Lightning Blasts Cross Off The Top Of Minneapolis Church

[stromboli]

http://m.startribune.com/local/minneapolis/323948781.html?section=/local

The stone cross had been in place since St. Helena Catholic Church was built in 1940.

A lightning bolt early Wednesday struck and landed a knockout punch to a stone cross that had beckoned parishioners from atop a Minneapolis church for 75 years.

The signature 3-foot-tall cross over the main entrance to St. Helena Catholic Church on E. 43rd Street, just west of Hiawatha Avnue, was hit shortly after 4 a.m., neighbors reported to parish officials.

“In the decade we’ve lived here, we’ve never heard such a loud explosion,” said Steve Clift, a parishioner who lives across the street and has two children who attend the church’s school. “It seemed right on top of us. The echo of rumbling sounded like a long train.”

Along with the beige cross toppled from its perch just above a statue of St. Helena, there was various exterior damage to the church and to the main entrance’s steps from the impact of the off-white pieces that rained down. Nature’s electrical surge also shorted out the elevator, said Mike Petruconis, business manager for the parish of nearly 500 families.

So this looks like something provoked god big time. What? Christians are idiots? Nah. Gotta be gay marriage.

[TomFoolery]

So this looks like something provoked god big time. What? Christians are idiots? Nah. Gotta be gay marriage.

My aunt and uncle got married in that church!!! Holy Hell!

Pardon my pun.

As for the gay marriage thing, I have to give Minnesota mad props, because it approved gay marriage in 2011, on the heels of a Conservative bill that sought to define marriage as being between a man and a woman. It was beautiful to watch a plan backfire in the faces of assholes like Michele Bachmann, and one of those increasingly rare moments when voters had common sense and cared enough to show up and vote for things that matter.

[SGOS]

Clearly, this is a sign.  A sign of something.  Take heed.

[Munch]

Wait, so this church approved gay marriage?

I can't help doing a Nelson seeing a cross blown up, but still..

[peacewithoutgod]

Now I thought that was why smarter owners of tall, or in any way spired real estate have grounding systems (lightning rods) installed for protection? Maybe god removed that, while in a melodramatic mood, or in an angry drunk.

[Solitary]

It was Allah that did it I tell you! So far His followers seem to be winning. God is on their side---- :fU: 

[Baruch]

Unfortunately, lightning rods have been out of favor ... just because buildings don't burn down every time there is a thunder storm.  I think people think they are an eyesore.  Of course with a metal steeple, you get both ... but be sure and ground that sucker but good!

[Mike Cl]

In the time of Franklin, lightning was from God and Franklin's rod was blasphemous.  This little partial article explains a little.

"In America the earthquake of 1755 was widely ascribed, especially in Massachusetts, to Franklin's rod. The Rev. Thomas Prince, pastor of the Old South Church, published a sermon on the subject, and in the appendix expressed the opinion that the frequency of earthquakes may be due to the erection of "iron points invented by the sagacious Mr. Franklin." He goes on to argue that "in Boston are more erected than anywhere else in New England, and Boston seems to be more dreadfully shaken. Oh! there is no getting out of the mighty hand of God."

Three years later, John Adams, speaking of a conversation with Arbuthnot, a Boston physician, says: "He began to prate upon the presumption of philosophy in erecting iron rods to draw the lightning from the clouds. He railed and foamed against the points and the presumption that erected them. He talked of presuming upon God, as Peter attempted to walk upon the water, and of attempting to control the artillery of heaven."

As late as 1770 religious scruples regarding lightning-rods were still felt, the theory being that, as thunder and lightning were tokens of the Divine displeasure, it was impiety to prevent their doing their full work. Fortunately, Prof. John Winthrop, of Harvard, showed himself wise in this, as in so many other things: in a lecture on earthquakes he opposed the dominant theology; and as to arguments against Franklin's rods, he declared, "It is as much our duty to secure ourselves against the effects of lightning as against those of rain, snow, and wind by the means God has put into our hands."

Still, for some years theological sentiment had to be regarded carefully. In Philadelphia, a popular lecturer on science for some time after Franklin's discovery thought it best in advertising his lectures to explain that "the erection of lightning-rods is not chargeable with presumption nor inconsistent with any of the principles either of natural or revealed religion."[366]

In England, the first lightning conductor upon a church was not put up until 1762, ten years after Franklin's discovery. The spire of St. Bride's Church in London was greatly injured by lightning in 1750, and in 1764 a storm so wrecked its masonry that it had to be mainly rebuilt; yet for years after this the authorities refused to attach a lightning-rod. The Protestant Cathedral of St. Paul's, in London, was not protected until sixteen years after Franklin's discovery, and the tower of the great Protestant church at Hamburg not until a year later still. As late as 1783 it was declared in Germany, on excellent authority, that within a space of thirty-three years nearly four hundred towers had been damaged and one hundred and twenty bell-ringers killed.

In Roman Catholic countries a similar prejudice was shown, and its cost at times was heavy. In Austria, the church of Rosenberg, in the mountains of Carinthia, was struck so frequently and with such loss of life that the peasants feared at last to attend service. Three times was the spire rebuilt, and it was not until 1778--twenty-six years after Franklin's discovery--that the authorities permitted a rod to be attached. Then all trouble ceased. "

All of these examples of how obviously insane the deeply religious are seem to just be overlooked.  But religion is still doing harm like this.  For the religious history means nothing and their way is the only way.  Clearly they are insane.

[Cocoa Beware]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVVDCOWhpE0

[Munch]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPeQ1F2w9oQ

[The Skeletal Atheist]

Well, that's what you get for pissing off Zeus by not letting your son get raped by that weird goose.

[stromboli]

Well, that's what you get for pissing off Zeus by not letting your son get raped by that weird goose.

Took the words right out of my mouth.

[AllPurposeAtheist]

It's the pope... Forgiveness of abortion? Need I say more?

[Mike Cl]

It's the pope... Forgiveness of abortion? Need I say more?

Yes.

[AllPurposeAtheist]

Yes.

OK,  I confess.  I threw a rock at it and knocked it down.