Those crosses are tacky. Very trailer-esque, if you ask me.

Please tell me that this has to be approved by city council, zoning etc...before the moron can start building it...

In the true "christian" spirit, erecting expensive and ugly giant crosses everywhere promotes the gospel of Jesus. It feeds the poor, clothes the naked, sets the prisoner free, and cures gout.

Or it could be that "do not do as the Pharisees do by publicly and loudly proclaiming but go to a quiet place and pray" was Jesus just kidding around and didn't really mean it. Oops, I'm getting the Gospel mixed up with good old churchianity christianism.

Never mind then.

Notice WATE made sure to include contact information where one could "help Knoxville get a cross"? How thoughtful.

"When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro."
Hunter S. Thompson

I've come around to deciding that the cross is a silly logo for christians anyway. It certainly didn't work for Jesus, and perpetuates the charade.

I guess these folk are stuck on the program that you can only go to heaven by dying, instead of living a good life.

I've been rather put off by the local TV station's in general because they seem so Christianity oriented. I don't think they understand that while respectful to religion is one thing, a mass media organization ought to give both sides.

pgs
Pam Strickland

"We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be." ~Kurt Vonnegut

Just imagine how these people would howl if some hedonistic pagan set up a huge plastic phallic symbol along I-40. What is the difference?

If each of these eyesores cost $60,000, why not prove your love of Christ by donating that money to a Habitat house? Or give it to Volunteer Ministries? What the...?

Hear, hear, Carole! I was so excited to see you on the 11:00 news.

Honestly.....I do not see what everybody's problem is. I mean if a person wants to put something on their own property and have abided by the rules and regulations then what right do any of us have to complain. Let me remind you in case you forgot....This is AMERICA ....you know, land of the FREE! If this church/community wants their cross then they should have their cross. To them is is a representation of who they are!

You know.....all of you are so far out of pespective. If you have read or listened to the media there is something that is very clear! This church is not forsaking it's Good Samaritan responcibilities just to build a cross. It is very clear that this is a community effort just using a church as a refrence point. I mean the news interviwed many people in the community and it sounds to me like everybody over there likes the idea. Go ahead community, be who you are, go build your cross and may God bless it!!!

Just to play devil's advocate (so to speak) for a moment, let's not forget that people have been erecting giant symbols of worship since their have been people. Imposing imagery is what it's supposed to be. It's as much a part of human nature as anything.

And the effort that has gone into each and every one could have been spent on humanity efforts. There is nothing new there either.
~m.

What would be your position if another house of worship wanted to erect 100ft minarets next your neighborhood?

Hey, this is Tennessee. How about a gigantic religious icon such as this?

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. . . and the destruction of the ancient Buddhas by the Taliban was reprehensible.

Amen!

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I don't understand all the comments the same people are leaving over and over, I think this is a great thing for Knoxville on any level, The one in Pigeon Forge looks so pretty up on that hill , it just sparkles when the sun shines on it. Mr Potter ,they are pretty no matter what others say , go forward with what you want to do for the GLORY OF THE LORD, cause with out him giving our first breath of life not one of us would be on this earth today, and he can very easily take that breath away ,
This country needs to get back to christian basics as it was founded on in the first place. God bless each one of you on here anyways.

Martha you are so right ..... the crosses are beautiful. Peoples problem is that they are anti-God and anti-Christ and they do not even realize it. Many people in Knoxville may think that the Sun Sphere is ugly but it is there. Oh....and by the way this country was found on religious freedom (that is the ability to excercise your own respective religion) I think we have forgot that. This is not some pagan country that was founded by the lies of false religions. It is America (founded on the principles of God and his Word). Our forfathers, the puritans who came to this great country would be so dissappointed that we no loger allow people to excercise their rights of religion. We can waste our time argueing on here all we want but in the end.....God will have the final say whether He wants this cross or not!

the puritans who came to this great country would be so dissappointed that we no loger allow people to excercise their rights of religion.

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What took you so long?

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We have one in Pigeon Forge and I tell everyone the Klan members put it up.

I mean if a person wants to put something on their own property and have abided by the rules and regulations then what right do any of us have to complain.

Just because existing rules and regulations are satisfied, doesn't make it right with the majority or just plain right at all. One's rights start getting real iffy when they step on somebody else's. And all rights are not necessarily legal rights under law. As a Christian you should know that.

And if you are so wound up into God, why do you act like a King? A lot of people believe these eyesores desecrate God's creations. And many believe real Christians are more sensitive than you've ever shown to be.

Go back to the secular example of the water tower. Just because it may presently be legal doesn't make it right.

Anyway, thanks for not caring enough even to spell check. It really keeps your comments in perspective.

Next let us put up a giant golden calf. It really worked out for the Jews who used in their worship. God really loved it too....Are these really $60,000? Who makes these and why are they making such a killing in the name of Religion? I find it attrotious that they use Religion to make money. I wonder how they sleep at night?

I must say ever since I saw the first one of these in Loudon county years ago, I think it's the ugliest thing to look at.

Don't get me wrong, the message is clear, and that's fine, but these things look cheap, tacky, and are a downright eyesore that blemishes the beauty of the surroundings.

The large cross at Wallace Memorial on Merchants, with the stained glass and all, is beautiful. It's noticeable, but not tacky, doesn't distract from the surroundings, and it pleasant to view.

These behemoths just look like they were put together with mobile home leftovers.

There are more enchanting ways of getting the message to the masses without having to make it an ugly distraction to the area.

BTW: The one that's in Jellico is right next to an adult bookstore. They've sparred back and forth for years about both the store and the cross up there.

And people wonder why less and less people are actively religious....they see their parishes and churches wasting money on giant crosses and chruches the size of the pentagon...i thought church was supposed to be about god and building a family out of the people attending your church....how can you possibly be close with the 1,000+ members of giant churhes. Do they think these crosses are a marketing ploy to attract more members? Because in reality most people don't care about these giant crosses because they are pointless. (maybe the members of said church get some pride out of this giant cross) but i am sure they could get more pride by building a house for a well deserving family or helping to rebuild in New Orleans....but hey whatever floats your boat. I just hope you can sleep at night after you pay the giant bill for the huge cross, and realize that money could have been better spent a number of different places

What does putting up or not putting up a giant cross have to do with freedom of religion in our country...and people can choose to beleive it what they want....just because someone believes in god and church does not mean that all have to beleive the same thing....some on here say our country was founded on religious freedom...that religious freedom also extends to those members in who society who choose to worship nothing...the crosses are ugly, plain and simple. there is no practical reason to build a 100 ft tall ugly piece of construction..thats not an attack on religion, you can worship whatever you would like in your house of worship, but if i wanted to put up a pagan symbol i am sure all you die hard christians would be up in arms....RELIGIOUS FREEDOM is the key....that means people are free to choose whatever religion they like...including not having one at all

Yeah because a company should do something for free just because its in the name of religion....thats ridiculous....when you are talking about a 100 foot structure, do you really not think that it is going to be expensive? But a construction company should just donate their time and money to build these ridiculous things....i have a great idea how to prevent these so called "bad" company's from making money off these things....its simple, DONT BUILD THEM... And trutfully what do these giant crosses have to do with religion. Is it the bigger the cross you have the more devoted you are to god...Are the small ones in the church not sufficient?

It's an army of straw men.
~m.

Love the comments. I don't really care either way but if Christ were killed with a gun rather than hung from a cross would they erect a huge gun? It seems so silly to dwell on the manner of death. I've always though we were supposed to focus on his teachings and his resurrection that brings us eternal life.