A church in Texas built a 170ft tall white cross in their lawn — that’s taller than the statue of liberty.
They think it’s ridiclous that anyone would have a problem with it, but I bet they wouldn’t want a 170ft statue of the Flying Spaghetti Monster across the street.
Why only 170ft? The pastor responds:
Because the FAA would not let us build it to 250ft tall. That’s why.
Unfortunately, another Texas church is going to build another one of these eyesores soon. One can only hope it doesn’t catch on.
God, save us from your people.
(via)
why didn’t they use the money they spent on the cross to – uh I don’t know, feed the poor???
What a monumental waste of money and resources! The money invested in building and maintenance could certainly have went to so many more worthwhile charities and meaningful projects. Particularly in this economy.
Of course course it will catch on! They will get into the whole “My structure is bigger than your structure.” Perhaps if they put several power generating windmills on it I may be more understanding.
As a Texan, I just want to say that not all of us are that stupid!!!
It’s there in case we need to crucify 170ft Mecha-Jesus.
The pastor says:
I say:
Had Jesus been executed today by the state (perhaps in Texas), it would likely have been in an electric chair. One can only imagine a 170 ft electric chair (in Texas) erected as a “symbol of hope.”
Ok, THAT’S IT! We need to get that Perry out of office and replace him with a DEM!!!
This kind of stupidity is mind boggling.
It makes me sick to my stomach that people would throw away money like that in times like this.. in the name of fucking love..
while they could use it to actually HELP people.
Disgusting.
Yes, but most of us are. (lol I hate living in Texas :( )
When the wind blows this giant thing down, I hope it lands on the Pastors house. THAT would be funny….
I gotta say this is a whip. Know this, the church I pastor will never do this.
I understand that obvious issues like being an eyesore or causing the FAA to get a little peeved.
But not only that, I really question the motives of these Christians. God himself speaks of idols. I know they’re building a symbol of sorts TO God or FOR God but this is ridiculous. I truly don’t think God is thrilled by it.
You build something this big that serves absolutely no purpose then you’ve just created an “idol” instead of an “altar.”
Are they just looking for make a splash? Wanting to “reach people” with this crap?
Atheist buddies out there – this is not what the Bible says to do. This is not wise stewardship. This isn’t even practical.
I know it’s hard to keep an open mind with clown acts like this but PLEASE understand that this is not what’s supposed to happen.
What a whip!
You are not a Pastor, A Pastor will never talk about the Cross that saved Him like that, I’m sure you’ll never build something like that in your Church (If you pastor one) YOUR CHURCH IS DEAD. Dead people don’t build anything, they don’t preach the gospel of the cross. Dead people don’t even worship the Lord that give His life on that Cross…….READ ISAIAH 38:18
I LOVE THAT CROSS THAT SAVE ME, MY SIN HE PAY AT THAT CROSS, …. LORD FORGIVE AMERICA AND SHOW US THE WAY BACK TO THE CHRISTIAN NATION WE USED TO BE.
WOW your incoherent ranting totally convinced me.
Thanks!
I hear you, Sunny. Who could possibly stay atheist after reading that?
Amen. Thinking is hard. I’m ready to give it up now that Josue has shown me the way to the exit.
I gotta agree with Stephen. This is an idol, which is clearly against the words of the old testament. I mean, didn’t Moses have a cow when his followers made a golden calf? Didn’t Moses smite them or something?
Of course, JC didn’t really say that this was forbidden…I dun know. I b confused.
Unfortunately, this isn’t the first, nor is it likely to be the last. Here’s a link to another blog that talks about one that is 198′ tall in Illinois:
The Cross by the Road
There’s got to be a way residents can sue the church or petition for a removal. This is just absurd and belligerent. Its obviously going to affect the value of their homes, so they may have some kind of case.
Excellent point. Money that could be used to actually help someone instead of being wasted.
Judas SAY THE SAME BEFORE HE DENIED JESUS BUT JESUS SAY TO HIM LET THIS WOMAN WORSHIP ME BECAUSE THE POOR PEOPLE WILL BE ALWAYS WITH YOU.
READ THE BIBLE, AND THEN TALK ABOUT IT.
That’s what we’ve been doing. DUH!
Where you there?
Perhaps they should nail a giant Jesus to the cross. Now that would be a message of hope!
It does make sense, a 900ft Jesus was spotted in Oklahoma.
It’s not like a GIANT CROSS isn’t a terrorism target.
Jeez! That’s a big cross. There’s a place called the Cross in the Woods in Michigan. It was considered the tallest crucifix in the world at 55 feet a mere couple of years ago. It is far less of an ostentatious eyesore, however. And it does have a Christ nailed to it.
Cross in the Woods: The world’s largest wooden crucifix draws tens of thousands of viewers to Indian River each year. Erected in 1954, the height of the cross is 55 feet; the width is 22 feet. The awe-ing depiction of Christ on the Cross is constructed of a single redwood tree, with the figure of Christ sculpted in bronze by Marshall Fredericks. It weighs 7 tons in total.
I feel a bit embarassed on their behalf – is the christian god so poor, so meager, so weak, so insignificant that he needs 170ft tall graven images to support his worship ?
I blush for them
We aren’t completely a##-backwards here in Texas– we do have building codes you know!
I so hope it gets struck by lightening and burns down, that’d be terrific. Of course, acts of God aren’t real acts of God if they happen to inconvenience christians. Then it’s just a random weather condition, rather than God choosing to smite someone who’s done something to offend him.
While I agree its an eyesore and ostentatiously in-your-face, I will defend the right of this church to erect this on its own property as protected by free speech and freedom of religion.
I also think that residents should ask the church to turn off the lights at a reasonable hour as a neighborly thing to do. (I am reminded of the case of a Catholic priest in the Netherlands ringing the bells at 6 am everyday. The neighbors weren’t happy about that either)
I just know some church in Oklahoma (my home state) will try to duplicate this feat of insane buggery.
Texas has much more to be concerned about than raising huge crosses. Just watch this and be shocked at what has become of the so-called “Bible belt:” http://www.dallasnews.com/s/dws/photography/2007/bottomline/
What about all the energy that they are wasting on keeping that thing lit up every night? They are going to spend thousands on just energy bills a year…
I doubt those lights are solar powered…
And God hates those who choose to judge others,
remember that’s his job and not yours and in his eyes
your as offensive to him as a HOMO. Christains who
get so bent out of shape about others shows how very little
faith they have. If your faith is so strong then why bother being angry with others, sure you can disagree with their lifestyle, but in the end if your belief is so strong then you would know anyone not living in accordance with GOD’s laws
will get what they have coming to them.
Watch, that thing will fall over and kill someone.
Well clearly, “homeowners” sounds very close to “homowners” which is just about “Homos”!
and we know they would hate a cross because God hates them!
so its clear why there are protests.
I’ve seen bigger.
/facepalm
I wonder what will happen during hurricane season.
i cannot believe that they managed to get something like that approved? Surely there are certain requiremnts to be able to put something that big up? Can someone clarify that for me? I live in South africa and work for architects and i know what a pain it is to get building plans approved by council. How did they get that approved? or is it one of those “hurches dont pay taxes” exemptions, in other words they are a church have no need to get something approved?
There is a rap song by KRS One where he talks about how if Jesus were alive today he’d probably be killed by gunfire because he lived amoung the poor and basically suffered their misfortunes. At any raye, if that was true then people would be wearing guns around their necks just like rappers…. and maybe there would be gigantic guns erected across the land to memorialise his death or resurrection or whatever.
KRS One is a believer but his maessage is that believers should follow God not the bible. I can respect that.
Great kinda anti-church anti-bible rap song froma believer.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cJc2LQvorU&feature=related
It’s rap but you can understand what he’s saying on this one.
Whoa!
Well, at least it isn’t quite as bad as that crying Statue of Liberty holding a cross and the 10 commandments instead of a torch and that book she normally holds….
I think that this falls under the same category as all that “anointing with oil” stuff they do to government buildings and the drive to get the 10 COmmandments posted in schools and courthouses and such. I think they believe it’s some sort of “territory marking” thing… “claiming territory” for god or such. If they make everyone see this cross, or smear oil over all these places, or I remember one town even posting these big wooden markers at “the four corners” of their town banning Satan and witchcraft and who knows what else, they think that people will magically come over to their side or angels will drive them to God with flaming swords or something.
For people who say they worship a spiritual God, they sure do put a lot of value on physical markers and icons and statues and such….
I heard someone say the other day that Mexico still thinks we seized Texas illegally, but of course it’s now a moot point, so they don’t say anything.
Let’s surprise them and give it back to them for their birthday. In fact, perhaps we could persuade them to take Alabama, Mississippi and Florida as well.
Since it’s in Texas, that thing will be riddled with bullet holes in no time.
Also, how small must that pastor’s penis be? I mean, seriously.
Also, how small must that pastor’s penis be? I mean, seriously.
LOL!
Because the FAA would not let us build it to 250ft tall. That’s why.
It sounded like 210 feet to me.
They probably did this so Jesus could see it from space.
I thought John Holmes had the worlds bigger erection.
Excellent Point!
“I just crashed a van into Jesus!”
Ha ha, Elemenope, I love your new avatar.
I have such a hard time getting people to watch that movie. Maybe I need to change my opening…
“It’s about kids at a Christian high school. Starring Mandy Moore.”
Then they start hitting me.
Thanks, but I realized that the text isn’t very legible, so I’m trying to change it to another…
I saw a comedian who did a bit along these lines once.
“If jesus every does come back do you think he’s going to be happy that the wood he was nailed to became his symbol? I’m thinking he’s going to have some bad memories about the cross.”
Haha, that’s hilarious.
I also wonder, if the wind picks up due to an act of God, that thing will inevitably fall on the highway nearby, and probably some people’s houses.
That’s an excellent point. Honestly, if they did have to go with ostentatious symbolic nonsense, why didn’t they go with a Jesusfish?
(Or a Buddy Christ?)
I always find watching House difficult as I can’t not remember Hugh Laurie’s career beforehand in particular his role in Blackadder.
@Jabster
For me it was the Jeeves & Wooster connection.
On the other hand, he plays House with such punch that I rarely catch myself giggling about those past roles while I’m watching. It does occasionally occur to me randomly though.
For me, it’s always A Bit of Fry and Laurie that I’ll remember.
Aw! I love living in Texas! I hated living in NYC.
Well what about all the other issues in the bible that Christians choose to ignore? Maybe all the idol stuff wasn’t meant to be taken literally.
“I know it’s hard to keep an open mind with clown acts like this but PLEASE understand that this is not what’s supposed to happen.”
What, Stephen, is supposed to happen?
I always get a kick out of people trying to distance themselves from the fruit of the same tree they are from.
Stephen, the problem is that most people in the evangelical world (I’ll leave mainstream Christianity out of this) are like this. One of the main reasons I could never be a Christian is that, even if I agreed with Christian theology – which I don’t – you have to wade through too many imbeciles to find someone intelligent to talk to. I simply don’t want to have to work that hard.
Now, if God’s attitude is, “That’s too frakkin’ bad. These are the rules, and if it means you have to spend eighty, ninety years dealing with abject morons in order to avoid getting roasted alive for all of eternity, so be it”, then screw him.
And don’t tell me that avoiding hell isn’t what Christianity is about, because it most certainly is what Christianity is about.
That was Bill Hicks.
lol look at the money spent here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7p5silgAfw&feature=related
Yeah- and double bad news…
SE Houston is where all the oil refineries are!
*Gasp*
But.. but.. Everything’s supposed to be bigger in Texas!
I have faith in my people.
This giant drowning Jesus is just a few hundred yards from my house.
When Egyptian Death Symbols Attack!
Someone call FOX, we got us a new reality-TV series…
Whoa, whoa, whoa! We don’t need ANY burning crosses in Texas!!!!!
I think that’s a safe bet, Roger! In Oklahoma, you can count on it.
I am SO sick of social conservatives! What a bunch of hypocirtes!!!
I’ll bet you every single one of the members of that ridiculous church with that ridiculous cross voted for McCain/Palin and Perry.
Hypocrites!!!!
McB–
Are you a fellow Texan?
Actually, Houston has TERRIBLE zoning laws. So there is probably nothing that people can do about it.
Too bad! :(
I would totally donate to a 171 ft. Buddy Christ.
No exemptions. And as long as they follow city building codes, the city has no recourse against them (even if they’d like to!)
so they dont need to get neighbours approval or anything like that? Surely there must be height restrictions for a residential area or summing, oh well…
Yeah, that’s why people here in Texas call Houston an “ugly bit$%”.
The funny thing is, my sister lives in Houston (and loves it), but every time I’ve gone to visit her, I think, “Damn, this city is ugly.”
My parents live in Houston. We all think its ugly!
It sucks always having to remind people of that. I know because I’m in a similar situation – I live in Florida …
Patrick, would you like an opportunity to distance yourself from Stalin or Mao? Bad things have happened in the names of many world views, including atheism. An action might reflect a belief, but that doesn’t mean it’s the fruit of that belief. Some things are done in spite of what a person claims to believe. I don’t think Jesus would support this eye sore, any more than a prominent atheist (or you) would endorse the slaughters under atheist leaders of the 20th century.
Thanks for this oppotunity, Brent. I’m only surprised you didn’t enclude Hiter and his “Gott mit uns” belt buckle wearing army, along with cult figures like Stalin and Mao or Kim Jong-Il (the old stand-bys). I don’t endorse Ghengis Khan either, or the slaughtering army of Moses.
When Stephen said “I know it’s hard to keep an open mind with clown acts like this but PLEASE understand that this is not what’s supposed to happen.” I have to ask, what IS supposed to happen then?
When you say “I don’t think Jesus would support this eyesore” I also have to ask, how on Earth would you know that? Do you suppose to speak for him? Given the utter ignorance backwardness of his day, he may have considered it a “marvel to behold.” Who can say?
The fact of the matter is, to fund and support these massive structures, there has to be hundreds, if not thousands, chipping in to the collection plate or otherwise giving money in support. I suspect these are believers in the ideals represented by the cross. Wouldn’t you agree? I suspect they are fruit of the same tree …Isn’t the cross a symbol of your faith? worn by millions? Why not a massive one? When it gets too big, then people start to distance themselves.
We did take Texas illegally. We pulled what would later come to be known as ‘an Israel.’
Hitler tried to make a deal with Mexico during WWII, he’d give them Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona if they sided with him.
LOL. Well it probably qualifies as conspiracy theories but there are people who say that some Mexican groups do have plans to take back the Southwest. Google la reconquista (or something like that) and you can find orgs that lay it out.
LOL is right. That comment cracked me up.
Imagine waking up to a 170 ft burning cross in your front yard. Bummer.
“If the real Jesus Christ were to stand up today
He’d be gunned down cold by the C.I.A.”
The The
Armageddon Days Are Here (Again)
They should’ve thought it through. Seen from above, it’s just a simple straight line.
Hey, that’s Big Butter Jesus!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gq01UYiMyHg
I’ve driven by it a few times =)
Not when it comes crashing down