170-foot cross met with mixed opinions

[babylonsister]

Right down the street from me, and this is becoming a mega-church if it isn't already. :scared:
I saw this cross for the first time last Friday and was shocked-it's hugh!?!! Must be really shocking at night.

http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2009/02/12/170-foot_cross_met_with_mixed_opinions/UPI-64661234476450/

170-foot cross met with mixed opinions
Published: Feb. 12, 2009 at 5:07 PM


HOUSTON, Feb. 12 (UPI) -- Houston residents living near a church's recently erected 170-foot tall cross have mixed opinions about the gargantuan Christian symbol.

Officials with the Sagemont Church said they had originally planned a 190-foot cross in 2007, but the final product wound up 20 feet shorter after the church discussed the plan with the city and the Federal Aviation Administration to obtain permits, KPRC-TV, Houston, reported Thursday.

However, the slightly smaller cross still yielded complaints about its size from neighbors who said the cross is clearly visible from their windows and backyards.

"It's way too big. It's too much and I don't want it in my back yard," Houston resident Frank Green said.

Some residents said they appreciate having the symbol of faith within view.

"It reminds me of my faith and that I have to pray every day. It doesn't bother me. I like it," church neighbor Linda Phuong said.

Pastor John Morgan said the size of the cross is designed to serve as a religious reminder.

"The purpose is for people to know how special they are to God," he said. "We want them to look at it and remember that God loves them."

[Lisa0825]

1. I see it everyday on the way to and from work. It is disgustingly ostentatious.

It may be a big white cross, but it reminds me of a golden calf.

I saw it when it was going up, and I didn't know what it was. I remember thinking they were building a HUGE overpass or something. At that point, it looked like a big "T" and I was looking for other similar structures, thinking they were supports for an overpass. Then I saw it completed and felt repulsed. Mega Church Christians seem to have no clue about the meaning of Jesus' teachings. He would hate this ridiculous display.

[crikkett]

11. Maybe it will get struck by lightening

[Phoenix-Risen]

34. You mean like Cristos?

Of course it's looking down on some fabulous nude beaches in Brazil.

[crikkett]

36. Ya know I thought all beaches in Brazil were nude beaches.

[TWiley]

43. Pics Please !

[Vincardog]

14. Why don't you think he hasn't returned? Does he want to see all those crosses? NAH

[tularetom]

2. If you have to look at a big ass ginormous cross to remember that God loves you then I'd say

you really do not have a lot of faith in the G-man. Seems to me you'd remember that anyway if you really believed.

[Obamanaut]

4. Odd, that! Miz O and I have been married for 41 years. She loves

me, and I don't have any monuments in the yard to remind me. I just know it.

Edited to add: and I love her too. If we were not married, and I could only have three friends in the whole world, she would be the first one. And she knows this too.

[crikkett]

12. You're lucky

my husband is my best friend too.

[panader0]

3. Size matters!

[arcadian]

32. Bigger cross = more Jesus

:thumbsup:

[TWiley]

44. Rock me Sexy Jesus !

That is the name of a great song and dance routine in Bill Maher's movie Religulous

[blaze]

5. There was a comedy routine on the radio the other day

that made a comment about how, if Jesus had been crucified in modern day, Christians would be walking around with electric chairs around their necks...

I wonder how people would respond to a mega electric chair...?

[rurallib]

22. or maybe lethal injection needles & syringes?

[Lady Effingbroke]

6. Ah, the Sagemont Cult.

I lived in Sagemont for most of the 90s. Even then it was well on the way to being a megachurch.

I saw on the news the other night that Grace Church is also building a HUGE cross right there on the Gulf Freeway.

I think they should just erect giant penises in front of the churches, because that is what it is - a big ol' pecker contest.

And if they were truly Christian, shouldn't they take the money they are spending on these damn things and feed the hungry and shelter the homeless?

They wouldn't think of it, because that is something that Jesus would do.

[msongs]

9. yep it's all about $$$$$ and ego - "mine is bigger than yours" - will they put a parishoner on it

every day so it is more life like?

Msongs

[crikkett]

13. No, because Jesus ain't dead no more

he is arisen. IMO the cross actually should be a pole, because they took it down after a couple hours.

[havocmom]

7. Wow, wonder what happens in a big storm, if that puppy gets airborne

That could be one helluva weapon wielded by a hurricane force gale.

[SmileyRose]

8. I-75 in Tennessee - a church put up a HUGE cross next door to the nudie bar.

Parking lot of the tittybar is always packed with 18-wheelers who had to drive right by the big gynormous cross to get to the "sin". LOL




One of those signs to the right of the cross is the sign for "Adultworld", I think it's called.

[crikkett]

19. LOL Garden of Eden

I'm reminded of Sandow Birk's interpretation of Dante's Divine Comedy. He paints the Garden of Eden as a North Beach strip club in San Francisco.

http://www.sandowbirk.com/

[RebelOne]

55. I've seen that one and I couldn't believe my eyes. n/t

[Ghost in the Machine]

58. I pass by that thing all the time... thanks for posting it, I was searching for a pic...

:hi:

[TahitiNut]

10. They must be planning to crucify King Kong.

Stupid Roman wannabes! :dunce:

[katandmoon]

16. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Or Godzilla.

[Lisa0825]

24. Someone on another site said....

(paraphrasing) 'too bad it wasn't a Catholic Church. Then the cross would have a great big crucified Jesus on it. And he would protect Houston from Godzilla.'

[TahitiNut]

31. Godzirra? Free! Free! Godzirra is coming!

[scarletwoman]

17. I see a wonderful "monkeywrenching" opportunity...

:evilgrin:

[babylonsister]

18. I thought about a chainsaw, but does that cut through

concrete? I kid!

And all those lights. :scared:

[scarletwoman]

23. You don't destroy it, you just "enhance" it. Like, hoisting one of those blow-up gorilla balloons

up on the thing.

A guerilla gorilla action. :D

sw

[babylonsister]

25. OK, that would be hysterical!

:rofl: Do you reckon the cops who came to my aid would help me?!

[TahitiNut]

30. Yup. A giant gorilla with a crown of bananas.

:evilgrin:

[Wiley50]

28. No, but gasoline powered concrete saws are common

They look like a chainsaw with a big grinding wheel instead of a blade and chain.

Any rental store has them and rents by the hour

But, down there, I'm sure someone has access to some dynomite. It's easy and relatively safe to use. Modern dynomite only explodes when electricity is applied to a blasting cap inserted into the stick. Tape a few sticks to the base of the thing, then tamp the explosive by pileing a few sandbags or old tires against it. Then wind off 200-300 feet of wire (lead it behind a wall or big tree just to be safe. Then just touch the ends of the wire to a battery of some kind. The whole process could be done in 10-15 minutes

Of course, I'm only explaining this to show how easy it is. Not to advocate doing so

aat least for the record

[Laelth]

26. LOL

That's funny. Thanks.

:toast:

-Laelth

[AlCzervik]

15. Jesus was huge!!!!!

[Manifestor_of_Light]

20. They want to forcibly convert everyone else.

Barring that, they litter the landscape with huge ugly crosses.

Crosses are a torture device. How incredibly gross. :banghead:

[NOW tense]

21. Vampires beware! n/t

[musette_sf]

27. it's part of "The Cross Project"

http://www.makeyourmarkhouston.tv/crossproject.htm





here's a blog that sums it up pretty well:

Look How Oppressed We Are!

http://www.theophania.net/logos/?p=677

[Tesha]

61. Maybe they can string a cable car line between the two of them, like at Disneyworld? (NT)

[sakabatou]

29. I bet the church leaders are compensating for something

[Lost in CT]

33. Well at least it isn't a confederate flag (Cough Tampa Cough) nt

[Oak2004]

37. Gosh, yes! How brilliant of them!

Now all they'll need is a little gasoline, and they'll be ready to "celebrate".

And it's reusable!


:sarcasm:

[LeftyMom]

47. Florida's crazies still reign supreme.

:patriot:

[Peace_Sells]

35. Its for Jesuszilla!

[EFerrari]

40. LOL! Welcome to DU.

:hi:

[Lucian]

38. If you need a 170 foot cross to remind you of your faith...

then you're not very serious about your religion.

I'd petition to get that fucking thing removed if I lived in that neighborhood.

[norepubsin08]

39. It would be interesting to see what the response would be if:

That was a Mosque and they wanted to put up a crescent that size!

[Warren DeMontague]

41. On the plus side, though, their radio reception is GREAT!

[TWiley]

42. God loves them so much that he TORTURED AND KILLED HIS SON?

Now, call me slow, buttt how exactly is torturing and killing anything, especially your own child, love? It is child abuse.
If God writes all the rules, why the blood sacrifice? A sacrifice on the alter to placate himself into forgiving the rest of us for being the sinners that he created in the first fucking place?

Some symbol. God needs a new PR man

[EmilyAnne]

46. It makes total sense. Its like how you can have your sins washed by his blood, you know?

Or pray that a cracker turns into a body that was killed for your sins 2000 years ago.
Then you eat the cracker.
You wash it down with some wine that was turned into blood that was shed for your sins 2000 years ago. The very same blood that washed away your sins.

But, somehow your sins come back or something. Or the sacrifice wasn't enough to really get rid of your sins because you have to start all over again.

Makes sense. Perfect sense.

[EmilyAnne]

45. What's the point? "Hey, Jesus! Remember THIS?"

[TWiley]

56. yes .... how comforting would that be to someone who endured it?

The cross is actually a threat. Do what government tells you to do, and believe everything the religious leaders say, or YOU will be crucified too !

You will notice that the Jesus in the story was not religious, he opposed the mainstream religion of his day, and he was not a puppet of the regime either. For these indiscretions, he was killed .... and "christians" worship his murder?

The moral of the story is this:

Never expect to hear a rational argument from someone who hears voices and talks to imaginary friends.

[ima_sinnic]

48. yes, see this & remember: god is torture. now bow down!

[liberal1973]

49. HaHaHa

These people are idiots.

Pastor "The purpose is for people to know how special they are to God," ?? lol...

So god put the cross there and not these idiots? hmm..

[Earth_First]

50. HOWEVER ...these are the same folks that typically oppose alternative energy sources i.e turbines...

on "aesthetic" grounds that objects too tall such as these detract from the natural surroundings.

[rucky]

51. This is what happens when you cross a Messiah Complex with Penis Envy. n/t

[Vickers]

52. From the church's website: "The church buildings and property are valued at over $30 million"

Just as Jesus envisioned...

[Solly Mack]

53. A restaurant at the top is what it lacks....maybe some shops

T-shirts for sale that read, "I climbed the cross", and an ice cream parlor with 10 "must eat" flavors and other assorted, divine toppings.

[SidDithers]

54. And yet believers got all hot and bothered when ffrf.org put up this...

And what were the mixed opinions? Ugly or Really Ugly?



Sid

[Stevenmarc]

57. Didn't they learn the lesson from the Tower of Babel

[jgraz]

59. Thank GOD they didn't spend that money on feeding the hungry.

:eyes:

[remoulade]

60. What a shame the symbolic instrument of torture is too far away for me to worship.

:puke: