Dinosaur Adventure Land
| The divine comedy Creationism |
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“”Dinosaur Adventure Land is a theme park and science museum that gives God the glory for His creation. It has rides and fun-filled events and activities, each involving a physical challenge, a science lesson, and a biblical truth.
Learn about dinosaurs, principles of science, and even how to make a paper airplane that can fly over 300 feet! Handle our real, live creatures Our funny and experienced guides will lead your family or group on the tour, declaring the works of the Lord and the words of the Lord. DAL is not an amusement park, for "amuse" means “to not think,” and we want people to think. Rather, it is an amazement park. Come and stand amazed at the truths of the Creator and Savior of the world, Jesus Christ. |
| —About Dinosaur Adventure Land[1] |
and take the Leap of Faith swing. Enjoyable and educational for all ages, it is specifically targeted for kids under a million years of age! Be prepared to be challenged to think and to follow the Lord in the way “”Does evangelical Christianity have the molestation of children as one of its precepts?
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| —Free Thought Blogs[2] |
Dinosaur Adventure Land was a creationist amusement park in Pensacola, Florida, constructed in Kent Hovind's backyard in 2001. The park's theme is "Where dinosaurs and the Bible meet!" A fine institute of higher learning, Pensacola Christian College, can be found down the street.
Controversy[edit]
Building permit[edit]
Before going to jail under multiple counts of tax fraud and evasion, Kent Hovind first ran afoul of the local authorities by refusing to get permits for his creation themed park Dinosaur Adventure Land, which he built in his back yard.
Hovind was charged on September 13, 2002, for failure to observe county zoning regulations with respect to Dinosaur Adventure Land.[3] The Circuit court ruled the Hovinds in contempt of court, and the park's buildings were locked up.
Eventually Hovind pled nolo contendere (no contest) to various charges and was ordered to pay fines.[4] In June 2006, Hovind estimates he spent $40,000 in legal expenses on this case—all to evade a $50 permit fee.
Hovind's was a prominent example of several movements in extreme evangelical circles that attempt to deny the state's right to exert any authority on holdings of the church or church members. Building permits are a popular focus for groups to fight against.
Seizure[edit]
On account of Kent Hovind doing structured bank withdrawals to avoid reporting, in July of 2009 the US District Court ruled that the IRS may seize Dinosaur Adventure Land to pay for fines and the bank withdrawals associated with his structuring conviction.[5] The IRS set the seizure date for the 15th of September 2009.[6] Hovind's son Eric managed to raise the $380,000 and said that the government has agreed to let him purchase the seized property back.[7] However, the government came back and offered the property for purchase at the "fair market value" of $971,000. Without enough funds raised it is unclear what the current plans are for either the park or the nearly $400,000 raised that will not go towards what it was raised for.
Bouncing back[edit]
After returning from prison, Hovind opened up a new Dinosaur Adventure Land in Lenox, Alabama[note 1] in 2018 on a donated gravel pit.[8][9] At one point, a kid fell into the pond and drowned there. [10]
Child abuse scandal[edit]
“”After this last year with Kent Hovind openly and publicly stating that he has an open invitation for Chris (the convicted child abuser) to come at anytime to DAL… I do not understand how any parent in their right mind would have their kids there.
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| —A former Hovind associate[11] |
In 2023, Christopher Link Jones, a conspiracy theorist, convicted child molester,[12] and former employee of Alex Jones, was arrested in South Carolina for the alleged sexual assault of a nine-year-old boy.[13] Christopher Jones is a friend of Kent Hovind, and spent a lot of time at Dinosaur Adventure Land. Former employees of the theme park accused Hovind of "enabling a culture of impunity" for Jones and other unseemly individuals, and enabling drug abuse and other crimes. Hovind allegedly arranged for Jones to share a bed with an 11 year old boy Jones brought to the theme park in 2019.[13][11] Hovind denied that he is a slimy groomer and child abuse enabler, but admitted that he allowed an unsupervised Jones and a child in a house at the theme park.[2]
See also[edit]
- Creation Museum
- Dinosaur denialism — these guys probably don't like this theme park
External links[edit]
- Dinosaur Adventure Land
- Dinosaur Adventure Land (the old webshite, 2006 snapshot)
- Stupid Dino Tricks: A Visit to Kent Hovind’s Dinosaur Adventure Land
- In-depth article at Pensacola wiki
Notes[edit]
- ↑ Population 37 in 2017
References[edit]
- ↑ About DAL at dinosauradventureland.com (archived).
Dinosaur Adventure Land is a theme park and science museum that gives God the glory for His creation. It has rides and fun-filled events and activities, each involving a physical challenge, a science lesson, and a biblical truth.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 I waded through the filth so you don’t have to. Free Thought Blogs, 1 July 2022.
- ↑ Martinez, Greg. A Journey to Hovind's Dinosaur Adventure Land. Skeptical Inquirer. November 2004.
- ↑ Escambia County Florida Clerk of the Circuit Court Courtviewer Records Search of Kent Hovind
- ↑ Judge clears way for dinosaur park to be seized at http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/.
A ruling by U.S. District Judge Casey Rodgers states that the nine properties that make up Dinosaur Adventure Land as well as two bank accounts associated with the park will be used to satisfy $430,400 owed to the federal government.
- ↑ Creationism theme park in tax dispute by WND Staff, August 7, 2009, WND
- ↑ Dr. Dino allowed to buy back seized property by WND Staff, September 17, 2009, WND
- ↑ A Day At Dinosaur Adventure Land by Peter J. Reilly, March 24, 2019, Your Tax Matters Partner.
- ↑ Alabama’s Dinosaur Adventure Land teaches that evolution is ‘dumbest religion in the history of the world’ by Anna Claire Vollers, September 19, 2018, AL.com.
- ↑ Creationist: Yes, a Boy Drowned at My Park, But His Siblings "Had a Blast Here" by Hemant Mehta, March 21, 2020, Friendly Atheist
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Come on down to Kent’s Krazy Kult Kompound! Free Thought Blogs, 2 July 2021.
- ↑ People v. Jones. California Court of Appeals, Fourth District, Third Division, 22 December 2009.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Kelly Weill, Creationist Theme Park Pal Charged with Child Sex Abuse—Again. Daily Beast, 17 April 2023.