Plan for Creationist Theme Park Draws Fire

London-A British charity has drawn national attention-and come under attack-over plans to build a theme park, including a television studio, to promote creationism.The AH Trust said in its annual report that it wants to build a $7-million interactive studio to produce Christian films and television shows, partly to draw British teenagers away from anti-social behavior, including binge drinking.The charity said its members, several of whom are drawn from the media sector, had become disgusted at the sex and violence available on British television, along with the decline in churchgoing in society.In fighting that trend, the planned studio is projected to attract 5,000 people nightly for tapings of Christian-oriented shows, as well as give teenagers a chance to learn TV production skills.The AH Trust also plans to use the studio to promote the account of the creation recorded in the biblical book of Genesis and to combat what it sees as the malign influence on society of Darwin's theory of evolution."Evolution has falsely become the foundation of our society," the report said. "We need the studio to advocate Genesis across this land in order to remove this falsehood which presently is destroying the church foundation."In a short statement released on Tuesday, the charity said it had not yet chosen a site for the theme park. It said it had received more than 1,000 abusive emails since news of the studio first broke in a Sunday newspaper and would refrain from comment for the time being. Though Britain is regarded as one of the most secular countries in Western Europe, the issue of teaching of creationism in schools has entered the public debate over the past few years.City academies sponsored by millionaire businessman Peter Vardy have come under fire for reportedly teaching creationism, and the British government drew further heat earlier this year by including it in the national school curriculum.Under government policy, neither creationism nor intelligent design - the anti-evolutionist belief that the universe is the result of an ultimate plan or design - are considered scientifically valid.Schools are forbidden from teaching them in science classes but now have the option of including lessons dealing with them in religion education classes, which are compulsory throughout Britain.Hanne Stinson, head of the British Humanist Association, said Wednesday he was surprised at how much attention creationism had received in the past few years.In part, he put this down to a growing distrust of science among some people, and he said there was a need to improve the teaching of science in schools.Also, some Christian groups were becoming increasingly organized, as well as being very well funded. "There's an increase in how vocal religious groups are getting," he said. "Ten years ago, people didn't discuss religion at all."Although Britain does not have Christian theme parks of the type that exist in the United States, it does have a thriving Christian media sector, with companies producing radio and television shows for domestic and international audiences.In London, Premier Christian Radio broadcasts worship music and shows from an evangelical perspective. It has proven popular and has gone on to start an online television-on-demand service.But Liz Jepson, an organizer with theMediaNet, a group for Christians working in the media, said Wednesday that she doubted if the studio planned by the AH Trust would be a success. Creationists were generally viewed by the British religious mainstream as "lunatics," she said, and the charity would likely have trouble attracting audiences."Who's going to go to that thing?" Jepson asked. "People who want their views supported or those people who want a laugh?"

By Kevin McCandless
http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewCulture.asp?Page=/Culture/archive/200712/CUL20071220b.html
PS:I have news for the scoffers and the mockers.....The Lord himself will bring the people and they will hear the Word of God and if nothing and in the end they choose darkness....when they are in the pit they will remember that those "lunatics" spoke the TRuTH to them and they wilingly choose to laugh and mock and don't believe it......I think this idea will bring forth much fruit and the same thing they said about the Creation Museum in Kentucky here in the US...and they were all wrong.....!!!
As in the days of Noah....