Creationist Theme Park Throwing Hissy Fit After Being Denied Tax Breaks for Trying to Discriminate Against Employees

First let me start off by saying that the “theme park” being built in Kentucky by the religious radical group led by Ken Ham, Answers in Genesis, shouldn’t be getting any kind of tax breaks, subsidies or anything at all related to taxpayer money for its construction. This isn’t a “religious institution” like a church, it’s a business pushing radical religious propaganda. If they want to build this ridiculous thing, then they should pay for it themselves without any kind of tax breaks from the government – let alone $18 million worth.

Well, as it stands now, they’re no longer going to be getting those tax breaks – and the folks over at Answers in Genesis aren’t too happy about it.

According to the Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet, the Ark Encounter theme park has changed its position on hiring since it first applied for tax breaks in 2010 and now plans to discriminate based on religion during its employment process.

“State tourism tax incentives cannot be used to fund religious indoctrination or otherwise be used to advance religion,” Tourism Secretary Bob Stewart wrote in the letter. “The use of state incentives in this way violates the separation of church and state provisions of the Constitution and is therefore impermissible.”

And they’re exactly right. This “theme park” is nothing more than radical religious propaganda that has no business being funded in any way by the taxpayers. And the fact that they’re now going to use a person’s religious beliefs as a basis for hiring is just flat-out discrimination.

Naturally, Answers in Genesis isn’t too thrilled about this decision and is considering taking legal action. Though I can’t imagine what kind of an argument they could possibly make in court. It’s surprising enough that they were granted the initial approval for these tax breaks in the first place considering this park is nothing more than radical religious propaganda, but then to state that you’re going to use discrimination during your employment process is appalling. What if someone who’s a Christian, though just happens to be a homosexual, wants to work there? Are they going to deny them employment based upon their sexual orientation?

Honestly, the whole Answers in Genesis group absolutely disgusts me. I view them more like a cult than anything else. Because I believe that you honestly have to be absolutely delusional to believe the nonsense that they continue to push.

Kentucky Baptists Kick Out Gay-Friendly Church

Kentucky Baptists have voted to sever ties with a Louisville church that is open to performing same-sex marriages.

Baptist leaders from around the state gathered Tuesday in Bowling Green for the Kentucky Baptist Convention's annual meeting. They voted overwhelmingly to end their longstanding relationship with Crescent Hill Baptist Church.

The church's pastor, the Rev. Jason Crosby, has said the church is open to performing same-sex marriages and ordaining gay, lesbian, transgender and bisexual members. Crosby made a plea Tuesday to allow the church to remain a part of the convention.

These Backwoods Country Folks Had Some *Ideas* About Homosexuality. Hollywood Noticed.

This video was made by The Hollywood Reporter. Here's Vicco, Kentucky, on the map. It's so far from "everything" and so close to Virginia and Tennessee and other kinds of everythings! America, right?

For more about the town and its awesome fairness ordinance, Stephen Colbert did a hilariously informative spotlight a while ago that's worth watching too.

McConnell digs a hole on Social Security, falls in

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), in the midst of the toughest race of his career, still isn’t quite sure how he wants to present himself to voters. On the one hand, the longtime Republican senator is proud to be the nation’s top obstructionist, helping create the most dysfunctional Congress in modern history. On the other hand, McConnell wants the public to see him as the consummate dealmaker.

To help prove the latter point, the GOP incumbent cited an interesting example last week.

Though he hasn’t mentioned it much on the campaign trail over the past year, McConnell specifically touted his effort to push President George W. Bush’s plans to reform Social Security in 2005, which would have set up private accounts for retirees. 

“After Bush was re-elected in 2004 he wanted us to try to fix Social Security,” said McConnell. “I spent a year trying to get any Democrat in the Senate – even those most reasonable Democrat of all, Joe Lieberman – to help us.”

We now know, of course, that Democrats weren’t interested in privatizing Social Security. Neither was the American mainstream, which hated the Bush/Cheney idea. But the fact that McConnell brought this up, unprompted, was a clumsy error from a senator who’s usually more disciplined.

McConnell Reeling After 2 Biggest Newspapers In Kentucky Endorse Alison Lundergan Grimes

In strong editorials, the two largest newspapers in Kentucky have both endorsed Democrat Alison Lundergan Grimes over Sen. Mitch McConnell in the Kentucky Senate election.

The Lexington Herald-Leader’s editorial board wrote,

McConnell does have power. He commands a perpetual-motion money machine; dollars flow in, favors flow out.

The problem is how McConnell uses his power. He has repeatedly hurt the country to advance his political strategy.

McConnell has sabotaged jobs and transportation bills, even as Kentucky’s unemployment exceeds the nation’s and an Interstate 75 bridge crumbles over the Ohio River. He blocked tax credits for companies that move jobs back to this country while preserving breaks for those that move jobs overseas. He opposed extending unemployment benefits, while bemoaning the “jobless” recovery. He brags about resolving crises that he helped create.

The Senate may never recover from the bitter paralysis McConnell has inflicted through record filibusters that allow his minority to rule by obstruction.

….

Kentuckians can’t do much to stop a Supreme Court majority that’s enabling the corrosion of our democracy by unlimited, secret contributions, in court cases bearing McConnell’s stamp.

Mitch McConnell: It’s not “particularly enlightening” talking to constituents, especially “factory workers”

Republican Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell doesn’t find it “particularly enlightening” meeting with constituents.

And McConnell has a particular beef about meeting with factory workers.

Beautiful Irony: Noah’s Ark Theme Park Loses $18 Million in Tax Breaks Unless They Hire Atheists!

Seems Answers in Genesis hasn’t found many Answers in Kentucky…at least as far as tax credits are concerned. While religious institutions have long been taking advantage of tax exemption to make money, the $170 million Ark Encounter theme park planned for construction in Kentucky may not get the tax breaks its founders are used to. Unless they’re willing to hire non-Christians.

The $18 million in tax incentives offered to AIG (the eternal insurance company) for building the Ark Experience have been controversial from the day the Kentucky Tourism Department gave preliminary approval for them in July. These kind of tax breaks are pretty typical for those looking to build attractions, on the basis that they make for jobs and tourism dollars. Such sites are rewarded a 25 percent sales tax rebate.

However, that tax credit has since been put on hold…because of a job application.

The application for a computer design artist was found on AIG’s site and sent along to the state by Americans United for the Separation of Church and state. The application for The Ark Experience was pretty standard, except for two little requirements:

A letter of “Salvation Testimony,” and a “Creation Belief Statement.”

Tourism Arts and Heritage Cabinet Secretary Bob Stewart said that such a job posting would violate Kentucky’s state and federal hiring laws.

“Therefore we are not prepared to move forward with consideration of the application for final approval without the assurance of Ark Encounter LLC that it will not discriminate in any way on the basis of religion in hiring for the project and will revise its postings accordingly.” 

A couple days later, Ark Encounter attorney James Parsons lied backpedaled by saying the posting was for AIG, not The Ark Encounter. Stewart called him out on it though, stating that the application was explicitly for the Ark Encounter. Ouch. Stewart gave AIG an out, though. The department will require

“…express written assurance from Ark Encounter that it will not discriminate in any way on the basis of religion in hiring for the project.”

They also required AIG revise all job postings to comply.

Answers in Genesis hasn’t responded as yet, but they’re expected to. Like most religious fundamentalists, profit for Ken Ham comes well before principle; expect Satan leading the Noah’s Ark tour soon.

Alison Lundergan Grimes Surges Ahead In Kentucky As She Leads McConnell in New Poll

The new Bluegrass Poll has been released in Kentucky, and it contains more bad news for stumbling Sen. Mitch McConnell. Democrat Alison Lundergan Grimes has erased a four point deficit and leads McConnell 46%-44%.

The Courier-Journal has the details,

After two polls in his favor, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell again has slipped behind Democratic challenger Alison Lundergan Grimes, according to the latest Bluegrass Poll.

Grimes, Kentucky’s secretary of state, now leads the veteran five-term senator 46 percent to 44 percent among likely voters, the survey found. While that advantage is within the poll’s margin of error, it represents a 6-point swing to the Democrat since the last survey in late August.

The mainstream media have largely ignored them, but there have been signs that McConnell is fading in Kentucky for weeks. Last week, an internal poll from the Grimes campaign found that the Democrat was leading Sen. McConnell 42%-40%. The poll was significant because it was based on the largest sample size used in Kentucky this year. A huge red flag for McConnell is that his unfavorable rating remains at 58%. Sen. McConnell’s net job approval rating was (-21), while Alison Lundergan Grimes had a net approval rating of (+1).

The media continue to try to hand this election to Mitch McConnell, while ignoring polling data that shows the strength of the Grimes position. The NBC News/Marist poll that had McConnell leading by seven points looks like an outlier. There is a reason Mitch McConnell is hiding and refusing to debate Grimes. McConnell knows that anything more than the one scheduled debate with Alison Grimes can only hurt him.

McConnell’s strategy is to let the millions of Koch and right-wing billionaire dollars do his dirty work for him with a tidal wave of negative ads. The reality is that no amount of advertising can change one key fact of this elections. Voters do not like Mitch McConnell. The voters don’t like his obstruction. They don’t like his policies, and they don’t like the fact that he has put his ambition to be Majority Leader ahead of the people that he is supposed to be representing.

With less than a month to go before Election Day, Alison Lundergan Grimes has the momentum. Grimes has erased McConnell’s lead and is surging ahead. Next week’s one and only debate between the two candidates will be critical. Alison Grimes is moving towards becoming the next senator from Kentucky. McConnell’s senate career could be slipping away and with it the Republican dream of taking the majority in 2014.

On the same day that the Kentucky Tourism Development Finance Authority gave its preliminary approval for $18 million in tax incentives for the proposed Ark Encounter theme park, its backers at Answers In Genesis posted a help wanted ad which makes it very clear that non-Christians need not apply. And many actual Christians shouldn't either. From an op-ed in the Lexington Herald-Leader:

When Ark Encounter was originally approved for much larger tax incentives they were required not to discriminate in hiring. However, it is apparent that Ark Encounter is likely to discriminate against non-Christians. Moreover, Catholics, mainstream Protestant Christians and some conservative Christians who have different doctrinal beliefs are also unlikely to be hired. The ad has specific religious requirements for employment. These include a salvation testimony, a "creation belief statement" and a requirement that applicants agree with the organization's "statement of faith." This required statement includes articles that imply that fundamentalist Christianity is the only acceptable religion and that denigrate non-Christians, non-fundamentalist Christians, and homosexuals (regardless of their theological views). The governor, tourism secretary, and various Grant County officials claim the granting of tax incentives is about jobs for the area. However, even in such a religiously conservative area as Grant County and Williamstown, many people will not be eligible for employment. I suspect that even [Gov. Steve] Beshear would not be eligible for a minimum-wage position selling corn dogs.

The author of the above-linked piece is the president of the Kentucky Paleontological Society.

Creationists Lobbying For Taxpayer Funds To Pay For 'Historically Themed' Noah's Ark Park

Ken Ham's name might sound familiar -- he recently appeared with Bill Nye "the Science Guy" to debate evolution and creationism. He's a man with a mission, having successfully built the Creation Museum in Kentucky, a state with a high proportion of Southern Baptists and Evangelicals.

Now, Ham is desperately trying to convince the State of Kentucky to approve his request to use taxpayer money to fund his latest escapade -- a Noah's Ark museum and park called Ark Encounter. The bill for the Taxpayers of the Bluegrass State would come to about $73 million. But Ham has convinced the powers that be -- yes, the governor supports the project -- that it would pay for itself with the additional tax revenue it would generate.

The project would be funded by the Kentucky Tourism Development Finance Authority, which meets tomorrow to vote on the plan. Ham already got the state to approve $173 million in state funding three years ago but withdrew his request when he was having funding challenges on his side.

Mike Zovath, Ark Encounter's project coordinator says they "expect" to get funding approval from the state "because the project fits all the criteria for the tourism act."

Apparently, historical accuracy isn't one of the criteria, although Ham insists the ark will be 510 feet long, supposedly exactly as described in the Bible -- making it the "largest timber-frame structure in the USA."

"Answers in Genesis embraces a literal interpretation of the book of Genesis and a belief that the Earth is only 6,000 years old — a view that runs counter to science," the Courier-Journal reports. "As a result, the Noah's Ark theme park has drawn criticism that the state incentives, as well as a $10.25 million project put into the state road construction plan to improve the state road between I-75 and the park, violate the constitutional requirement of separation of church and state."

KENTUCKY: Bank Teller Sues After Being Fired For Proselytizing To Customers

A Kentucky woman is suing US Bank for firing her after being repeatedly warned to stop asking customers if they'd accepted Jesus Christ as their personal savior.

Polly Neace admitted she was reprimanded and was given multiple warnings, but she continued with the phrase. After complaining about a situation at the bank, Neace claims she jokingly told a manager she might as well go back to saying "have a blessed day" and be fired. She was fired the next day. "I felt very persecuted," Neace said. She later filed a lawsuit against U.S. Bank, claiming she was "discriminated against for exercising her religious freedoms." "I can't back down from this," Neace said. "It's the principle behind everything." In a statement, U.S. Bank said: "At U.S. Bank, we hold our employees to high ethical standards when interacting with customers and co-workers and take violations of these standards seriously."

Let's just wait and see which Christianist group first comes to her defense.

Federal Judge Mocks State of Kentucky’s Opposition to Gay Marriage: Your ‘Arguments are Not Those of Serious People’

A few weeks ago there was an article detailing the battle in Kentucky concerning their ban on same-sex marriage. The state’s ridiculous “argument” was that same-sex marriage shouldn’t be legal because gay couples can’t procreate. They also tried to claim that this would somehow negatively impact the state’s economy.

No, seriously, that was their argument.

Well, this past Tuesday, Judge John G. Heyburn ruled the ban unconstitutional and had a few choice words for the state of Kentucky:

“These arguments are not those of serious people. Though it seems almost unnecessary to explain, here are the reasons why. Even assuming the state has a legitimate interest in promoting procreation, the Court fails to see, and Defendant never explains, how the exclusion of same-sex couples from marriage has any effect whatsoever on procreation among heterosexual spouses. Excluding same-sex couples from marriage does not change the number of heterosexual couples who choose to get married, the number who choose to have children, or the number of children they have.”

He also went on to say, “The state’s attempts to connect the exclusion of same-sex couples from marriage to its interest in economic stability and in ‘ensuring humanity’s continued existence’ are at best illogical and even bewildering.”

That response is nearly perfect. Though I wish he would have put something in there about procreation not being a requirement for marriage and that banning same-sex couples based on their inability to procreate would also have to include any heterosexuals who couldn’t have children.

You don’t have to be a judicial scholar to see how weak of an “argument” the state of Kentucky put up here. Because like I said, even if they were successful in winning this case, they would have then had to ban all heterosexual couples from marrying if they couldn’t have children for whatever reasons.

This fight against the legalization of same-sex marriage has just became pathetically sad. Even in strongly Republican states, judges are overturning these bans right and left because there’s absolutely no argument that can be made to deny homosexuals their right to marry without blatantly violating their Constitutional rights.

It’s like I’ve said several times before, the debate on same-sex marriage is over – we won. It’s no longer a matter of if same-sex marriage will be legal in the United States, but when.

Quote of the Day

"Even critics are acknowledging that the ACA is bringing health care to those who desperately need it. In short, it's working. ...In fact, over 421,000 Kentuckians have signed up for health insurance through 'kynect'—about 75 percent of whom didn't previously have insurance and about 52 percent of whom were under age 35. That's almost 1 in 10 Kentuckians. Those numbers—and the testimony of the people behind them—contradict the mindless nattering of partisan-minded critics who need to leave their Washington D.C. echo chambers and talk to the people they represent. Because if each of the over 421,000 people who signed up via 'kynect' could grab 10 minutes of Sen. McConnell's time to explain what health care coverage means for their families, and if the Senator had the endurance to listen 24/7, it would take eight years to hear from each enrollee. That's longer than the entire new Senate term he says he deserves."

—Democratic Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear.

Judge orders Ky. to pay $70K in legal fees for same-sex marriage case

A federal judge has ordered Kentucky to pay $70,000 in attorney’s fees to the plaintiffs in a lawsuit that resulted in the recognition of out-of-state same-sex marriages.

U.S. District Judge John G. Heyburn II

U.S. District Judge John G. Heyburn II on Wednesday immediately put the order on hold, though, pending the result of an appeal of his ruling in the case.

Heyburn concluded that the lawsuit brought by two couples who were married in other states or countries over the past 10 years and sought to force Kentucky to recognize their unions was novel and difficult.

Heyburn ruled that the plaintiffs’ attorneys showed “considerable skill” in winning the case and the fees requested were reasonable.

Heyburn’s decision to recognize out-of-state marriages is on hold until the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals rules on the case.

Pro-Marriage Equality Kentucky AG Jack Conway Announces Bid for Governor

Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway, who made headlines in March when he tearfully announced he wouldn’t defend his state’s gay marriage ban in an appeal of a federal court’s ruling, has thrown his hat into the 2015 governor’s race.

In an interview with the AP, Conway said he isn't concerned that his pro-equality stance may hurt his chances in the conservative state. As public opinion continues to shift in favor of gay marriage, Conway said Kentucky voters will tire of rehashing the debate come November 2015.

"I think in the fall of 2015 that will not be the big issue," he said. "I think the voters will be more interested in building Kentucky's future than in reliving all of that."

Conway’s refusal to defend the ban led to Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear hiring private attorneys to appeal the gay marriage ruling. Yesterday, those attorneys filed an 'offensive' brief arguing that the state’s ban should be maintained because gay marriage threatens birth rates, and thus economic competitiveness, in Kentucky.

Kentucky Governor: It’s Too Expensive To Recognize Same-Sex Couples’ Marriages

In February, a federal judge ruled that Kentucky must recognize same-sex couples’ marriages from other states, a decision that was stayed pending appeal. Gov. Steve Beshear (D), who hired outside counsel because of Attorney General Jack Conway’s (D) unwillingness to defend the state’s ban, has filed his first brief in the appeal, presenting a novel economic argument against recognizing same-sex marriage.

Beshear’s argument to the Sixth Circuit echoes claims made by many other states defending marriage bans. Notably, because same-sex couples cannot “naturally procreate,” they are “not similarly situated to man-woman couples” and thus do not deserve the same benefits of marriage. Same-sex marriage, the brief argues, is a “new right,” so the state’s ban does not violate same-sex couples’ equal protection when it comes to marriage. But Beshear applies these assumptions in a new way: because same-sex couples do not contribute to the birth rate, it’s not economically beneficial for Kentucky to recognize their marriages.

“Though there is a cost to Kentucky by granting tax and other benefits to man-woman couples, a stable or growing birth rate offsets the cost,” the brief argues. “Only man-woman relationships can naturally procreate, and only those relationships, therefore, are afforded the state sponsored benefit.”

The brief acknowledges that same-sex couples “may capably raise children in a loving environment or engage in loving relationships,” but claims that marriage is only important to promoting the birth rate. This seems to ignore the economic benefit when same-sex couples adopt and foster children who might otherwise be dependents of the state. The Williams Institute estimates that there are over 1,300 same-sex couples already raising their own children in Kentucky. The state has, on average, about7,000 children in foster care each year, whose care costs about $50 million annually. Moreover, it disregards the fact that same-sex couples do contribute to the birth rate with the use of artificial insemination, surrogates, and other methods.

Beshear also neglects to address the double standard of allowing infertile and post-menopausal different-sex couples to marry. Though he asserts that “the state is not required to draw perfect lines in its classifications,” he does not actually explain why the supposed economic burden of these non-procreating different-sex couples is acceptable to Kentucky when it’s not for same-sex couples.

McConnell Steps in It: ‘It’s Not My Job’ to Bring Jobs to Kentucky

Last month, Mitch McConnell (R-Galapagos) said of the Tea Party: “I think we are going to crush them everywhere. I don’t think they are going to have a single nominee anywhere in the country.” This month, McConnell may well have torpedoed his chances of that by saying that bringing jobs to Kentucky “is not my job. It is the primary responsibility of the state Commerce Cabinet.” McConnell made those remarks to the Beattyville Enterprise, and he’s regretted them ever since:

It seems my message got lost in translation, and I was surprised to see a headline about my visit that sent the exact opposite message to the one I was trying to convey. In my travels across the Commonwealth, I hear too often how government is blocking job creation. It’s up to all of us — at the federal, state, and local levels — to fix that.

It’s understandable, since translating turtle to English isn’t easy, but his remarks were pretty clear and straight forward, and “it’s not my job” is not the same thing as “it’s up to all of us.” It makes it sound like the sort of “us” that can be expected from people with authority –i.e., the “us” and “we” that means “you, not me.” The McConnell’s Democratic opponent, Alison Grimes, fired back at McConnell, according to the Houston Chronicle:

Democratic candidate Alison Lundergan Grimes wasted no time attacking McConnell for his comments to the newspaper and used the opportunity to tout her jobs plan that would, among other things, raise the minimum wage and invest in infrastructure. Grimes added that her top priorities as U.S. Senator would be “creating good-paying jobs for Kentuckians and growing our middle class.” “It is reprehensible that Mitch McConnell believes that it is not his job to help Kentucky families who are struggling to make ends meet,” Grimes said in a statement provided by her campaign. “This latest shock from Senator McConnell reinforces the fact that the only job he cares about is his own.”

Kentucky’s Bevin flailing after cockfighting fiasco

It wasn’t too long ago that Matt Bevin looked like a credible challenger to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell in Kentucky’s U.S. Senate Republican primary. But lately, McConnell is feeling pretty confident and Bevin’s handling of his cockfighting fiasco helps explain why.
For those just joining the story, several weeks ago, Bevin accepted an invitation from the Gamefowl Defense Network and delivered a speech to several hundred attendees. Asked later for an explanation, the GOP candidate claimed ignorance, saying he thought he was addressing a states’ rights group and had no idea he was speaking to pro-cockfighting activists.

The event’s hosts soon after explained that Bevin’s defense was literally unbelievable: the “entire rally” was devoted to the issue and “there was never any ambiguity” about the point of the gathering organized by the Gamefowl Defense Network.

 

This week, as Benjy Sarlin reported, the story took another unfortunate turn.

After a series of vague denials, video emerged on Thursday of Bevin personally defending legalized cockfighting – a sport in which chickens fight to the death – at the rally.

Bevin told reporters he was “the first speaker” at the event and left before he realized what the Gamefowl Defense Network was up to. It turns out, that wasn’t true – the group’s director was the first speaker and he made it abundantly clear what the gathering was all about.

 

Bevin also told reporters he didn’t address the issue of cockfighting itself, which also turns out to be untrue – he specifically told attendees at the end, “I support the people of Kentucky exercising their right, because it is our right to decide what it is that we want to do, and not the federal government’s.”

 

Making matters slight worse, when msnbc originally asked Bevin about his appearance, he argued, “It wasn’t a cockfighting event, that’s where you all need to start telling the truth about what happened.”

 

Yes, telling the truth about what happened is important.

 

Today, Bevin issued a statement apologizing for the whole mess:

 

“A month ago, I was invited to Corbin to discuss my candidacy at an event where folks had gathered to address various states’ rights issues. I am genuinely sorry that my attendance at an event which, other than my comments, appears to have primarily involved a discussion of cockfighting, has created concern on the part of many Kentucky voters. I understand that concern. I am not and have never been, a supporter of cockfighting or any other forms of animal cruelty. I am, however, a strong supporter of states’ rights. Regardless of any personal views on this issue, animal rights are not an enumerated power granted to the federal government under the Constitution. Such decisions should be left to each state to decide. I made the decision to speak at the gathering in Corbin because I support our 10th Amendment rights, not because I support or condone every topic discussed at the event.”

KY churches withhold $7 million from children’s home to force anti-gay policies

 

Sunrise Children’s Services is working to recover from a massive budget shortfall after Kentucky churches withheld $7 million because the children’s home had proposed ending its policy of discrimination against LGBT employees. 

Bill Smithwick, the then-director of Sunrise Children’s Services, proposed last year that the home allow employees who were openly gay and lesbian over fears that government funding would dry up.

After churches in Kentucky began withholding their donations, Smithwick was forced to resign, and the children’s home did not change its policy. 

But the damage was done, and Sunrise Children’s Services was already facing a $7 million budget shortfall, according to WDRB.

The Kentucky Baptist Convention, which approves of the anti-LGBT policy, is now back in the Sunrise’s corner. The convention has launched a fundraising drive telling churches that it’s once again safe to donate. 

“Now that our churches have confidence in the leadership of Sunrise and the direction of Sunrise, we’ll give them the opportunity to re-invest in this ministry to children,” Kentucky Baptist Convention Executive Director Paul Chitwood told WDRB.

However, the policy of discrimination puts Sunrise at risk of losing government funding, which provides 85 percent of its $27 million budget. 

“And we know that, at least for now, the state appreciates that, needs the ministry of Kentucky Baptists to these children, thrilled to have the relationship,” Chitwood observed. “And we’ll just see where it goes.”

Rand Paul Calls Federal Judge's Kentucky Gay Marriage Ruling 'Illegitimate'

Kentucky Senator Rand Paul released a statement following U.S. District Judge John G. Heyburn II’s ruling that Kentucky must recognize legal same-sex marriage from outside the state.

Said Paul:

"I believe in the historic and religious definition of marriage. I also believe this power belongs to the states and the people, not the federal government. It is illegitimate for the federal courts to intrude here."

Governor Steve Beshear is hiring an outside counsel to defend the state's ban in the appeal of the ruling after Attorney General Jack Conway, in an emotional and tearful announcement, said he would not.