Magic Statistics

Some very affluent Christian businessmen want to help the economically depressed city of Nazareth, Israel.  I can’t help thinking that there must be better ways to help than by building a 60-metre cross adorned with millions of "personally engraved” mosaic tiles and a church built at the centre.  The project will also include a visitor centre, archaeological theme park, and monorail system connecting the cross to local historic sites.

It’s supposed to attract tourists.  Maybe it will, but it still sounds like a mutant Christian trinket.  A high-tech website features cringe-making huckster’s spiel—in eight languages.

In the 2.5 square miles (5 km2) surrounding this monumental Cross, a visitor center will be built to offer a unique inspirational experience as well as a world-class educational and leisure center.

The central location of the church together with a circular monorail transportation system will provide pilgrims easy access to and from the historic Christian churches, the Fountain of Mary and the city’s central bazaars.

The Nazareth Cross will also become the entrance point to Nazareth Village – an archeological park revealing the most ancient part of Nazareth while presenting a re-creation of its daily life during the time of Jesus.

The blurb about the church made me gag.

The breathtaking setting of the Church Within, located at the intersection of the arms of the cross, is 15 stories high and contains over 4500 square feet of floor space. This church will provide a stunning 360° panorama and an inspirational worship setting.

Just what Nazareth needs: an opulent mega-church towering far above every other building in town.  I doubt that would contribute to a positive image of Christianity in the Middle East.

The deputy mayor of Nazareth isn’t sure if the project will go ahead.  The main problem is not whether it faithfully reflects the nature of the Gospel, but the reaction of local Muslims.

The proposal for the huge cross is seen as likely to cause unrest among the city's Muslims, who make up two-thirds of the population of 74,000 people.

I wouldn’t be surprised if the project were to provoke objections from some of the city’s Christians, too.

h/t: Transfigurations

Previous related post: John Piper: The prosperity gospel is no gospel at all

Even for Hugo Chavez, this is outrageous.  Venezuelans will not be pleased.

In another defiant gesture against the democratic and spiritual sensibilities of the people of Venezuela, its ruler, Lt. Col. Hugo Chávez Frías, has determined that after August 5th, when the government takes over the management of the hospital in Maracaibo, its name will be changed from Hospital Virgen de Coromoto to that of Argentinean guerrilla fighter, Ernesto Che Guevara, who executed hundreds of Cubans in Havana. As everyone knows, Guevara was a fundamental factor in the entrenchment of the fierce Marxist-Leninist tyranny of Fidel Castro.
. . .
Not only will the name of the hospital be changed but also, what is even worse, the venerated statue of the Virgen de Coromoto has been taken away from the entry to that hospital and it will be replaced by a bust of Guevara. That bust could be placed in a house where terrorism and the totalitarian doctrine of Marxism-Leninism are promoted, but never in a hospital and, even less, replacing the Virgen de Coromoto.

The Virgin Mary is said to have appeared to the chief of Venezuela’s Coromoto Indians in 1651.  Our Lady of Coromoto is now the patron saint of Venezuela.

Che Guevara, of course, was a terrorist and mass murderer utterly lacking in human compassion—but he does sell a lot of t-shirts.  More here.

h/t: LifeSite

Previous related posts:

• Hugo Chavez and The Jackal: good Venezuelan friends
• Crime pays
• Che’s family wants a piece of the action