Creation Museum founder Ken Ham is continuing to plug away on his "Ark Encounter" exhibit, a full-size replica of Noah's Ark that he hopes will become a major tourist attraction. His efforts to secure funding for the project have bordered on comical, including junk bonds and tax incentives that he later lost because he insisted on discriminatory hiring for everyone involved in the project.
But here's the thing - Ham's ark, which still is not complete, isn't the first replica of Noah's Ark to be built. Dutch creationist Johan Huibers finished his in 2012, after first building a half-scale replica as a proof of concept. Huiber's ark is no landlocked tourist attraction either - it's a totally functional ship.
So it's way cooler than anything Ham has proposed. Not only that, plans are in the works for "Johan's Ark" to sail across the Atlantic ocean later this year and make stops along the coast of the United States and Brazil. While I don't personally believe that Bible story of Noah is literally true, the voyage should put to rest the idea that the original ark could not have been seaworthy.
Huibers has identified himself as a creationist, but I have no idea if he's what Ken Ham considers the "right kind" of creationist - somebody who literally believes in the interpretation-heavy totally-not-literal Ussher Chronology from the seventeenth century. Last year ago Ham got into a big argument with evangelist Pat Robertson when he dared to criticize Ussher, claiming that Robertson was not a "real Christian."
But whether or not Huibers agrees with Ham, one thing is indisputable. Johann Huibers has the best ark, by far.
But here's the thing - Ham's ark, which still is not complete, isn't the first replica of Noah's Ark to be built. Dutch creationist Johan Huibers finished his in 2012, after first building a half-scale replica as a proof of concept. Huiber's ark is no landlocked tourist attraction either - it's a totally functional ship.
So it's way cooler than anything Ham has proposed. Not only that, plans are in the works for "Johan's Ark" to sail across the Atlantic ocean later this year and make stops along the coast of the United States and Brazil. While I don't personally believe that Bible story of Noah is literally true, the voyage should put to rest the idea that the original ark could not have been seaworthy.
The ark, which was created by Dutch carpenter Johan Huibers, will stop at several port cities in Brazil and make four stops along the coast of the U.S., according to the Ark of Noah Foundation, which is working to raise funds for the ark’s journey.
According to the organization, which was founded by Huibers, the idea to build the ark came to Huibers after he dreamt that a massive flood covered the province of Noord-Holland in the Netherlands.
"That dream marks the start of an exciting adventure in which Johan overcame seemingly insurmountable obstacles to achieve his ultimate goal: The building of a replica of Noah’s Ark," the organization said online. The modern ark, dubbed "Johan’s Ark," is a fully-functioning replica of Noah’s Ark, as described in the book of Genesis in the Bible.
Huibers has identified himself as a creationist, but I have no idea if he's what Ken Ham considers the "right kind" of creationist - somebody who literally believes in the interpretation-heavy totally-not-literal Ussher Chronology from the seventeenth century. Last year ago Ham got into a big argument with evangelist Pat Robertson when he dared to criticize Ussher, claiming that Robertson was not a "real Christian."
But whether or not Huibers agrees with Ham, one thing is indisputable. Johann Huibers has the best ark, by far.
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