The Religion Thread

[O Really]

Like moths to a flame...

[Mr.B]

Christ_of_the_Ozarks
"No commentary necessary."

I've seen it...impressive and awe inspiring!

Here's another, closer to Home...



Located on top of Mount Lyn Lowery, Haywood-Jackson counties, NC;
Highest Privately Owned Mountain in Eastern North America
You can view this in Google Earth at 35°27' 51.09" N --- 83°06' 32.09" W
(go to Google Earth, copy & paste these co-ordinates in the search box; no dashes)

Here's the story behind it:

Tampa native Lyn Lowry was a mere fifteen years old when she died of leukemia in 1962. Her parents, retired Army Lt. Gen. Sumter Lowry and Ivilyn Lowry, were wracked with sorrow but determined to create a legacy for Lyn. They picked one of her favorite vacation spots, a mountain peak in western North Carolina, to build a permanent memorial to their departed daughter.

On the night of August 6, 1964, they flipped a switch and turned on the lights that have lit up the cross on “Mount Lyn Lowry” ever since. It’s 60 feet tall, is illuminated at night, and can be seen from as far away as 30 miles, if you’re looking from the right direction.

One year later, the famed western North Carolina-based evangelist Billy Graham traveled to the cross to offer dedication. “I am sure we all have mixed emotions as we stand on this glorious mountaintop,” he said. “We have tears in our eyes as we miss the loved on who was taken from us. On the other hand, we rejoice in that out of her death has come this symbol of the pure and wonderful life she led.”

Most folks see the cross, which is maintained by a family foundation, from one of two vantage points; you can hike there. "The climb is but a small price to pay to be near the sky, among the trees, the surrounding peaks and valleys below, to see the great cross above,” notes a pamphlet published by the Haywood County Chamber of Commerce shortly after the cross went up. “It’s glorious.”

Another, less strenuous way to take in the soft-glowing cross is a night drive along US 19/74 between Waynesville and Balsam Gap. On a clear night it’s hard to miss. An overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway, at Milepost 445.2, offers a nice,remote view.

[O Really]

So exactly what is it about the Lyn Lowery display that is impressive? It is a large memento to a person who died too
young, but other than that...? It's not particularly artistic; it doesn't have much to do with Lyn. It's just a big cross. Why not put up something unique?

[rstrong]

Plus the structures get in the way of mountaintop removal mining.

[Mr.B]

"So exactly what is it about the Lyn Lowery display that is impressive?"
The fact that's it's a religious symbol that the ACLU and Freedom from Religion and their hateful ilk can't demand that it be removed.

"It is a large memento to a person who died too young, but other than that...?"
It was erected firstly to the Glory of God. Christ died too young as well....

"It's not particularly artistic; it doesn't have much to do with Lyn. It's just a big cross. Why not put up something unique?"
There's rarely anything artistic about a simple cross; it's what it represents that's significant...to those who view it for what it is...to you, Vrede, rstrong, and others here of your mindset, it, as well as the Christ of The Ozarks statue and other worldwide symbols of belief, they are only an eyesore, or a representation of something to be detested.

BTW...read the plaque: (you may have to zoom in)

[Mr.B]

"I think mountains without garish structures (of any kind, not just crosses) and lights are better memorials."

A "memorial" to what? A planet that is slowing sinking into a pit of decadence, filth, and destruction by it's inhabitants...?

[O Really]

...The fact that's it's a religious symbol that the ACLU and Freedom from Religion and their hateful ilk can't demand that it be removed....

You wouldn't have any examples of where ACLU or other ilks have tried to remove a religious symbol from private property, would you? Rhetorical question - there aren't any. You could, if you looked, find examples of the ACLU protecting individuals' right to put up religious symbols on their property when some governmental unit tried to make them take it down.

I don't care if you like the ACLU or not, but it would be nice if you actually understood what the organization does to earn your disdain.

[Mr.B]

...The fact that's it's a religious symbol that the ACLU and Freedom from Religion and their hateful ilk can't demand that it be removed....

You wouldn't have any examples of where ACLU or other ilks have tried to remove a religious symbol from private property, would you?
Nope.... "...can't demand that it be removed..."
Rhetorical question - there aren't any. You could, if you looked, find examples of the ACLU protecting individuals' right to put up religious symbols on their property when some governmental unit tried to make them take it down.
Well gee! They've gotta make a show now and then.

I don't care if you like the ACLU or not, but it would be nice if you actually understood what the organization does to earn your disdain.
We've been over that before.

[O Really]

I don't care if you like the ACLU or not, but it would be nice if you actually understood what the organization does to earn your disdain.
We've been over that before.

I understand why you would disagree with some cases the ACLU takes. I do too. But I don't know why you're do down on the organization overall. The reason the ACLU defends so many unpopular people is that those are the people who are discriminated against. They'd be happy to help you, the white elder male Baptist if the government were trying to abuse your rights, but somehow that doesn't seem to occur very often.

[Mr.B]

"But I don't know why you're do (so) down on the organization overall."

The majority of their members are atheist; they've done as much harm to the cause of religion as they have to "defend" it.

(opps! silly me, I'm dishonestly not posting your entire post, I edited it, and I'm whining again!)

[O Really]

"But I don't know why you're do (so) down on the organization overall."

The majority of their members are atheist; they've done as much harm to the cause of religion as they have to "defend" it.

(opps! silly me, I'm dishonestly not posting your entire post, I edited it, and I'm whining again!)

Not a problem, Mr.B - but you still don't have a grip. The ACLU neither defends nor attacks religion. It defends the right of individuals to practice - or not to practice - religion. Of course, religious practice issues are only one part of the effort. There's always that "freedom of speech" thingy and something about the press and freedom of assembly. Probably none of those matter to you either if it's an atheist defending them.

[Mr.B]

I don't know if it's still there or not, but there was a large lighted cross on White Oak Mountain in Polk County that stood next to a couple of transmission towers. If I remember correctly, it had been erected partially on land owned by the state...well, some dues-paying lifetime member of one of the "society for the prevention of anything religious" found out, and ranting and foaming at the mouth like a rabid dog, filed a lawsuit citing "separation of church and state." The offensive cross was moved away a few feet off the offending state property.

I looked for it on Google Earth, but didn't locate it, it may have been totally removed by now. Usually lit at Easter and Christmas, you could see it from I-26 heading west up the mountain from SC. Haven't been that way in a while; will have to check it out.

[bannination]

[bannination]

Mr.B, why do you want a state religion and why can't you see that government involvement in religion is certain to harm religion? Is your religion so weak that it needs taxpayer-financed government support?

The majority of [ACLU] members are atheist;

Evidence?

they've done as much harm to the cause of religion as they have to "defend" it....

Examples?

Evidence? What do you think the "A" stands for?????? Gosh Vrede, w u so stupid?




In all serious now, even if they were mostly atheists, .... so what Mr. B?

[Mr.B]

"You two brain dead imbeciles are like two little kids trying to best each other."
So...what's your point? I'm the only one here that's illiterate enough to dare to challenge him; you know, what with his perfection and all. I'd say we're on an even keel...stupid is as stupid does. Leave us alone; it's our fight. Pick your own subjects to piss at him about.

'The fagmaster...."


"....knows more about religion and queers than everyone else here..."
Not quite...rstrong has Vrede beat in the religion department; nobody has anything on Vrede though in the "gay" department. Your new 'handle' for him suits him to a 'tee'.

".....and the church lady appears to not give a shit, so fagmaster tries to piss him off even more."
Wrong gender, Dude. When Vrede can't yank my chain, he does come up with some stupid junk to get me going.

"As far as Mr.B being my special pal, I'll take him over Vrede's dipshit existence anyday."
Not interested; but you do have a good sense when it comes to choosing your company.

[O Really]

I don't know if it's still there or not, but there was a large lighted cross on White Oak Mountain in Polk County that stood next to a couple of transmission towers. If I remember correctly, it had been erected partially on land owned by the state...well, some dues-paying lifetime member of one of the "society for the prevention of anything religious" found out, and ranting and foaming at the mouth like a rabid dog, filed a lawsuit citing "separation of church and state." The offensive cross was moved away a few feet off the offending state property.

I looked for it on Google Earth, but didn't locate it, it may have been totally removed by now. Usually lit at Easter and Christmas, you could see it from I-26 heading west up the mountain from SC. Haven't been that way in a while; will have to check it out.

I think the key phrase here is "... erected partially on land owed by the state.." And it got moved, and maybe stayed on private property. What possible issue could you have with that? If somebody posted a sign saying "I love Sodomites" "partially on land owned" by Mr.B, wouldn't you demand it's removal? Now you may think I'm equating the cross with the Sodomites, but I'm not. If somebody else's religious symbol was placed on your land, you'd want it removed, too. And you probably wouldn't be surprised if your Jewish neighbor wasn't happy that you put your cross on his side of the property line, either. So "state land" is "owned" by all citizens. And citizens come in all varieties of religion and non-religion. All with the same civil rights. You have a problem with that?

[O Really]

... In all serious now, even if they were mostly atheists, .... so what?

It would mean that atheists love the Constitution and our liberties more than believers do. Mr.B is nastier towards believers than I am.

Mr.B would probably be shocked to find out that Baptists were once among the strongest supporters of "separation of Church and State." True - look it up. They believed it to be in their own best interest to keep the state away from the door. Now they're more likely to ask the state to help them push their own beliefs on to others.

[neoplacebo]

I was shocked last Saturday morning when I was accosted at my abode by religioso, who handed me a flyer and told me of their upcoming event. I couldn't believe it; I wasn't even dressed but opened the door in my boxers and t shirt since I felt my faith was moderate enough to merit forgiveness, or at least tolerance. Overall, it was not how you want to start your Saturday.

[O Really]

I always wondered about how a Jehovah's Witness or biking Mormon type person would react to somebody coming to their door and trying to give them literature disputing their beliefs or trying to "enlighten" them or "witness" to them about the Church of Body Modification. But to be fair, all of the relatively few of that sort that have come to our door in recent years have responded well to "sorry, we're Jewish" by immediately backing off with a "have a nice day" or something.

[Mr.B]

The key phrase here was "ranting and foaming at the mouth like a rabid dog"
Pretty well describes ACLU, FFR, radical "Christians", people who support perverse morality, radical Muslims.......