Do you have any more information concerning this picture?

I'll tell you one thing... it isn't in San Diego.

No it is not. I've expanded the entry with my impressions gleaned from a road trip in 2002.

Call out the National Guard! That thing is an affront to humanity. How dare someone do that? How dare they!?

Oh, wait. Texas. Bush did it. Impeach him!

If you don't stop it now, they will multiply. Today Texas, tomorrow total theocracy in every state.

Get it to the Supreme Court. They know how to handle things like this.

FWIW--There is a cross garden just off the US Highway in Prattville, Alabama that makes up in volume what this does in size. Hundreds of crosses, a mock-up of a tomb, etc. Very eccentric, even by that area's standards.

Hey, Tom,

What would happen if it was in San Diego?

The City Council would vote to do nothing. Nix that, a vote would be doing something. Lets try this again.

The city council would do nothing. The ACLU would threaten. The city council would do nothing then pay the ACLU $500,000 to take the cross down. The the city council would endorse a nude gay pride parade on the cross site because thay don't want to offend anyone.

What San Diego would do -- part 2

... A petition to put the matter on the next ballot would be completed in record time. Voters overwhelmingly approve keeping the cross. Athiests sue -- again. Judge Greer rules: "I see no cogent reason to uphold the results of the referendum. Remove the life support, er, umm, remove the cross." 9th circuit upholds ruling, supreme court refuses to hear the case.

Got it?

Amy,

Thanks for the slow pitch softball. I owe you one.

Tom,

You owe me nothing, but thanks. Where I live there are crosses all over the highways and secondary roads as remembrances of people who died in car wrecks. Some are quite elaborate - especially those where several people died. I wonder if anyone gripes about those. Where is the ACLU demanding that these roadside memorials be taken down.

I'm an atheist, but never in my life would I infringe my views on another. I don't understand people who get riled up about this stuff. Like that guy who came from Nebraska to put up those crosses at Columbine. I liked that. I like passion, I guess. But they made him take the crosses down, and I think people protested and now they're back up. The thing about the cross in Texas is it goes too far in my opinion. Selling tacky souvenirs??

Also, here where I live, we have all these little churches with lighted signs that have a daily phrase displayed to shame the heathens. They're really embarrassing.

I joined a secular humanist group and loved the lecturers from the university - just excellent. The whole crowd would go out to eat afterwards, and one day in keeping with some conversation, I mentioned an article by George Will. Faces turned red and grimaces aimed my way and that's the last I saw of those fools. I live in the shadow of Monticello, and the best lecture I heard was one describing the trials and tribulations Jefferson and Madison had trying to come up with a way to use 'providence' (as they called it) in setting up the government's value system. The lecture on quantum physics blew right by me. The twilight zone professor giving the lecture was completely nonplussed when I raised my hand and asked him if he could bring it on down to soulville for us. The audience laughed and cheered with a few huzzays. They were lost, too, and one was even a physics professor at UVA.

There's really no point to my ramblings here other than to say I believe passion more than logic leads to change; but if the passion is out of control, things just become chaotic. I love and appreciate all passion - just don't jam it down my throat if your passion has escaped the bounds of thoughtfulness.

There is an identical cross just south of Effingham, Illinois on I-57. The first time you posted pictures of the cross in Texas, I thought it was the one here (Effingham is about 30 miles from here, which is Mattoon.) I have never stopped there, just passed it by every so often. One day I shall stop. Until then it is just a strange miracle.

According to info I have seen concerning the cross near Effingham, IL (198 feet tall), it is larger than the one at Groom, Texas (190 feet). I am from Amarillo, and have seen that one at Groom on multiple occasions, but never saw the necessity to stop. Guess I see it like Amy does--a little on the "overdone" side. I guess if that's what you like, go for it.

In passing the Groom, Texas cross in Oct. 04, I tried to take a picture of it. The picture didn't
print out. Is that a miracle, blessing or what?

Someone please tell me what the problem having a Cross to remind us all that Christ Died for us because He loves Us.
Please Someone tell me What Is Wrong With This. We need to be telling our Sons and Daughters this everyday of their lives . We need to be telling this to our Husbands and Wives and Our Families. We need to stop the killing and aborting our own flesh and blood. THis Cross that Christ Died On tells us alot and also asks us to think. I think people are afraid to think these days I really do.

This isn't the largest cross in the world. The biggest one is in Effingham, Illinois and its 198 feet tall weighing in at 180 tons.

The World's Largest Cross is actually the Holy Cross at the Valley of the Fallen in Madrid, Spain. Almost 500 feet tall and a weight of 200,000 tons.

http://www.feelmadrid.com/valleyofthefallen.html

Best regards

are you the owner of nazareth cross ?

www.nazarethcross.com

A lot of Christians wear crosses around their necks. You think when Jesus comes back he ever wants to see a fucking cross? It's like going up to Jackie Onassis wearing a rifle pendant.

To Bill Hicks ,
How do you know what Jesus would "think" ??
by your comment you have missed the whole point & reason of the Cross the WHOLE POINT !!
Not safe to assume that every one who wears a cross/crucifix is actually a Christian.

Have a nicer day.

Had the good fortune to visit the Groom Cross as a pilgrimmage. Also, highly recommended is the Ave Maria cafe located in Groom. Both are extremely valuable spiritual experiences. Take a pilgrimmage to this site and pray for those who want to abolish anything holy.
edwin kubena, jr.

On a road trip in 1955 I passed thru Groom TX in a 1927 Rolls Royce roadster. Didn't see a cross but did make the front page of the paper the next day.

All that's missing is the flames all over that cross.

The problem with some versions of "Christianity" is that they have forgotten the key message of its founder - tolerance.

Heinlein hit the nail right on the head when he wrote "If This Goes On...", in some editions called "Revolt in 2100". The spirit of Nehemiah Scudder lives in America, and it must be guarded against. Forever.

You don't believe in drinking booze? Don't drink it. You don't believe in contraception? Don't use it. You don't believe in premarital sex? Don't do it. You don't believe in sodomy? Don't do it. But you have no right whatsoever to impose those beliefs on others. Whoever you are, and it doesn't matter how many there are of you.

Not a message that would go down well in the Deep South, or in Utah.

Nothing expresses Jesus' love and compassion like a large cross.

I'd also like to express my love for Him. He saw me through my darkest hour.

they have forgotten the key message of its founder - tolerance

The *eyeroll* is strong in this one...

Tolerance, Fletch, really? Even a cursory reading of the New Testament indicates that Jesus' message was one of uncompromising intolerance--towards sin, towards hypocrisy, and towards falsehood. Not once did Christ tell a sinner, "that's cool, you do you thing, I'll do mine, and we'll just get along". He confronted sin wherever He found it, and challenged sinners to repent. But He always loved the sinners themselves, whether they were tax collectors, Samaritan women of questionable morals, or Roman officers.

Christians can be gruesome people. I'm happy they're free to express themselves, but really happy they're not in charge.

Enjoy your gulch, Joel.

JWM

The history of Christ is gruesome and offensive. What's your point? Question: where did hospitals come from?

People who haven't lived in a society that has no moral imperative to honesty and reverence for life have no idea. No.Idea.

People of Faith have a logical idea of what Life is all about.

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
I Corinthians 1:18

That is why we remember The Cross, that is why we honor it. To those of us pulled from the fire by Grace, saved by His Love, by His sacrifice, it will always be precious. That is why we remember it with joy but also with tears...

The cross is a few minutes east of Amarillo, TX along Interstate 40. Lots of parking, enough for RV or semi-truck.

The hateful hostility exuding from some of the posters is really sad. I've driven by The Cross in Groom several times, the first time was in 2005. On the way back my 7 year old daughter made a point to stop and look around. It was very cool. We stopped again in 2010. In March of this year we got there too late and it was closed.

Such a simple image, such complex reactions, it's really amazing to me. Nobody makes you pull off Interstate 40 and check it out. You don't even need to look at it as you drive by.

I think it's an awesome thing, every single bit of it and I love it. I've also found that even after you've driven past it or driven to it and walked around, it in no way impedes your ability to commit sin and debauchery once you've left the site.

In this age of ubiquitous twerking and infamous celebrity, calling The Cross in Groom 'over-the-top' is ridiculous.

The hateful hostility exuding from some of the posters is really sad. I've driven by The Cross in Groom several times, the first time was in 2005. On the way back my 7 year old daughter made a point to stop and look around. It was very cool. We stopped again in 2010. In March of this year we got there too late and it was closed.

Such a simple image, such complex reactions, it's really amazing to me. Nobody makes you pull off Interstate 40 and check it out. You don't even need to look at it as you drive by.

I think it's an awesome thing, every single bit of it and I love it. I've also found that even after you've driven past it or driven to it and walked around, it in no way impedes your ability to commit sin and debauchery once you've left the site.

In this age of ubiquitous twerking and infamous celebrity, calling The Cross in Groom 'over-the-top' is ridiculous.

"I was going nowhere. Fast."
Oooo, I HATE when that happens.But by a mere song?
SOME folks, maybe even the author, believe that the song "In Your Eyes" is a love song to a mere woman. Not quite as popular as wearing crosses as jewelry, or even put up as monuments, initially it was one of those 2x4-up-side-the-head things for me. NOW, it serves as an occasional reminder for me, but not so "saturated" exposure that it becomes irreverent, or irrelevant.

When was this built?
I drove that route several times in the late 70's and didn't see it then. If I drove that route today I'd certainly stop.

Vampire fatalities up by 139% in the past year thanks to Texas cross. One nosferatu reports he was crossing a country road some 3 miles from the cross when he was hit by a powerful blast of sacred light. If not for a passing tractor trailer rig the undead swears he would have been true dead by the count of three.

Vampire rights groups are talking about a suit against the cross owners, and the ACLU is investigating ADA action.