Inspiration Point Cross Controversy

Inspiration Point is about to lose its three inspiring points.

The State of California intends to remove three crosses from the vista, which is outside of San Diego near the town of Julian, after complaints were filed that the religious monument was on public land.

The California Department of Transportation, aka Caltrans, issued a statement explaining the move:

“Earlier this summer, we received a few complaints regarding the cross at Inspiration Point. Once we are made aware of anything erected that encroaches on state property, we have to take action.”

The crosses in question, which are made of wood, metal tubing and railroad tracks and range from 10 feet to 25 feet tall, are used for Easter services, SignOn San Diego, part of The San Diego Union Tribune, reports.

A pastor in Julian, of the Hillside Community Church, agreed to place the crosses on property owned by the church, according to Caltrans.

This isn't the first dispute over crosses in or around San Diego. Earlier this year, a federal court ruled that a massive war memorial cross on Mount Soledad was unconstitutional. And nearby Mount Helix was the center of similar controversy in the '90s.

Comments

[oz3472]

07:54 PM on 08/21/2011

It should not be a wooden crucifix from which we draw inspiration but rather from the deeds attributed to those that dies on it!

[f0rTyLeGz]

04:31 AM on 08/21/2011

Aw that is so sad.

[methodman]

11:08 PM on 08/20/2011

The problem with cross theology is that it has become synonymous with Right wing Christianity. When the Church words are contemplated by themselves and inspiration is carried across as a sentence of thesauris words inspired and based from the Bible. the faithful ilk haven't got any respect for anything any inspiration brings. These people are PROTESTS ANTS. They believe in their ILK and everyone just shouldn't go. I agree I have been Church free for 15 years and I will be Church Free for another Fifty.

[JHKH]

08:02 PM on 08/20/2011

"Inspiration" does NOT equal the Christian cross symbol. Not being a Christian, I would feel offended to find that symbol despoiling my view from public lands, unless it is named "Christian" Inspiration Point.

[knewsreply]

06:02 PM on 08/20/2011

A pending sad event.

[rtgmath]

02:35 PM on 08/20/2011

The first sentence in the article is quite misleading. Inspiration Point is a very scenic viewpoint (and the crosses have nothing to do with why it is scenic, or why it was called Inspiration Point!).

Does anyone know who erected them? A cursory net search didn't yield anything on this that I could find.

I am sure whoever erected them had the best of intentions. And quite frankly, if a certain subset of Christians had not decided to push Christianity into the realm of politics with the aim of forcing out other voices, then the display of religious symbols would probably not be as contentious.

But we do indeed have politicians whose overt focus is to push out any other voices than that of their faith. Rick Perry is one example. The preachers he associates with are strident and utterly determined to demonize anyone who disagrees with them.

The atheists did not start the culture wars. Christian conservatives and fundamentalists did, seeing a threat to faith in science, reason, and compassion. It is no wonder that many nonChristians are bitter and sensitive to faith being pushed at them.

[GodlovesandgaveHisSon]

12:52 PM on 08/20/2011

Sorry, that would be Edmund Burke, not Blake.

[GodlovesandgaveHisSon]

12:49 PM on 08/20/2011

I believe that this decision is unconstitutional. If those crosses have to be removed, what should happen with these: Moses with the Ten Commandments inside the Supreme Court's courtroom, Moses on the rear facade of the U.S. Supreme Court, Moses with the Ten Commandments in the rotunda of the Library of Congress, and the Washington Monument having scripture written on it? The First Amendment guarantees that we have the 'freedom of religion' not 'from religion' but that our Gov't. will not establish a National Religion. Separation of church and state was never included in our Constitution but was taken out of context from a letter Jefferson wrote to a friend of his. As Edmund Blake once said "“All that's necessary for the forces of evil to win in the world is for enough good men to do nothing.” How true!

[rtgmath]

02:48 PM on 08/20/2011

Moses with the Ten Commandments in the Supreme Court is not the only religious symbol there, nor the only symbol of the idea of law there.

Menes, First King of the first dynasty of Egypt is there, as are Hammurabi, Solomon, Lycurgus of Sparta, Solon of Athens, Draco (of Athens), Confusius of China, Octavian of Rome, Justinian, Muhammad, Charlemagne, King John of England, Louis the 9th of France, Hugo Grotius of Holland, William BlackStone of England, John Marshall (our 4th Chief Justice of the Supreme Court) and Napoleon.

All of these represent the concept of Law. Together they are a truly multicultural and trans-religious symbolism to the things that are common in human moral and legal systems.

The Crosses are unique to Christianity and have nothing to do with law. So your point is really not as valid as you would think.

[GodlovesandgaveHisSon]

03:55 PM on 08/20/2011

The Washington Monument: As you climb the steps inside the Monument you will notice stones with inscriptions on them. Some of them are, "Search the Scriptures" – "Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it" – "The memory of the just is blessed" – "Holiness to the Lord" – and the top which says "Praise be to God!" ( Laus Deo!)

At the Jefferson Memorial, God's name is mentioned numerous times, including the famous quote, 'God who gave us life, gave us liberty."

At the Lincoln Memorial, words like "Nation under God," "Bible" and "prayer" are everywhere.

In the Senate and House office buildings, there is a plaque that says "In God we trust."

There's an abundance of "Biblical" data on the walls of the monument.

[tarroking]

04:47 PM on 08/20/2011

crosses are not unique to christianity,they were stolen from earlier cultures that christians tried to destroy all in the name of christ....

[Andres64]

10:23 PM on 08/20/2011

--Separation of church and state was never included in our Constituti­on but was taken out of context from a letter Jefferson wrote to a friend of his.

Jefferson called it a "wall of separation" And he wrote the "The Virginia Act For Establishing Religious Freedom" which states:

"Be it therefore enacted by the General Assembly, That no man shall be compelled to frequent or support any religious worship, place, or ministry whatsoever..."

--As Edmund Blake once said "“All that's necessary for the forces of evil to win in the world is for enough good men to do nothing.”

And as Sinclair Lewis said: “When fascism comes to America, it will come wrapped in the flag and waving a cross."

[GodlovesandgaveHisSon]

11:05 PM on 08/20/2011

Jefferson's intent in that Act FOR ESTABLISHNG RELIGIOUS FREEDOM-I repeat "For Establishing RELIGIOUS FREEDOM" was to make sure that what England did with the establishment of the "Church of England" as the only acceptable Church in their land would not happen here in America.

[oldwarhorse]

11:25 AM on 08/20/2011

I see the state of CA wussed out again. I aint surprised. Move them to private land for all to see.

[Toutlaguerre]

10:09 AM on 08/20/2011

I'm not sure which is worse, professed christians arguing for a pagan symbol to be placed on public land or atheists arguing that it should be placed on private land only. If the true meaning of the cross was adhered would this even be a topic. Religious symbols are not even supposed to be used in worship. God made it abundantly clear that He will not share His glory with any images ( that goes for the rosary as well). Furthermore the cross does not accurately represent how Jesus died. Stauros and xylon are both words used to represent upright poles with no cross beams or a tree used for execution in Jesus' day. Christians should be concentrating on real issues like showing love for neighbor, preaching the gospel and becoming beacons of spiritual light in this spiritually darkened world. Jesus was out busy preaching to the crowds who were skinned and thrown about like sheep not cared for spiritually not debating about pagan symbols.
~preach the gospel~

[thorrsman]

12:25 AM on 08/21/2011

The Chrtistian cross is not a Pagan symbol. It is not the anhk of Egypt, not the crux ansata that represents life. It is not the sunwheel cross that represents the cycle of the seasons.

What the cross of the Christians represents is unique. Even when Odin sacrified Himself, hung on Yggdrasil for nine days, wounded by His own spear, His sacrifice was of Himself to Himself to gain for Himself--and for His children--the secret of Runes.

What the Christians' cross is the symbol of is the sacrifice of a God in mortal form, given freely, to pay--to Himself--for the sins of his creation, humanity.

[Jefferson78]

11:49 PM on 08/21/2011

Amen!

[Toutlaguerre]

12:53 AM on 08/22/2011

I'm going to give you a minute to do some further research about the use of the cross christians currently use in their worship. If after that time and you do not yet find out that the cross is a pagan symbol I will respond accordingly.

~brb in a minute~

[Plankeyes]

06:05 AM on 08/20/2011

Sad to see...however, the law is the law.

That said, it is obvious that the complaints had nothing to do with any legal aspect of this.

Part of the "Coexist" crowd I'm sure, unless of course you are Christian.

[UnderTheHedgeWeGo]

11:12 AM on 08/20/2011

"it is obvious that the complaints had nothing to do with any legal aspect of this."

How do you make that determination? Abiding by the Constitution is the only issue here. I don't see it as a virtue to compliantly coexisting with people who want to use our government to advance their personal religious beliefs.

[Plankeyes]

01:52 PM on 08/20/2011

And here folks, is exhibit A.

"abiding by the constitution..." that's pretty funny...try reading it prior to posting...or get back under the hedge.

[mggwa]

12:56 PM on 08/21/2011

"Sad to see...howe­ver, the law is the law."

And rain is rain, dirt is dirt, and a huge list of other things are themselves.

But what is LAW? It is what people want it to be. It is not as unchanging and concrete as you seem to suggest.

[taoistpunk]

10:54 PM on 08/19/2011

if you google map:

Inspiration Point Road, Julian, CA

you'll see a little loop road off of 79. use the street view on the loop and you can see the crosses.

you'll also see that it is clearly a public viewing point overlooking anza borrego desert, and, in my opinion, not a good place for advertising of any kind.

[iridium53]

09:49 AM on 08/21/2011

It is, indeed, a great view to the east of the desert some 4,000 ft. below.

It is quite a view.

[taoistpunk]

10:30 AM on 08/21/2011

right? i grew up in northeast farmland, and now, 20yrs later, i still haven't gotten over the stark beauty of the lower left.

[Highball]

10:20 PM on 08/19/2011

This seems pretty much straight forward.

[dbrett480]

07:19 PM on 08/19/2011

Atheists are always finding ways to make themselves annoying.

[c-tom]

02:13 AM on 08/20/2011

All that pesky thinking.

[hairydodger]

09:30 AM on 08/20/2011

It's not about being an atheist. It's about the first amendment. Unless you feel religion trumps The Constitution?

[mggwa]

12:57 PM on 08/21/2011

It *is* about being an atheist. Who do you suppose complained; Mormons?

[sandiego991]

06:36 PM on 08/19/2011

I wish Christians would find another symbol for their religion. The cross to me represents death.
Jesus taught about life. So if they can find a symbol that can represent life or the tree of life, then maybe then I will accept it on public property.

[ArmyMedic]

08:02 PM on 08/19/2011

I have to agree w/ you on this. Even as a child I wondered why we used the tool of His death as our symbol. Why don't we focus on His triumph over death? Maybe something like the stone that covered the tomb? The one He rolled back? I don't know.. but not the thing that killed Him. A Tree of Life sounds great.

[brokerthanu]

08:07 PM on 08/19/2011

The cross is just a sword or an implement of torture and execution. In using it the xtians are at least being honest about what their true values are. It's one of the few instances in which they don't lie.

[Mike Winns]

09:03 PM on 08/19/2011

The point of the Cross being a symbol is that it is empty. Jesus beat the cross when He was resurrected.