Even xianists are admitting that plans to use tax dollars to build a Bible (I am not making this up) Theme Park appear to be in trouble. As the The Christian Post admits:
A proposed Bible Park to open in Murfreesboro, Tenn., is drawing fierce opposition from opponents who claim the park will bring a host of unwanted problems to the community such as traffic congestion, noise, and unwanted commercialism.
For some, opposition to the Bible Park is strong because of the detestable notion of turning a faith into an amusement park. For others, the idea of using tax payers’ money to fund a religiously themed park is unconstitutional.
The majority of the residents of the small Tennessee community, however, seem to agree: “No Bible Park.”
According to one local legislator, as high as 99 percent of the responses concerning the park, in the form of telephone calls and email messages, were critical and opposed to the plan.
Bible Park opponents, organized into a group called the “No Bible Park USA” committee, gathered late last month to make their opposition vocal and known.
“Now is the time to fight, fuss, complain,” County Commissioner Steve Sandlin said, according to the Murfreesboro Post. “To me it’s just the wrong location.”
“I can’t imagine this beautiful area being covered up with fast food restaurants and hotels,” resident Kelley McCrary added, according to the local newspaper.
Most recently, Bible Park opponents achieved something of a victory when the developers of the Bible Park were turned down by the local County Development Committee Thursday in their request for a recommended Conditional Use Permit.
The notion of a proposed park in a largely residential area, the use of county-based Tax Incremental Financing, and other possible legal issues involving the separation of church and state were all cited as reasons in the Committee’s refusal to issue a permit.
Without a permit, it may prove difficult for Bible Park developers to receive the necessary approval when their proposal reaches review by the local County Planning Commission later this month.
Meanwhile, local letters to the editor seem to be running strongly in favor of opposing the biblical (I am not making this up) theme park:
A THEME PARK, no matter WHAT the theme may be, is NOT WELCOME here! FIX WHO AND WHAT IS HERE NOW; here's one suggestion that's been on the table in the past — combine the city and county governments and make us a metropolitan government!
and
A 280-acre Christian Bible park is proposed for Rutherford County. The proposal would dedicate millions of taxpayer dollars to fund the Bible park. What is wrong with this picture?
Taxpayer funds come from all citizens, not just Christians. The purpose of the proposed exhibit is obviously to advance the Christian agenda. Taxpayer funds should be used to benefit all citizens, not just a specific group or religion.
Can you imagine the outcry by our citizens if taxpayer funds were utilized to fund a project of one of the many minority religions?
Why has there been no objection raised to this flagrant misuse of taxpayer dollars?
and
Regardless of one’s personal religious views, it is difficult to fathom how the constitutional requirement for separation of church and state would allow even serious consideration of a proposal to use public funding for such a stated religious purpose.
1 comment:
Somewhat off topic, but that photo is from my neck of the woods -- a lot of people call it "Touchdown Jesus," but I think it looks more like he's being sucked down under. Anyway, it's facing I-75 (a major, major north-south route, that stretches from the Canadian border to south Florida), just north of Cincinnati. I wince every time we pass it.
Ohio Mom
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