City imposes safety fee on Ark Encounter tickets

rollergator said:
Honestly, to me the problem isn't any specific religion, it's religious extremism - the idea that MINE is the one true religion, and those of you who believe *anything* else are blasphemers or worse, people who should convert or die. I tend to think that most Christians, Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, Sikhs, etc. want to live in peace. The rest, those who don't believe in their neighbors' right to leave peacefully in any religion, or with no religion at all....they need to go.

I don't think any Christians, including Christian Fundamentalists like Ham, feel that people should "convert or die". Aside from a few ISIS-following nutjobs, no religious person thinks this way. If a Christian is trying to get you to convert, it's because they want you end up in heaven, not because they hate you and want you to die.

Which is pretty self-righteous and narcissistic, to believe that you've got the "right" beliefs and everyone else does not. People like this mostly end up being dicks to the people they think need "saving."

I agree that most of the time they end up being dicks about it (which is wholly ineffective) but believing you're right and everyone else isn't and feeling some need to convince them of that is common to every form of discourse and a basic tenant of human interaction. Politics, philosophy, sports...at some point we all believe we're right and someone else is wrong and if there's anything at all at stake, we feel the need to convince. It isn't reserved for religion, though some religious people are huge dicks about it. However, I would venture to say the super vast majority who hold those beliefs aren't, but just aren't as visible.

...tips for the best day at any given amusement park...

ApolloAndy said:

...but believing you're right and everyone else isn't and feeling some need to convince them of that is common to every form of discourse and a basic tenant of human interaction.

Sorry, you are wrong.

Mr. Six said:

I don't think any Christians, including Christian Fundamentalists like Ham, feel that people should "convert or die".

Crusades, Witch Trials, Westboro Baptist, DOVE Outreach here in my hometown...yeah, there really are "Christians" (or at least people who self-identify as such) who feel that way. And they feel bigly emboldened.

Actually, they are willing to pay the tax. They want to cap it at a half million dollars, not escape the tax totally. The Ark Encounter tried to negotiate this point, but with no luck. The entire area has benefited from it being built, but do not want to share that cost.

Jeff said:

Which is pretty self-righteous and narcissistic, to believe that you've got the "right" beliefs and everyone else does not. People like this mostly end up being dicks to the people they think need "saving."

Sorry for the double post, but my experience has not been that anyone has been a dick to people that need saved. Not saying it doesn't happen, just I am not sure your experience can speak for the vast majority.

extremecoasterdad said:

The entire area has benefited from it being built, but do not want to share that cost.

No, the entire area has not benefited. Numerous articles this summer have shown that there has been minimal, if any, increase in economic benefit to other businesses. Primarily because there are none anywhere close to the actual ark project. The town is (i believe) the opposite direction off the highway, or at least the ark is between the highway and the town, so there is no need to venture that way.

Face it, the ark has created an increase in need for public safety services and they should bear the brunt of that since no one else is getting a lift.

Shades said:

ApolloAndy said:

...but believing you're right and everyone else isn't and feeling some need to convince them of that is common to every form of discourse and a basic tenant of human interaction.

Sorry, you are wrong.

Stop being such a dick.

CreditWh0re said:

extremecoasterdad said:

The entire area has benefited from it being built, but do not want to share that cost.

No, the entire area has not benefited. Numerous articles this summer have shown that there has been minimal, if any, increase in economic benefit to other businesses. Primarily because there are none anywhere close to the actual ark project. The town is (i believe) the opposite direction off the highway, or at least the ark is between the highway and the town, so there is no need to venture that way.

Face it, the ark has created an increase in need for public safety services and they should bear the brunt of that since no one else is getting a lift.

I am seeing articles that say it has and it hasn't. Who is to be believed?

Both may be correct. Typically with a project like this, secondary benefits are not evenly spread out across the area. Certain businesses may benefit more than others. Some may actually be hurt by it. Nature of the business, traffic patterns, other development in the area, etc. can all play a role.

Increased security should have been in the budget when the project was approved. Maybe the plan all along was to add the security tax? If secondary benefits have been less than expected and/or ticket sales have been less than expected, funds pay for increased security may not be there. Though at the same time, there shouldn't be as much need for increased security if traffic to the project and surrounding areas is less than expected. City may have hired additional security and at this point not want to reduce staff.

Though if the stories are correct, the area should get a revenue boost now that the project's sale tax incentives have been pulled (to the extent a portion of sales taxes in Kentucky are local).

Tenet.