I know, right? This stuff is everywhere and I've never noticed it until this year's tourist season. Its only a group of about 6-10 of these guys... but they're everywhere.

Same thing with all the mormons. Ive never seen them anywhere either.

He's carrying a PVC cross because he's too much of a pussy to carry a wood one??

I don't really mind the public display of faith brought fourth by these few. I am starting to see a lot of campaign signs for both sides in yards and billboards accross town as well. People believe in their political causes like these folks believe in their faith. They are just out advocating their beliefs like anyone else.

Imagine how long you'd last carrying a placard that said "There is no god." Balance in our society is a myth.

Well, I'm an athiest. Most people arent. I don't understand what you mean by "balance" or by "how long you'd last". What do you think would happen to you?

I think he really meant the message wouldn't last or really carry much weight in a strongly faith-based community (yep, I'm talking about Duluth). I would guess that 80% of the people that live here are of some brand of Christian belief. I could be wrong on the number, but it's pretty skewed.

A PVC cross is tacky, however it is their right of freedom of speech to convey their faith in this manner. Is the frequency or the message or both that everyone finds so objectionable? If it is objectionable for any reason, why? Is this any different than public displays against the war or public displays supporting gay rights or displays against the red plan or displays against city employee lay offs or public displays for a favorite political candidate?

All public displays are there to make others react,think and reassess their values. Why is it more objectionable to challenge people to reassess their spiritual beliefs than their social/political beliefs?

I thought he was going to do some work on his septic system.

That guy is obviously a crossfitter.

The scene feels like it should have a theme song called PVC Jesus.

Could someone on PDD kindly write one?

I hope he's going to put that PVC to good use when he's done doing whatever he's doing.

I think it's a
T-Shirt cannon.

They got stopped by (female) cops from coming into Pride Fest on Saturday, and eventually told to leave the premises. I'm not sure what the DPD's legal grounds for not letting them in was, and I don't support curtailing their right to free (stupid) speech, even though I am an atheist myself. I do think if they'd been allowed to stay there would have been a potentially ugly incident. Could've been fun to watch... I picture a couple large drag queens grabbing and pulverizing the "God Hates Sinners" sign.

There was another homophobe-zealot guy standing on the corner of Hammond and Broadway just before the parade started today, apparently not affiliated with this set of Christ Crazies judging by his sign's homemade lettering that I couldn't quite read, something about Sodom and Gammorah. (What is that, a kosher snack cracker of some kind?)

I did not put 2 and 2 together that these people were protesting the PRIDE festival. This I don't like. I am a Lutherean and believe in my God and what not, but I don't hide behind the bible to discriminate and hate groups of people who are different than I. If you want to have a religious diatribe of hate, do it in your church or your own home, you are not a "God warrior" fighting the good fight. Stay home and keep your ignorance to yourself. I thought it was just some Christies trying to stir support for their church. This kind of shit just makes me mad!

"Let me get this straight- your religion preaches that two thousand years ago, a Middle Eastern virgin was impregnated by a ghost. And the spawn of this ethereal sperm grew up to walk on water and multiply bread loaves and heal the sick and raise the dead and cast out literal demons. And this Love Child wasn’t just any ordinary spud, it was God incarnate who willingly submitted to a bloody S&M crucifixion to pay for OUR sins, when it would have been much easier (and less messy) if He’d merely made us sin-proof in the first place. And this Miracle Baby, son of a (cough) virgin, rose from the dead after three days and now gets very upset when heavy-metal musicians slander His name. And Moses parted the Red Sea, Noah had an ark, God rained frogs on Egypt, and Joshua made the sun stand still. And even though Adam and Eve only gave birth to two boys (one of whom killed the other), the human race somehow fruitfully multiplied while avoiding the sin of incest. And remote Polynesian islanders will boil in molten lava eternally if they don’t embrace the gospel, even if they’ve never had a chance to hear the gospel. And the God who gave you a weenie will also zap you with lightning bolt if thou darest toucheth the weenie which he didst create
Is that it? Did I miss anything? Is this the horseshit you’re trying to peddle me? That’s not the Greatest Story Ever Told, it’s the craziest."
Jim Goad, The Redneck Manifesto, p. 146.

Well, the age-old tale of Sodom and Gamera is a moving one...

The PVC pipe looks the same as what is used as sewer pipe in our basement. What kind of message does that send?

"They are just out advocating their beliefs like anyone else"

the word you were looking for, nik, is "imposing."

I've rarely, if ever seen members of the Confucian order out pressing people to join their spiritual path...or denigrating others for not following their dogma...or been subjected to a Buddhist moral lesson on TV in the same vein as the LDS...

Can you imagine a message from Mohammed being played out in a commercial break during halftime of your Packers/Vikings game?

At least the Roscrucians have the sense to do their recruiting on the back covers of pulp novels.

Tom Waits wrote a song called "Chocolate Jesus." A bible banging co-worker of mine threatened to break the disc it was on if I ever played it in his presence. This threat only inspired me to play Mule Variations (the CD the song was featured on) more often. This is the same nut that called me a Buddhist because I was reading something by the Dalai Lama at the time. Does reading the Talmud and Torah make me Jewish? Or does reading the Q'oran make me Muslim?

It was his opinion that only learned members of clergy (he was studying to be a preacher) should read non-christian texts, as those of us who weren't as versed would be poisoned by the wrong faith.

The pvc cross looks more like an x. Maybe he loves the X-Men.
I love the X-Men too, especially Gambit.

he's actually the reigning champ of giant jacks. the giant ball didn't fit in the frame.

FTSOJ

Is that a potato gun?

I love zealots, they're so cute.

I think c-freak nailed it. the giant ball was currently being used elsewere.

In any case, it does have some artistic significance; the whole modern day version of carrying the cross to our inevitable doom (global warming, plastics, Iraq, oil, pollution) like Jesus was forced to do before his crucifixion.

If that was the point, then I'm a little disappointed. A titanium cross; now that would be cool.

Yes, we should respect their right to hold their beliefs, but we are not obliged to respect their beliefs. There seems to be a lot of confusion about that. If someone says the animals literally walked 2 by 2 onto an ark, there is no need to "respect" that opinion, or any other mythologies of ancient desert tribes. We can respect people as individuals and still say "bull shit".