Jesus on the cross in Newnan... revisited.

I have experienced some strange things since I looked on my facebook page a couple of weeks ago and saw that note… “You can see Jesus on here plain as day…”

The things that have happened have been nothing new, just new to me. This hasn’t really been a learning experience, I think I have come out of this with more of an affirmation of my views toward humanity. The overall feeling I’m left with at this point is one of exhaustion and intolerance. I expect, for some strange reason, for people to think about these things the same way I do… That is my flaw, expecting something from people when it comes to behavior. When going into something like this you know that there will be detractors. I set myself up for this, I went into it knowing it, prepared my psyche for it.

The day after I made this cross I saw the face and hands on it for the first time. When I went back and looked at the picture I had taken and placed on facebook I could plainly see the face on it. I was amazed that I handled it that much and had not seen it. My reaction to it was one of confusion, surprise, a touch of fear, and a sense of calm. I thought it was interesting and couldn’t wrap my mind around the probability of how a face and the right and left hand could just happen to fall into correct position like that.

The reactions I have witnessed have run the gamut from “I don’t see it” to nearly falling down and yelling about their undying love for Jesus and God… When someone claims that they can’t see it I show it to them, I haven’t yet encountered anyone that hasn’t been able to see it once its been pointed out. I have spoken with several ministers form various faiths about the piece and they all have the same reaction, they see it, they say it’s a sign from God about his love and that it’s a blessing.

The type of individual that I wasn’t prepared for… Well, they have left me with a further disdain for people in general. These are the people who see it, speak about it being a miracle or strange, or interesting when face to face with you, then detract from it when they aren‘t near you, acting as if I’m a backwoods rube who designed and made this thing for my own gain. I’ve been interviewed by people who have been a huge cheerleader for the cross while speaking to me in person and then taken the point of view of a skeptic when finishing their piece for print or airtime. By the same token, the people who have attacked me outright as some sort of heretic who is only seeking gain, have shown themselves to be a special kind of leach… I put them all in the same boat, disingenuous… I’ve had people who have been very upfront about their dislike for me and what I’m doing, loudly voicing their opinion all over the internet and to anyone who would listen, quietly send me a note asking if they could be tagged in the photograph or could use it to promote something they themselves are working on.

Religious intolerance is a new one as well... People who have claimed, time and again, to be open minded about their beliefs, not "limiting" themselves to the standard Christian mantra when it comes to spiritually. The very people who bark the loudest about hating the closed minded way people are that believe in a Christian God, have been the most closed minded about this piece. My take on this is, "What? It's a piece of wood with a few images on it, why would you go immediately to thinking that people believe that God exists in this?" Yet again I am treated to the nonconformist, peace loving people that accept everyone... as long as you agree with them and their ideology...

I’ve taken the laughter, the snickers, the negative comments, and derision along with the good. Some people have been inspired by the piece, finding peace and calm when handling it or praying with it. Some have sought it out for these purposes. People have cried while holding it or believed themselves to be blessed by it somehow. I had a woman come to see it who thought it may make her feel closer to her husband that had recently passed away…

Whatever the reason, for whatever the purpose, good or bad, this cross seems to have quite the affect on people. I just wish people could see it the way I do… Something that is interesting.