Same story, different aspect

[darkstar3]

I'm crossposting this story from R/T, because I'd like to discuss a separate aspect of it.

http://www.ksdk.com/news/world/article/244343/28/Man-fights-to-keep-24-foot-tall-lighted-cross-in-his-yard

Read to the part where he talks about how he put up the cross because "there are too many atheists in the world." Think about the believer privilege inherent in that statement, especially in light of what would happen if a Muslim had said the same thing about Christians in defense of a broadcast call to prayer.

When this is the unquestioned norm, what chance do we have?

[MrModerate]

1. Well, the municipality doesn't seem to think – just because there are "too many atheists" . . .

That he can violate planning norms, so it seems the inmates haven't yet taken over this particular asylum.

[trotsky]

2. Almost zero chance.

Fuck, look at all the so-called liberal believers on here who basically agree with him. Too many atheists - how DARE we try to CENSOR someone from expressing their beliefs?

[dropkickpa]

3. It's retaliation, plain and simple.

He's doing whatever he can to get back at the neighbor who reported him multiple times, all cloaked in the excuse of religious fervor.

[immoderate]

4. "Fera contends a good Christian would respect his neighbors. "

Orwell knew. It's owning a part of the language. Christian means good. And a good Christian does what Christians do. And if he doesn't, then he's not a Christian.

Interesting that acknowledgment of the deity can be self rationalized as humility as in "Thank you lord, for guiding my free throw," or narcissism, "god has personally authorized me to give you a message that you otherwise can not get."

--imm

[Warpy]

5. I live in NM. Bad plaster statuary

and Guadalupe murals are all over the place, especially in my part of town. I try not to get my panties in a bunch over them and people don't treat me like a weirdo if I spin out on the front portal in nice weather.

This thing crosses a line, it's an in-your-face to everybody who lives near the guy or travels down that street. It's an eyesore as much as a car on blocks or a dead refrigerator would be in the same place.

He should be able to put any religious tchotchkes he wants in his yard. This is just a matter of being completely out of scale for a residential area and he needs to recycle it into fireplace wood.

[onager]

6. B-a-a-a-a-h!

"If I can get just one person to look at that and think about the Lord, like a lost sheep coming back," said Behr.

Yes, because here in the USA, we NEVER IN OUR MISERABLE GODLESS LIVES HAVE EVER SEEN A CROSS OR HEARD ABOUT JESUS!!!

You're the first person to ever think about spreading the gospel! Congratulations! Now that your domestic missionary work has succeeded so well, please haul your ass off to some remote foreign spot and discuss comparative religion. Hopefully some place where the local beliefs still involve cannibalism.

And BTW dumbass - did you ever stop to think what other old traditional American Xian club uses the symbol of an "illuminated cross"?!?!

[darkstar3]

7. Did you see the pic on the story?

If you don't look too closely it almost looks like a cross on fire. You make a goooood point.

[charlie]

8. Here's a head-scratcher

What happened 43 years ago? Nobody knows and Behr ain't saying.

"I'm here tonight to tell people that the time has come to choose a side," Behr said. "Atheism and devil-worshippers are trying to close the door on faith. It's time to slam the door on them.

"Forty-three years ago, a soul named Salvation was sent to Earth, and she made an unselfish choice of peace for mankind. As a result of that decision, the worst parts of the Bible will not take place.

"Instead of embracing this choice, the above people that I've mentioned have decided to take revenge on her. You all know who I'm talking about as far as 'the people above.'

"As for my crosses, they are related to this story. Some people are trying to twist the facts. It's been about the Lord since the beginning, and if anyone tries to make me remove them, they will only anger the Lord.

"This isn't no crackpot. It's come to a place where a fellow man can't even say 'Merry Christmas' to somebody without getting offended. That's what the world's coming to. It's time to make a stand.

"I do (apologize) if this is any inconvenience to anybody ... the crosses aren't coming down. They're staying where they're at. This is a message that I have to deliver, and I have to thank my neighbor for turning this into what it is, because now, I'm able to spread my word farther than I could've imagined."

http://baldwin-whitehall.patch.com/articles/feb-15-baldwin-borough-council-meeting-notes-carl-behr-wont-take-down-his-crosses-b-w-patch-interviews-local-religious-leaders

[darkstar3]

9. WTF?

That's almost as bad as "If it weren't for my horse, I wouldn't have spent that year in college."

[charlie]

10. He backed down already

He flashes hot and cold pretty quick. I guess when you make your life all "about" a guy who'll never speak up and say what the fuck he really wants, you'll wind up scurrying back from the brink of total humiliation often enough.

Oh, and his pissed off neighbor had been praying for an amicable resolution (of course, she'd never admit if she'd been praying for the cross to fall over and squish him). Once again, prayer works. Yaaaaaay, God!

..."I need to be more humble about this. I see my face in the paper and on camera and I see fame and the Lord doesn't want that," Mr. Behr said.

"I'm going to regroup here and get my message out in a different way."

Mr. Behr was featured in a story in Thursday's Post-Gazette explaining that he erected the large cross and another smaller one on his roof because the Lord directed him to do so.

He will take down the small cross as well.

He said the message he was trying to get to the public is that it "is time to make a choice -- are you with the Lord or against the Lord?"...

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11049/1126280-55.stm

...“It’s an emotional day for me because I have to remove something that I believe in,” Behr said this morning.

He said he stands behind his initial goal of trying to share the Lord with the community. He just needs to change his approach.

“It dawned on me that this has spiraled out of control,” Behr, 45, said. “I don’t need to put my family through this. … I need to go about this in a more humble way”...

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/s_723196.html

[toddaa]

11. America has a severe shortage of big ugly fucking crosses

I look out my bedroom window and can only see seven right now.

[pink-o]

12. Best. Comment. Ever.

3tothe14
10:07 PM on February 16, 2011
Considering his past experience, I think a 24ft cross is the last thing Jesus is going to want to see when he comes back.