Holy Land Experience: Religious theme park bucks ominous trend
On October 6, The Holy Land Experience -- a Christian-inspired theme park in Orlando, Fla. -- was completely overrun by more than 7,000 visitors. Shortly after opening that day, it hit its 1,700-person limit and began turning people away. Meanwhile, nearby highway I-4 was transformed into a parking lot as eager park-goers lined up for admittance. Holy Land employees stationed outside the park's gates, started handing out rain checks and eventually ran out. At least one would-be pilgrim echoed Jesus' parents, plaintively asking "Do you have room for one more?"One might wonder why so many people desperately sought entrance to a park whose central features are a re-enactment of Jesus' crucifixion, a 1200-square-foot model of Biblical Jerusalem, and a full-sized reproduction of the Great Temple. After all, in Orlando, a park that has no rides, features minimal robotic wizardry and focuses on a series of attractions designed to evoke the Jerusalem of Jesus' day is a fairly tough sell. While one might suspect a mass influx of evangelical vacationers or the sudden conversion of much of central Florida, the truth was far more prosaic: On October 6, the Holy Land Experience offered free admission.
In 2006, following a four-year fight with Orange County Property Appraiser Bill Donegan, the theme park successfully sued for tax-exempt status as a religious museum. The only catch was that it had to waive its $35 admission price for at least one day a year. In 2007 and 2008, the free days passed with minimal fanfare, as they were barely publicized by Trinity Broadcasting Network, the park's owner. Following protests from local papers, however, the Holy Land Experience finally announced its free day, after which it was beset with a stream of visitors that hearkened back to Moses' Biblical plagues.
Historically, religious theme parks have been a tough sell, as most American vacationers seem to want to keep their church and their recreation strictly separated. The big exception was Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker's Heritage USA; in the mid-1980's, its combination of rides and religion made it one of the top vacation destinations in the country. Of course, the fact that it was classed as a non-taxable religious organization didn't hurt, and Bakker famously used the park as a fundraiser, selling $1,000 vacation packages in the park's Heritage Towers hotel to 165,000 people before he was ousted from his ministry. When his supporters later sued for their funds, they received $6.54 each.
Heritage USA eventually lost its tax-deductible standing and began a downward slide into disuse and neglect as it passed from one religious group to another. Currently, Morning Star Ministries of Charlotte, N.C., owns large portions of the park. It has renovated the Heritage Grand Hotel, and -- in a move that is painfully reminiscent of the Bakkers -- is selling room sponsorships for $5,000 apiece. Their website states that "Just as all who joined Ezra to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem were named in eternal canon Scripture, your name [...] will be permanently fixed by the door of the room you choose." The site goes on to tell supporters that, in addition to cash, they can donate "stocks, appreciated assets, IRA gifts, and property."
The Holy Land Experience seems to be experiencing some difficulty with finding its place on the ministry/investment continuum. Created by Marvin Rosenthal, a Jewish-born Baptist minister, the park was designed to immerse visitors in Jesus' Jerusalem and, not incidentally, in the Judaic culture that underlies the New Testament. While praiseworthy, this goal was not particularly lucrative: After operating at a deficit in 2005 and 2006, the park was purchased by TBN, which quickly turned around its finances. By the end of 2007, it was operating at a profit.
According to TBN, the Holy Land Experience does not fully cover the cost of the organization's ministries. However, this has not kept the religious network from expanding, both at the Holy Land site and in a second religious theme park, Trinity Music City. Formerly the home of country music singer Conway Twitty, the Nashville complex offers live music shows, a re-creation of a street in Jerusalem, the "Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh Bible Book Store," and a restaurant, "The Solid Rock Bistro." Like The Holy Land Experience, Trinity Music City is tax exempt.
Although TBN reports that most of its profits support charitable activities, it is hard to verify this claim. Ministry Watch, a nonprofit site that monitors the finances of religious organizations, has given the network an "F" for transparency, stating that TBN delayed release of its financial information, failed to provide its donors with opportunities to ask questions, did not supply "consolidated financial statements," and its press releases "seemed intentionally designed to mislead donors." According to Ministry Watch, TBN has assets totaling over $800 million, and has a net income of almost $60 million per year.
According to Colby May, TBN's communications counsel, "TBN is fully transparent, moreso than virtually any other religious organization. It files all its 990s and all this information is available online. It fully complies with all requirements of the law."
Even so, transparency questions remain. Part of the problem seems to be that TBN's board of directors is controlled by the Crouch family, whose members draw salaries totaling more than $900,000 per year. Because of this lack of board independence, TBN is not eligible to join the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability, a ministry self-policing group.
It is worth remembering that, while questions remain about TBN, not all religious charities can be painted with the same brush. As Ministry Watch notes, many other religious groups are far more open about their finances, programs and leadership. That having been said, TBN seems to be a very profitable business; too bad its business is ostensibly not for profit.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 25)
10-29-2009 @ 6:44AM
rhyan said...
why would they do such a thing those kids want to enjoy there selvs.Not just sit around and watch that.NO!
Reply
10-31-2009 @ 6:05AM
Master Shake said...
There is a similar but much better attraction in Lancaster, Pennsylvania - it has been running for decades and is practically stone empty most of the time. I think it isn't liked very much because you walk through a full size version of a village as it would have ACTUALLY looked in the time of Jesus, and you see people (mannequins) who look almost like cave men - but that's the TRUTH - that IS how people were living and how they looked in the area at the time of Jesus. It just makes it uncomfortable for people to confront the fact that THESE are the type of people who provided the account of "miracles" and other hard-to-believe things in the Bible.
10-29-2009 @ 6:46AM
ellis said...
i would hope not!
Reply
10-29-2009 @ 6:49AM
Richard said...
Religous whack jobs, take their kids to watch a mythilogical whack job get tacked to a cross, supposedly to save us all from the sin of tacking people to croses, which religious whack jobs have been doing since the beginning of religion. Put these guys and the churches back on the tax roles and see what that does for the deficit!
Reply
10-31-2009 @ 10:07PM
Pam said...
Religious sites should not be about profits. We work to tell people about God's love through our example of caring for the poor, the weak, the elderly and the unborn. This "attraction" is creepy. I would like to visit truly religious sites, such as Fatima or Lourdes or Rome or Jerusalem. Mostly I can afford to visit Jesus in my local tabernacle at my parish church. We'll keep praying for all of you who hate religion and deny God. Have a wonderful day.
10-29-2009 @ 10:16AM
Victoria said...
In order for your comment to begin having any form of validity, you need to learn how to spell first. A source
that lacks the basic principles in writing, is not a good
trustworthy source.
10-29-2009 @ 11:31AM
dan said...
God bless all of you who chose to reply with whatever view you have towards any and all religious beliefs. I hope one day you can open up your heart and realize its not any one religion that defines a lifetime of hatred it is the people that choose to express and live their lives in such manner. We are all equal no man, woman or child above the next. One life to live I hope you choose wisely.
10-29-2009 @ 11:37AM
Sarah said...
Richard, the more you use the words "whack job" the more I believe that you are a whack job.
I don't understand why everybody must talk so hatefully against one another. We are all one people-God's people- and discriminating someone because they are separate from you isn't right. I'm a Christian, but I do not judge others on what they believe or practice (Muslims and Athiests included). I don't judge because it is not my place to. It's His.
And for all of you talking about the Christian wars and killing Muslims and blah blah blah-well, seeing as you weren't around at the time of the wars, I'm probably not going to listen to your meaningless rants based on arguments not even your own.
The best thing you can do to prevent more wars and hate is to love everyone-for who they are and what they choose to believe.
As for this attraction- yes I think it's kind of odd, but if people want to go to become closer to God, then it's not my place to say they shouldn't.
10-29-2009 @ 6:48AM
Classic said...
Are you serious?! How lame. Ok, I'm a Christian, but this is just dumb.
"Oh honey, let's get the kids in the van, spend time and money to get there, then spend time and money on watching Jesus die right in front of us, then come home!"
Reply
10-29-2009 @ 10:58AM
William said...
And how is this different than going to any of the various "Passion Plays" throughout the country, where the Crucifiction is shown. This is important for young Christians, as it shows them how it happened. The youth of today NEED visuals for everything else, what is the harm here?
10-29-2009 @ 10:55AM
Rhuebekah said...
Okay. But then you would take your kids to see Harry Potter or watch a shark rip apart a man (universal studios)? Or a mouse destroy a wizard/dragon? Come on please don't act like Jesus being crucified on the cross is wayyy to much for kids when there are movies like Saw that teens enjoy watching. Besides Jesus being crucified isn't the only attraction.......
10-29-2009 @ 11:13AM
Crato said...
Your very right Classic. This is a huge waste of money and is its offending!!
10-29-2009 @ 7:01AM
Gemma said...
You people are sick. Really. Isn't it enough that people so many years ago had to be subjected to such torture and killings because they were stupid enough to be cult followers? And now you celebrate a cult leader who didn't teach much better messages than that dude in Waco. Seriously, people. You celebrate all of those holidays.. Christmas.. Thanksgiving.. Easter.. and now you make a theme park? What's next? KareshLand? Come on..
Reply
10-29-2009 @ 7:11AM
tim said...
Gemma, last time I checked, Thanksgiving was not a religious holiday. Just to clarify further for you in case you are still confused, neither are Labor Day, Independence Day, and Columbus Day.
10-29-2009 @ 7:19AM
CN said...
A cult leader who didn't teach much better messages than that dude in Waco? You poor thing. You speak what you have in your heart - hate, resentment. But you know, Jesus still loves you.
10-29-2009 @ 8:11AM
Tami said...
WOW~~~ Can you think of anyone else, but yourself? Even a Buddist or a Wiccan has more love for people than you do. Im sorry you missed out on Gods message to us from Jesus, Im sorry your so self indulgent and arrogant to even try.... Ultimately, it will be your loss. In the mean time, is it too much to ask for some manners from you? By that I mean, can you be more aware of how other people feel? Before throwing your insults into the lime light for your own greed and ignorance to shine! Seriously...
10-29-2009 @ 8:21AM
brett said...
thanksgiving doesnt have anything to do with christianity.
10-29-2009 @ 9:24AM
GB said...
Hey hypocrite, next time one of those holidays comes around, refuse to take the day off!!!
10-29-2009 @ 10:27AM
amy said...
Actually, Thanksgiving does have roots as a religious holiday. In the late seventeenth and eighteenth century colonial America, giving thanks at the end of the harvest developed into a sporadic religious custom that was observed either in October, November, or December. Finally, to commemorate the Pilgrims and to thank God for victory in the American Revolution, President George Washington declared Thursday, November 16, 1789, a nationwide holiday of Thanksgiving.
10-29-2009 @ 2:52PM
Regina said...
Wow Gemma, I am going to pray for you. If you really knew what you were talking about, you would know the difference between David Koresh and Jesus. Jesus was, is, and will always be the Son of the true and living God. I'm not here to judge, nor am I here to call folks names and point fingers. History speaks for itself. Believe what you may, but when He comes back, I am going to be ready. It saddens me to see that so many people have so much hate in their hearts.
Lord, please touch anyone reading this comment and soften their hearts and open their minds to be able to receive the love that You have for us all. Amen.