Atheist Drops Lawsuit Against Texas Church Building America's Tallest Cross

An atheist activist who brought legal action against a Texas church to stop the construction of a 230-foot cross on its property, has agreed to dismiss his case in a "settlement," after the church counter-sued the atheist.

Atheist Patrick Greene, who sued the Abundant Life Fellowship Church in Corpus Christi, Texas, and its Pastor, Rick Milby, over their plan to construct the tallest cross in the Western Hemisphere, dropped the case and pledged this week not to file baseless lawsuits over the freedom of exercise of religion, according to KRISTV.com.

"We hope that Mr. Greene along with atheists everywhere that seem to file baseless lawsuits will now think twice about doing such a thing," Jeremy Dys, senior counsel for First Liberty Institute, which filed the counter suit on behalf of the church, was quoted as saying.

"I think it's a day that we need to celebrate for religious freedom and freedom to speak and say what we think. And we should be able to do that," Vaughn was quoted as saying.

Greene, who is from San Antonio, admitted before the court that his lawsuit was "baseless," "vexatious" and "without merit," according to Chron.

"Today's outcome should send a clear message to anti-religious-freedom activists everywhere: if you abuse the legal system by suing people simply because you don't like how they exercise their religion, there will be legal consequences," the First Liberty counsel said.

LINK


A breath of fresh air compared to the numerous articles where atheist have sued and scared defendants to comply. Religious freedom is at stake here and I hope more religious institutions stop letting these atheist use these cheap "bully tactics" so they get their way and fight back. Atheist can scream and bitch all they want and I recommend if they are so "up in arms" about religion then maybe they should move to a country that is more align to their beliefs. I hear China is nice this time of year.

Can I help you pack? Why I would even drive you to the airport.

One thing that pisses me off more than religious nutters, are militant atheists.

As long as the cross doesn't violate any building codes why would this guy care? If someone wanted to put up a 230 foot pentagram they should be able to also. That may be extreme for some, but if it is their property and there are no building codes or ordinances have at it.

a reply to: DeathSlayer

....a 230-foot cross....

WOW, that's one imposingly tall cross, around 23 stories tall! I sure hope it doesn't fall over and damage someone's property or go hurling through the air and even kill someone in an hurricane or tornado!

originally posted by: windword
WOW, that's one imposingly tall cross, around 23 stories tall! I sure hope it doesn't fall over and damage someone's property or go hurling through the air and even kill someone in an hurricane or tornado!

You're no fun.

a reply to: Watcher777

ut if it is their property and there are no building codes or ordinances have at it.

Signage laws come to mind. I mean, what if it was any other business or club? Are 230 foot tall signs allowed for them too? Or is the city overlooking permit laws and codes, providing special consideration for Christianity?

originally posted by: windword

Signage laws come to mind. I mean, what if it was any other business or club? Are 230 foot tall signs allowed for them too? Or is the city overlooking permit laws and codes, providing special consideration for Christianity?

Exactly, if the city is overlooking certain codes for special consideration, I would say no way too and the guy has an argument.

a reply to: Watcher777

Agreed but there is also something to be said for visually imposing your religious freedom of speech on others.
The Ohio turnpike is littered with many jumbo cross's on private land visible from a state road.

My attitude is if you are that insecure in your christianity that you need to blast it across the landscape and ruin the view for everyone else you are driving off the same people you wish to include.

Just because something is legal doesn't make it ethically responsible.

originally posted by: Caver78

Agreed but there is also something to be said for visually imposing your religious freedom of speech on others.

What does that even mean?

Do you think you have a right to not be exposed, in any way at all, to things you don't agree with?

I honestly don't understand how some people have survived in the world as long as they have.

a reply to: DeathSlayer
What an idiot. He didn't even check to see if they were violating any laws or his rights before filing a frivolous suit?

Religious freedom is at stake here

Obviously it isn't. Notice he lost. If he had a leg to stand on, we'd be hearing you whine about persecution.

Atheist can scream and bitch all they want and I recommend if they are so "up in arms" about religion then maybe they should move to a country that is more align to their beliefs. I hear China is nice this time of year. Can I help you pack?

Why I would even drive you to the airport.

Funny how you go from being the harmless little persecuted Christian in one thread, to being a gloating hypocrite in the next.

a reply to: DeathSlayer

I can't imagine a church getting approval for a 230 foot tall structure. Most city ordinances limit the height of such things.

Whole story smells of religious nuttery.

"The cross bar on the cross will be 95 feet wide. It will be 12 feet in diameter. The cross is so massive and so tall it will have a two foot deflection at the top, it will actually sway in the wind two feet back and forth.

Yikes!

The cross is sitting on a foundation that's 38 feet octagon. It's three feet deep with steel and concrete, has 24 piers that go 48 feet into the ground. So if it were to blow over, it would pull up about three acres of land with it.
www.kristv.com...

I hope they fill the cross with grain, you know, like Joseph did when he built the pyramids!

Where they going to find a Jesus big enough to crucify on it?

a reply to: windword

Aren't hurricanes and tornadoes considered "acts of god"?

a reply to: Klassified

Maybe with some luck it will illuminate at night and light up your neighborhood as you grind your teeth.

a reply to: DeathSlayer


i'm sure jesus is proud.

The mayor and other city officials attended the groundbreaking for the cross. I wonder how people would feel if the president of the US attended the unveiling of the Baphomet statue...

Anyway, not enough anti-atheist threads for one day, DeathSlayer? What is your quota, anyway?

Couldn't that church have found better ways to use this money instead of wasting it this way? Why not use it to help the poor? Isn't that what the long haired middle eastern dude said to do with wealth you know help the poor.

originally posted by: Lysergic
Where they going to find a Jesus big enough to crucify on it?

In Rio de Janeiro

originally posted by: Benevolent Heretic
The mayor and other city officials attended the groundbreaking for the cross. I wonder how people would feel if the president of the US attended the unveiling of the Baphomet statue...

Anyway, not enough anti-atheist threads for one day, DeathSlayer? What is your quota, anyway?

Today is the sabbath..... at least for me.

Should I give up on you? Well I will not, there is hope.....

I truly love atheist and other non believers....... I really do.

The information provided this evening came from reliable sources and not from me. People complaining and being hateful about this can easily be compared to a person of faith verbally attacking a transgender or homosexual. If I did this here I would be banned from ATS however some....... and I say again some....... non believers on this site are allowed to insult and degrade people of faith with no worry of banishment.

This evening I did an experiment. I hope others will see this.