This is, of course, Pastor Richard Greene's rebuilding of Noah's Ark in building form. I had heard about this project before and was happy to see it in person. Pastor Greene describes the project thusly, on his web site:
Night after night in April, May and June of 1974, Pastor Richard Greene had a vision in which he saw a large ark located on a hillside and people coming from all over the world to see it. Through this repeated vision, God told Pastor Greene to build his congregation’s new church as a replica of Noah’s Ark. The church was to be built as a sign to the world of God’s love and the soon return of Jesus!
Construction started in 1976 and after thirty years, this collection of poured cement and steel beams is the only result. There are many possibilities this suggests to the rational mind:
- Pastor Greene is mistaken about his message from God
- God doesn't love us all that much
- Jesus will return maybe not so soon as we thought
I'm sure there are more possibilities. I leave it to the reader to decide. In any event, as an example of American roadside kitsch, this is definitely an interesting one.
3 comments:
Of course, there's always the "Pastor Greene didn't have enough faith" excuse.
Well, I'm traveling to Western Maryland this weekend (to Deep Creek Lake) so I guess I'll keep an eye out for the arc!
If it starts raining I hope they let me in!!!
Yow! Saw this pile of beams twice (once on the way west-bound at night, and during the day east-bound). It was quite inspiring....maybe I will suggest to Rebecca's Sunday School teacher a field trip to Frostburg just to help bring the story of Noah to life! (or then again maybe not.)
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