from The Lebanon Democrat::Jan. 8, 2009
The Bible Park Promoters: Still Spinning a Web of Deception
By: By Stephen Wheeley

Once again it appears the Bible Park promoters are trying to spin their way past the obvious truth, both financially and Biblically.  Stung but stubborn in the face of underwhelming support and growing opposition by the informed, they are trying to shrug off their defeat at the County Commission and start over.

The commission should also start over, this time asking harder questions about the competence and financial qualifications of SafeHarbor, as City Councilmen Buhler and Huddleston have been doing, such as the real need for TIF bonds.

Consider the failure of their flagship project, the Hard Rock Park, that went bankrupt in less than one season and currently owes investors $255 million on worthless bonds.  Remember the old saying “Fool me once, shame on you.  Fool me twice, shame on me.”  Is Lebanon going to be the second “fool” for Safe Harbor after seeing what happened in Myrtle Beach?  If so, shame on those who are too blind to see through these charlatans.

As reported in another paper, Rob Wyatt’s company EDG Inc. was incorporated only 11 months ago in California using an online service called LegalZoom.com.  What two pertinent assumptions can be inferred from this about this front company of BarTur’s SafeHarbor?  They have no experience building any theme parks as they are a brand new company, thus any claims of competency are false as they have no track record at all.  The company is so paper thin financially they had to use a cheap online service to incorporate rather than a law firm or CPA.  Really inspires your confidence in their financial stability and money making experience doesn’t it?

They also stated that they would build the park to be as ecologically “green” as possible, which is the only commendable thing I have ever heard them say.  I had to laugh at this attempt to make them look responsible, however, as it is obvious that the only green they really care about it money.

As for the Biblical spin, which is easily refuted, Mr. Wyatt stated that they had 10 Judeo-Christian scholars working “to be able to take rich, sensitive subject matter and do it justice, give it the respect it deserves.”  Please explain to me how denying the divinity of Jesus and removing the message of salvation through Christ alone, the primary purpose of the Bible, is doing justice to God’s word or “giving” it the respect it deserves.”

Let’s see what Paul has to say in II Corinthians 2:17 about false teachers such as these: “Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit.  On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, like men sent from God (NIV).”  The King James version says “corrupt the word of God” rather than peddle.  Both translations are appropriate since taken together they sum up the whole point of the Bible Park, i.e., to profit from the sale of God’s word by corrupting it, its purpose and its message.  This one verse refutes and vilifies the entire concept of this park.

As Paul correctly states, those associated with the transmission of God’s word should act like “men sent from God.”  Ask yourself this:  Do the BarTur’s and their company SafeHarbor really seem to anyone like they were “sent from God?”  The father is a hard-core porn photographer, the son is currently partnered with a former PlayBoy VP in another business and one of their biggest “overseas investors” in the Hard Rock Park, Lev Leviev, owns “blood diamond” mines in Angola and is reported to be so vile that charities like UNICEF will nlot even accept donations from him.

Just imagine how evil someone must be for a charity desperate for funds to refuse their money.  If they were sent by anyone, it seems to me that it was Satan, the Prince of Lies, not God.

How could anyone who loves the Lord consider these modern day robber barons fit to have anything to do with presenting God’s Holy Word, much less letting them change it’s meaning?  Our elected representatives who have supported this park should heed what Jesus said in Luke 6:46 “Why d you call me ‘Lord, Lord, and do not do what I say?”  Have they forgotten who it is they pray to at the beginning of each meeting?  Can anyone think that if Christ returned today He would approve of a “non-messages” Bible Park that will deny that He is the Son of God, the Messiah?  I think he might decide to get a whip and “cleanse the Temple” once again.

Our elected officials should remember what happens when you get caught in a spider web of lies.  The spider sucks your life out, discards the body and waits for its next unwary victim.  Don’t let Lebanon/Wilson County be that next victim after Myrtle Beach.  Remember what it says in I Corinthians 5:11 “…you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater…or a swindler.  With such men do not eat.”

I don’t ask anyone to listen just to me, but listen to what God’s Word says to your heart when you pray for guidance on these issues.