jim
Helton, leader of the atheist group Tri-State Freethinkers, said:
‘Basically this boat is a church raising scientifically illiterate
children and lying to them about science.
‘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.’