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Noah’s Ark Theme Park Not Destroyed In Freak Kentucky Flood, Ark Encounter Was Target Of Online Hoax

By Tara Dodrill
Published on: 02:23 PST, Apr 23, 2016

Noah’s Ark theme park, Ark Encounter, was not destroyed in a freak flood. The Christian attraction is located in Williamstown, Kentucky. The fake news report was posted to The Good Lord Above Twitter page and quickly went viral on social media.

Here’s an excerpt from the Noah’s Ark theme park flood hoax report.

“‘The new ‘Noah’s Ark’ Theme Park in Williamstown, Kentucky was destroyed in a flood earlier today. The sudden flash flood only seemed to affect the location of the Ark Encounter Theme Park, which was in the final phases of construction. From a meteorological standpoint, this is quite confusing,’ said Dan Schmidt, a forecaster with the National Weather Service. ‘There were no storm clouds in the area. We’re calling this flood an act of God.'”

The Noah’s Ark theme park destroyed in flood online hoax also said the founder of Answers in Genesis, which is the group behind the building of Ark Encounter, Ken Ham, was financially ruined because of the freak flood.

The viral hoax claimed to quote Ken Ham as saying, “I don’t understand. There is this book … all the answers were in this book, the Bible. It told me to build an ark. Why did God forsake me?”

Exactly who created the Ark Encounter Theme Park hoax and why they did so remains unclear. Earlier this year, the Noah’s Ark theme park announced they would soon be conducting interviews for staff and would only be hiring Christian employees. The hiring practice sparked controversy and some claims of religious discrimination by atheist groups.

Snopes investigated the Kentucky flood claims and quickly confirmed, as many also easily realized, the Ark Encounter destruction claims were part of a massive hoax. A tweet from @thegoodgodabove posted to Twitter on April 18 reported the false news story and said, “I should destroy that Noah’s Ark Theme Park in a Flood.”

Ark Encounter is the largest timber frame building in the world, according to its website. The massive new Kentucky attraction is slated to open on July 7, with special ticket deals being offered during the first 40 days and 40 nights. The Noah’s Ark theme park recreation is approximately 450 feet long, eight stories high, and 150 feet wide, the Orlando Sentinel reports. Answers in Genesis also owns and operates the Creation Museum in the northern Kentucky region along the Ohio border in the Newport/Covington area. The two Christian attractions are located about 45 minutes apart.

The Noah’s Ark hoax also claimed the Williamstown, Kentucky, freak flash flood only wiped out the Ark Encounter Theme Park and left the rest of the town fully intact.

“There will never be another global Flood—that was God’s promise when He gave us the rainbow as a sign of His covenant with man and all living creatures (Genesis 9:15). The Bible makes it clear, however, that there will be another global judgment: next time by fire,” the Ark Encounter website says. “As God’s Word states, it will be the Final Judgment as ‘the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.'”

Ark Encounter Theme Park Behind The Scenes Tour Video

The Ark Encounter Theme Park boasts 132 exhibits, including a petting zoo, lake, extensive ziplines (you can even ride from the parking lot to Noah’s Ark and back), and a high-tech seven plagues ride. Tickets for adults are $40, $31 for senior citizens and $28 for children age five to 12.

Staffers at the Noah’s Ark theme park will share with guests how two of every kind animal, including dinosaurs, could be housed and cared for on the ark and how Noah and his family survived for 40 days and 40 nights during the flood.

What To Expect If You Visit The Noah’s Ark Theme Park Video

What do you think about the Noah’s Ark theme park hoax and the opening of the Ark Encounter Kentucky attraction?

[Image by Shutterstock.com]

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