A theme park for the Holy Land?

[deep]

>>>>Come to JesusLand<<<<

American Evangelicals and Israeli officials plan to unveil this month a $60 million park where Jesus walked.

By Ilene R. Prusher | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor

JERUSALEM - Officials in Israel say that out of about 2 million people who will realize their dream of visiting the Holy Land this year, more than half will be Christian. And among those, more than half will be Evangelical.

With that in mind, the Israeli ministry of tourism has gone public with a plan to build - in partnership primarily with American Evangelical churches - a sprawling Holy Land Christian Center on the northern shores of the Sea of Galilee, home to some of the most notable chapters in Jesus' ministry. The center, to be built on approximately 125 acres that the Israeli government is offering free of cost, would be a Christian theme park and visitors' center, one that would be particularly attractive to Evangelicals and other Christians who want to spend more time in the places where Jesus walked.

Highlights may include a Holy Bible Garden, full of plants and trees mentioned in the New Testament, and equipped with quiet sites for reflection and prayer. A Sea of Galilee Amphitheater will overlook the mouth of the Jordan River and hold 1,500-2,000 worshippers. And the park will have a Christian Experience Auditorium and a Multimedia Center. The center would also feature an online broadcast center, which would give religious leaders an opportunity to address their followers back home, live, near the tranquil blue waters of the Sea of Galilee (which today is considered a lake).

"It will focus on the real places where Jesus walked," says Ido Hartuv, a spokesman for the tourism ministry. "It's a place where pilgrims can touch the experience - they can touch the Bible."

Israeli officials say they are in advanced discussions with several prominent churches that will serve as investors and builders of the $60 million center. Tourism Minister Abraham Hirschson told the Haaretz newspaper that he hoped the first of several agreements would be signed this month, and that one of the key figures at the heart of the project would be Pat Robertson, the prominent televangelist and founder of The 700 Club.

"It thrills me to think that there will be a place in the Galilee whereEvangelical Christians from all over the world can come to celebrate theactual place where Jesus Christ lived and taught. It will be our pleasure tofully cooperate with this initiative of the Israeli Government," says Mr.Robertson.

The plans to build the center - and to turn a large swath of the pastoral waterside territory, from Magdala to Bethsaida, into a Galilee World Heritage Park, complete with hiking trails along paths Jesus would have walked - come at a time of seesawing in relations between Israel and various US churches.

Several mainline Protestant churches are considering pulling their money out of the stocks of companies that sell military equipment to Israel in a protest against Israel's dealing with the Palestinian intifada. Churches considering an economic boycott point to the building of the West Bank barrier as well as an expansion of Israeli settlements over the Green Line, Israel's pre-1967 boundaries. In August, the Presbyterian Church passed a resolution to explore divestment, but no final decision will be taken before the church's next convention in the summer of 2006.

Ever since Benjamin Netanyahu - Israel's prime minister from 1996 to 1999 - cultivated ties with US Evangelicals and other Christians during his tenure, Israeli governments have sought to strengthen relations with the sector of the Christian world which, for religious reasons, tends to take a pro-Israeli view of the Arab-Jewish conflict. On Mr. Robertson's website, he says that God gave this land "to the descendants of Israel," not to "so-called Palestinians."

http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/1110/p06s01-wome.htm

 

[Antilarry]

ah americhrist land, the dream comes true at last

 

[DaveC]

I'd really like to know how the plan on putting the park on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee and at the same time have the amphitheater overlook the mouth of the Jordan.

 

[Palace_Hero]

Wasn't there a place called PraiseLand started up somewhere, where people went and got visions from a statue in the park?

Oh wait.

That was a statue of Maude Flanders.

 

[Muggsy]

Ned Flanders didn't build one?

 

[Muggsy]

 

[U2democrat]

 

[anitram]

Sounds boring.

I'd rather go to Dollywood.

 

[Calluna]

ah americhrist land, the dream comes true at last

Brett is going to be very angry! They stole his idea! The bastards!

 

[wizard2c]

reply

Will there by a merry-go-round?

 

[Antilarry]

wallyworld

 

[nbcrusader]

A fairly mild response for FYM.


Consider that tourism is one of the primary industries in the region, that approximately half of all tourists are Christians, and approximately half of those are evangelical Christians.

Commercialization of what people want is nothing new.



Would I make a trip there for the park? Probably not. Though, I here Mary Magdilane's Wild Ride will be a treat!

 

[Irvine511]

Would I make a trip there for the park? Probably not. Though, I here Mary Magdilane's Wild Ride will be a treat!

that sounds hot.

 

[For Honor]

ANd what about that Simpsons episode where there is the skeleton of the angel?

Another money making scheme


=======

If they marketed it to south park fans, they'd probably make more money


========

disregard this post, it will mostly become more a than anything else.

I respect God....... but..........................................
When people fight and quarrel over "land", I don't see that as being a very spiritual thing. And now theme parks? I wonder what he thinks about all this?

Well, maybe if there is more money involved, that will stop straighten things out, and lead to a more tangible, manipulative form of corruption. And with stockholders!!!!


==========

disregard this post, it was more a than anything else.

 

[For Honor]

A more posty post:

People seem to thrive on disagreements, so go for it. We all need to live life. I'm interested to see where this goes.... who knows, maybe FH will one day visit this place.

I think I would enjoy it, in all reality.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

will they have a water park?

 

[Chizip]

a holy water park

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

sweet

 

[deep]

will they have a water park?

yes

a 'John the Baptist' water slide

and don't forget to pick up a box of
"Jesus and Sons fish and chips"

you can feed the whole family,
heck the whole congregation from one box

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

that rules

i can't wait to see pilate's haunted house