Groom, Texas

[Curmudgeoness]

I know, I am probably the only one here who has never heard of this, but I just got an email from one of my many friends who are always trying to save my sorry ass. Although I find it really over the top with all the sculptures of Jesus and the crucifixion, I have to admit that they are well done sculptures.

The one comment in that email that curled my hair was "This could be one of the last surviving Christian symbols in the country!" Talk about Christian persecution rhetoric! (Later in the email, it says that this is on donated private property.)

Lots of detailed photos at the site, just in case anyone else was clueless about this wonder of the world.

http://wesrouse.hubpages.com/hub/Photo-Tour-of-the-Cross-in-Groom-Texas

[Major Nikon]

1. The artwork is impressive

One thing I doubt those who built the site pointed out was what Jesus said while he was on the cross...

In Matthew 27:45-46
45Now from the sixth hour darkness fell upon all the land until the ninth hour. 46And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" that is, "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?"

If Jesus is god, why would he say this?

[Curmudgeoness]

3. Good point.

But that isn't the only thing that they don't point out. It is to be expected.

I also found the sculptures to be incredible.

[Major Nikon]

5. I once had an interesting experience in Groom, TX

I got a ticket on the highway for speeding and the cop told me to contact the judge for the county. The number is the judge's home number. He tells me to mail a check, addressed to him personally. The ticket never shows up on my driving record. I'm reasonably sure the cop probably got a cut of the take.

I've since vowed never to go anywhere near Groom, TX again to avoid another shakedown.

[Curmudgeoness]

7. Bwahahaha!

Why am I not surprised!!!! Excellent scam.

I have never been near Groom, and don't want to be. When I lived in Houston, the farthest I got was San Antonio, and I have a feeling that from SA to the western border, or north to OK, it is all the same. I bet speeding still felt like you were going too slow.

[defacto7]

9. Almost the exact same happened to me in Florida.

I never paid the money to the listed address and name. Instead after leaving the state, I called the courthouse in that county and they told me the ticket didn't exist. It was a cop telling me to send the money to his personal address with a check in his own name. That was just too weird.

[RebelOne]

19. Well, at least in one way paying off the judge was lucky for you.

You never got points on your license and your insurance rates did not go up.

[defacto7]

10. Oh, there's a lot of logical fallacy answers to that dilemma.

The real reach is the one where they say it's when God separated from Christ at the point where Christ was taking on the sins of the world and God cannot look upon sin. Kind of like they had a family split and God threw Christ out of the house on a grudge. But then they all had a reunion after Christ dumped all those nasty sins in hell, then God all of a sudden is able to look at him again.

Such a concept. And a pretty bad script.

[Lordquinton]

11. "God cannot look upon sin"

That's one heck of a line to say, cause I'm pretty sure god is all seeing, therefor he sees you when you sin, in fact that's the big line, don't sin, god will see you.

Please tell me you just made that up for satire?

[Curmudgeoness]

17. Bwahaha...."please tell me you just made that up"!

Too funny.....but what is sad is that SOMEONE did just make that up. And all the other things that try to rationalize the belief system and the Bible.

[Lordquinton]

18. I was just hoping maybe once it wasn't the real thing

god can't see sin? do they realize how dumb that sounds? like, I can't even begin to, just no...

[Major Nikon]

12. The concept of the Holy Trinity is one of the weakest ones in Christianity

Both John 5: 7-8, and Timothy 3:16 were altered by the King James version of the bible(which is heresy) in order to give credence to the Holy Trinity. Modern biblical translations have corrected those errors.

Without the concept of the Holy Trinity there's no biblical evidence that Jesus is a god at all and virtually the whole of Christianity falls apart at the seams.

[AlbertCat]

30. The artwork is impressive

I'm not impressed.

The figures have a wiry unrealistic look and there's nothing original about any of the imagery. It looks like Grad student work to me.

But...y'know....that's subjective.

[Major Nikon]

31. It's impressive for Groom, TX

It's basically Jerkwater, USA.

[Gore1FL]

2. I knew nothing about this.

The art is interesting. I can't imagine going there on purpose, though.

[Curmudgeoness]

4. I was just thinking about that.

No, I would not go out of my way to visit, but I do think that if I were travelling by, and saw the humungous cross in the distance, I might just have stopped to see what it was. And now that I have seen the sculptures, I know that I would stop. But I wouldn't have some great sense of gawd and spiritual enlightenment, just curiosity and the opportunity to see this artwork.

[smartphone]

6. Another little Disneyland for Buy-bull believers

And there's a gift shop there, too.

How convenient!

[Curmudgeoness]

8. At least it is in BFE.

They stay away from the rest of us out there.

[AtheistCrusader]

13. I think this one is much more interesting.

Gospodor Monument Park

Random mishmash of Jesus Christ, Mother Teresa, Chief Seattle, and some other random historical characters, visible from I-5, BUT you can't actually get out and look at it. There's no way to get there. No road, no access. Private property.

http://www.weirdus.com/states/washington/personalized_properties/gospodor_monuments/index.php

Keeping it weird, Washington, unf unf unf

[Curmudgeoness]

15. Sounds like if he got his way,

this site would be a real circus. But I don't think this one is as much fun, simply because you can't stop and gawk at them....what's the point????

[onager]

14. Dueling crosses! Get yer dueling crosses here...

From the Wikipedia entry for Groom, TX:

There is a 19-story cross located next to Interstate 40 (formerly U.S. Route 66) at Groom. This 190-foot (58 m) tall free-standing cross can be seen from twenty miles (32 km) away. Surrounding the base of the cross are life-sized statues of the fourteen Stations of the Cross.

Inspired by this cross, residents of Effingham, Illinois erected a similar cross that is eight feet taller. Many claim this cross to be the largest in the Western Hemisphere.

However, it is smaller than the cross erected in the Valle de los Caidos in Spain, located at 40°38′29″N 04°09′26″W and elevated 152.4 m overground.

The cross is also 18 feet (5.5 m) shorter than the 208 ft (63 m) cross at the Mission Nombre De Dios in St. Augustine, Florida, and shorter than the 65 metres (213 ft) tall Lakeuden Risti cross-shaped church tower in Seinäjoki, Finland.

I bet Ken Ham is drawing up blueprints right now...

[Curmudgeoness]

16. Those other crosses might be bigger

but do they have the Stations of the Cross sculptures?

Makes you wonder why Ham hasn't gotten on this yet. Sounds perfect for him.

[TxDemChem]

20. They are beautiful sculptures, but I would hate to get emails like that.

Remind me to never go anywhere near Grrom.

[Curmudgeoness]

21. Oh lordie, I get these all the time.

Seriously, IRL, I know no other atheists. Many are very religious, and they worry about my "soul"....always trying to save me. I suppose that I should be flattered that they give a shit.

[TxDemChem]

22. That socially sucks. Well, it seems that they are nice about it.

I've had to stay away from Facebook because I got tired of people posting religious stuff on my wall.

I'm so glad I found this forum. You all make my day, especially after I hear religious crap all day at work.

[Curmudgeoness]

23. The interesting thing about it

is that these people do not get into face-to-face discussions about religion or god. It is always the email or Facebook post. And I rarely acknowledge any of it, although this one deserved a comment about how well done the sculptures were and how it was bullshit that this is one of the last religious displays or whatever they said in the email.

But I do defend myself in person.....so these people are cowards, although I would not tolerate their company if they harassed me to my face.

[TxDemChem]

24. That is cowardly to just not say anything in front if you.

They're passive aggressive, I take it. I suppose they know you'll quash whatever they say and just fear the confrontation. To me, that shows that they are either weak in their arguments and/or don't think they can convert you with charm. I laugh at those kinds of Christians. Glad you aren't taking any crap from the confrontational ones.

[progressoid]

25. And of course....the gift shop

[Curmudgeoness]

26. No freaking way!!!!!!!!

OMG, that is really full of a lot of shit. And I really mean shit. Most of that looks like real crap. Wonder what the mugs say....I could use one.

But the building is nice.....this whole place had a lot of money thrown at it.

[A HERETIC I AM]

27. I used to drive acros I 40 a few times a year and I remember the first time I saw this thing....

It was late and sort of misty/hazy. At first I couldn't figure out what it was as the lights on it at night were lighting up the fog. I thought it was a tornado for a little bit, but as I got closer I could make out what it was.

Not too far East of Amarillo, right along the freeway. Nothing screams out "We are insecure!" than a big, giant ass cross within sight of the middle of nowhere. It looks like it is covered in vinyl siding, btw.

[Curmudgeoness]

28. Oh, lucky you.

You have actually experienced this. You made me spray my coffee at that comment that it looks like it is covered in vinyl siding.

Do you have the desire to ever stop? I would. And to be honest, the sculptures look well done. But I will never be in BFE Texas east of Amarillo. Even when I lived in Houston, I never had a desire to head to Amarillo.

[A HERETIC I AM]

29. Out of morbid curiosity, if nothing else, yes.

Last edited Mon Apr 28, 2014, 09:32 PM - Edit history (1)

I thought about stopping....but I also thought "Why on earth would I really want to?"

Most of the time I had either just started the days driving in Amarillo and wanted to rock down the road or I was headed for OK city to end the day. Edit here...I should add that when it passed it going Westbound I had the same sort of reasons for not stopping - I had somewhere slightly less boring to get to!

Let's see...the last time I was by there had to be in 2010 or so. Back in the 90's when I was in IndyCar I used to go by it probably 4 times a year, going to or coming back from the Phoenix or Long Beach races.

It really is atrocious looking up close. From the interstate, anyway. I'm sure the mythical Jesus would look at it and say "Yeah. That's exactly what it was like. As if it was purchased from a Sears Catalog."