In Baldwin, Pa., Carl Behr has decided to wage a one-man crusade against unseen atheists in his neighborhood. His solution? Erecting a 25-foot lighted cross on his yard facing his neighbor and another on his roof. I saw this on Reddit and it makes for an interesting nuisance case.
Behr calls it “a measurement of my faith” while the neighbor would call it a nuisance. He insists “[t]he way the world’s coming with all these atheists, it makes me sick to my stomach. If I can turn one soul towards the Lord with my sign, it was well worth all my efforts.” That goal appears to be achieved in this case by depriving his neighbor of the use and enjoyment of her property — and sleep.
City officials have asked Baldwin to turn off the lights. He seems to have skipped Luke 10:25-28 in his Biblical studies:
25And one day an authority on the law stood up to put Jesus to the test. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to receive eternal life?”
26What is written in the Law?” Jesus replied. “How do you understand it?” 27He answered, “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Love him with all your strength and with all your mind.’(Deuteronomy 6:5) And, ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself.’ ” 28“You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do that, and you will live.”
However, Behr’s faith does not include treating one’s neighbor as you would have them treat yourself: “I’m measuring my faith to the Lord, that’s basically all I’m doing. I don’t care what anyone else thinks.”
A fight on the question could pit free speech against nuisance protections. Presumably, the only basis for a nuisance would be the actual lights. However, he could cite the fact that Christmas light are not treated a nuisances absent the most extreme lighting. His cross is actually illuminated by Christmas lights.
It still remains unclear how many atheists have been converted by seeing Behr’s lighted crosses or whether he has been able to show that the difference between an atheist and a Christian is usually the absence of a lighted cross.
Source: CBS
excuse me “taken”
Patience Mr. Esq.,
Whom has take the lord thy gods name in vain. It shows who’s education and understanding is lacking. You are invited to attend the rally we are having in California. Would you care to attend?
Mr. Esq,
We are all very educated. While I cannot say for certain for everyone, I have read Plato. I understand what was translated, while it is impressive writings, is this really what he had to say? With Jesus in my heart and a well rounded and extremely well educated person of Mr. Phelps caliber, shows us the way to truth and light.
WestboroMan,
“Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain”
Literally means thou shalt not attach the the name of the Lord thy God to EMPTINESS.
Apparently, you are so bereft of virtue that whenever you so much as mention the Lord thy God you break that commandment.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lX5tfRdkoY0&w=640&h=390]
WestboroMan: “We do not follow or read the issue of Plato.”
Would that be because you’re too stupid, too ignorant, or think you’re more virtuous than Saint Augustine and Thomas Aquinas?
Who’s guilty of heresy; you or them?
Care to guess?
Mr. Esq,
We do not follow or read the issue of Plato.
Mr. LandoverMan,
Who says we wimped out. There was a higher calling that day.
BBB: “They liked ice cream?”
They revered the works of Plato.
Now if WestboroMan knew what that meant he would have realized just how full of shit he was.
Forget this imposter named “westboroman”.
The true favorite of our Lord God Almighty are the Landover Baptists.
http://www.landoverbaptist.org/
Why did you Westboro fags puss out on protesting the 9-year old girl’s funeral in Tucson? God change his mind? Pfft!
This sounds like a neighborhood hassle that escalated – where have we heard about that recently. Mr. Behr has decided to kill two or three birds with one stone – advertise his business and his religion on one hand, do an end run around any zoning infractions, and retaliate against an irritating neighbor.
He’s probably decided that the way to be truly entrepenureal/annoying/in compliance is to use words and symbols that are protected by the separation doctrine. It seems a rather costly enterprise, but whatever jerks your chain, I always say. If it keeps the zoning commission out of his hair, he’s ahead, I guess.
From WTAE
Next-Door Neighbor Steamed Over Giant Illuminated Cross
Neighbor Says 24-Foot Cross Built Out Of Spite
http://www.wtae.com/r/26814102/detail.html
Note: You’ll find a video of a news interview with Carl Behr and his neighbor who is bothered by Behr’s giant cross at the link I provided.
I actually prefer Vanilla.
Bob Esq.,
“After all they were Neoplatonists”
They liked ice cream?
WestboroMan,
So Saint Augustine and Thomas Aquinas were heretics? After all they were Neoplatonists.
Mr. EPL,
You will be prayed for. By your sins you shall be known.
To the sane posters, why even respond to WB? If he’s a troll then he is easily dismissed. If he truly is a religious fanatic, nothing he has to say is worth listening to and he is dismissed just as easily. Not to mention that any attempt to ‘deconvert’ the nutty religious demographic (or have any sort of rational conversation) is about as useless as the drivel they spout.
Mr. Darch,
The compensation that these people will have, is knowing the lord there god with all of their hearts, souls and minds. That is just.
rafflaw 1, February 10, 2011 at 12:13 pm
Gyges,
I like the biggest sign comment. Why do evangelicals need to wear the “faith” on their sleeve and in this man’s case in huge lighted signs?
——————–
Because evangelism and fundamentalism aren’t about God or “helping/saving other people”, they’re purely about politics (power) and the individual’s own psychological problems.
Here’s what I thought when I read big-cross-guy’s quote:
“[t]he way the world’s coming with all these frowning, unhappy people, it makes me sick to my stomach. If I can turn one soul towards happiness by punching them in the face, it was well worth all my efforts.”
Yeah, you’re all about helping your fellow man – it has nothing to do with you. That’s the ticket.
Let’s also not forget that this guy’s big cross may well be a form of compensating…
Mr. Buddha,
Please digest these words, while you sup on the bounty that was provided to you by our lord and redeemer.
So He said to them, “When you pray, say: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us day by day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”