Do we even need to be reminded that we can’t trust much of the secular media and that they will lie for the purpose of maligning those they don’t agree with? Probably not—and yet example after example pops up, including these recent secular media headlines regarding the new House Speaker, Congressman Mike Johnson (LA), and the Ark Encounter.
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- “Before Mike Johnson became House Speaker, He Lobbied For A Noah’s Ark Theme Park—and it’s exactly how you picture it” — Fast Company
- “New House Speaker Mike Johnson Once Funded A Noah’s Ark Theme Park” — Indy100
- “GOP’s Speaker Once Filed Lawsuit Seeking Public Cash For Ken Ham’s Creationist Ark Museum” — Raw Story
- House Speaker Once Won Taxpayer Funds For Noah’s Ark Park Accused Of Bias” — The Guardian
At Answers in Genesis, we have stated so many times that the Ark was funded 100% by private funding. Let me say it again: the Ark Encounter project and the Creation Museum were both funded 100% by private funding.
One of the articles connecting House Speaker Mike Johnson and the Ark states, “Thanks to Johnson’s lawyering, Kentucky taxpayers helped fund a life-size replica of the biblical boat.” That is simply a lie.
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Another article’s headline states, “New House Speaker Mike Johnson once funded a Noah’s Ark theme park.” Another lie.
Our publicist, A. Larry Ross, issued the following statement for media enquiries.
Constitutional law attorney Mike Johnson successfully represented Answers in Genesis and its subsidiaries in connection with the Ark Encounter project in 2015, in litigation against the Commonwealth of Kentucky’s Tourism Cabinet for discrimination against the ministry’s participation in the Kentucky tourism development program.
Notwithstanding that the ministry qualified as a tourism project under state law, the state nevertheless denied the ministry’s application because of its religious beliefs, its evangelical message, and its desire to hire those who agree with its religious views.
The U.S. District Court ruled that the Commonwealth had forced Answers in Genesis to choose between expressing its religious views on its own property at the theme park and receiving a sales tax rebate under the tourism program after the attraction opened. The Court held that such action was a violation of the First Amendment rights of religious expression, as well as a violation of the Establishment and Free Exercise Clauses of the U.S. Constitution.
Mr. Johnson served the ministry very effectively and professionally in the matter, and Answers in Genesis was very pleased and grateful for his services.
The truth is that Mike Johnson’s connection to the Ark Encounter was defending a constitutional issue regarding discrimination.
Don’t buy the media lies!
