Nothing Says “Christmas” Like A Blazing Cross In Your Front Yard

Jim Burroway

November 15th, 2008

Mississippi-based American Family Association wants you to light up your front yard for Christ this Christmas.

Light up your front yard, porch, patio, driveway, business, organization or church this holiday season with a stunning Christmas cross.

Stunning indeed!

There was a time when people lit candles on their Christmas trees and placed burning candles in their windows at Christmastime. But that proved to be too much of a fire hazard, so they’ve all been replaced by their modern-day electrified cousins.

But the blazing cross remained a problem.  Not anymore. Because unlike the flaming crosses of yore, this one is not only perfectly safe, but “weather-proof” — thanks to the modern miracle of electricity.

Not available in stores. I wonder why?

[Hat tip: reader Gabriel]

mwdc

November 15th, 2008

And think of all the black families who’ll get to relive all those happy memories of having a burning cross in their front yard. Truly, the cultural sensitivity of the American Family Association knows no limits.

AJD

November 15th, 2008

Talk about showing one’s true colors…

werdna

November 15th, 2008

“…remind your friends, family, neighbors, and all who drive by your home, office, or church of the real meaning of Christmas.”

Which was, uh, what again?

David Breith

November 15th, 2008

Well, I always say that nothing expresses the joy and sentiment of the christ child’s birth than the heinous symbol of his heinous death…yes, let’s do celebrate that.

indeed…

kevin

November 15th, 2008

We all have our crosses to bear. But it’s nice to know that the AFA actually has one to burn.

I’ve been saying that Kristians are the new Klan, but…geez!

Emily K

November 15th, 2008

I understand what they’re trying to do (i think) but am confused by the medium they’re doing it with. Using yellow-light string bulbs makes it look like fire from a distance, no doubt about it. You could just as easily (though probably more expensively) put a neon-light, white-colored cross in your window and it would resemble a flaming KKK symbol much less.

AJD

November 15th, 2008

It just screams “Merry KKKhristmas.”

Piper

November 15th, 2008

wow, I’m sad, but I bet When I go home for Christmas I’ll see a couple of those. As a Christian, it disgusts me, I understand and agree that Christmas has become way to secular, but this is REALLY bad idea. Ad only adds to the ammo against Christians, as if Christians themselves don’t do enough of that.

Duncan

November 15th, 2008

Maybe it’s time ordinary Christians took burning crosses back from the Klan (their website, by the way, explains that it symbolizes Christ’s illuminating of the world and is, you know, not intended to offend the faith).
Mr Breith: There was in fact a Christian sect, Catharism, decried as a heresy by the Papacy and crushed in the thirteenth century, that as I recall did not accept the cross as a symbol precisely because it what had killed the Messiah (they did not believe that Christ had atoned for sinners, as Catholics do). other symbols of Christianity exist: Ichthys (the fish), or the Greek letters Rho and Chi put together with Alpha and Omega on either side.

Jason D

November 15th, 2008

Wow, that picture totally looks like a still photograph of a cross on fire.

This is an insanely stupid idea, much like the Obama Waffles.

Mary

November 15th, 2008

This is a Christian action to keep Christ in Christmas. Cities are removing nativity scenes and other Christian symbols from public land where they have often been for years, so Christians are decorating their homes in a religious manner. Is it supposed to be a burning cross? Don’t know, but if it is they people who created this didn’t connect their cross and the KKK. Stop looking for problems. Stop looking for conspiracies.

Douglas

November 15th, 2008

I think it’s funny that they don’t get that this cross looks like something from the KKK.

Willie Hewes

November 16th, 2008

Words fail me. Really.

Is it funny that they don’t get it? I don’t know, I think that’s the kind of funny that is actually really sad.

It’s like the people who thought the Obama monkey puppet was a good idea.

Jason D

November 16th, 2008

Mary, I think few people here see a conspiracy, just the obvious fact that this decoration looks exactly like a symbol of racism from our past.

Chad

November 16th, 2008

I live in the bible belt and have NO doubt that I will see some of these burning crosses this year.

When I do, I think I’ll send the owners a
“Merry KKKristmas” card to see if it wakes them up.

werdna

November 16th, 2008

“…a symbol of racism from our past.”

If only it was just a symbol from the past.

Jason D

November 16th, 2008

werdna, very good point.

When you’re as ghostly white as I am, it’s sadly far too easy to forget these things.

Emily K

November 16th, 2008

Growing up in Havertown, PA – a largely Catholic suburb of Philly on the Main Line – there was NEVER a lacking of religious symbols on lawns. Nativity scenes very very common, as well as bethlehem stars. Crosses were less common, but were also less artistic a decoration. Still, they were present.

I don’t understand what the problem is. Public places are not Christian places and Nativity scenes do not belong there. I’m okay with decorating the trees with lights – in fact, seeing lit-up trees brightens my attitude on cold winter evenings that get dark at 5:30 pm. But displaying scenes of a god I don’t worship that many in the world still say I killed; well, I draw the line there. Decorate your yard to your heart’s content (some people in H-town went NUTS!) but leave it out of the public square.

And you know, if Christians want to place what very much resembles a burning KKK cross on their front lawns, that is their own right. But I don’t think it will win any friends, much less converts.

Denise

November 17th, 2008

I wonder how many of these will prompt phone calls to the police. A single string of lights would be a lot less mistakable for something on actual fire.

It is people’s choice to put up these things, as much as it is for them to put 9-foot Santas on their roofs. Though I most prefer lighted trees and electric candles in windows, other people have different taste. If that taste resembles symbols closely associated with racism, they can wonder why their neighbors are offended at the display.

web design

December 1st, 2008

Oh … My … Gaaahh.

This looks like an SNL ad.

Elizabeth

May 12th, 2012

My neighbor put one of these up for Easter and over a month later he has still not taken it down. African American neighbors live directly next door to him. The rest of the stree is starting to wonder what the real intent of this cross is. It certainly is no appropriate for a year-round yard decoration.

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