What is up with the three wooden crosses?

[Cool-Beans]

The crosses the OP is referring to usually look something like this:

They stand for either the cruxifiction or the Holy Trinity. Depends on your viewpoint.

That's them. The drive was mostly on 77 and 95. I don't know exactly where they were - didn't pull over to write locations down or anything.

It was just that every time we saw them, it piqued our interest a little more. The first time, I said, "Hey, look! Three wooden crosses! And they're on the right side of the highway!" and started singing. The second time, we wondered what they were about (and I sang again). By the third and fourth + times it was kind of making us crazy (and I kept singing. I think she'd have stabbed me if she could have!)

Thanks, everyone.

 

[Golf4food]

They do NOT signify the Trinity. God was not crucified. The Holy Spirirt cannot be crucified (as a spirit). Jesus was. Just because there are three of something does not automatically make it symbolic of the Trinity.

They DO signify the crucifiction (Jesus was cricified between two theieves - hence three crosses, with the largest center cross being Jesus'). The song "Three Wooded Crosses" is to signify that we each deserve to be crucified, so that there should have been four crosses (Jesus, the two theives, and us) but that because Jesus sacrificed himself for us, we were not required to hang there with Him.

 

[hpygrll]

Ok, this may be horrible, so don't flame me. But DH and I call these "Jesus Poles" and whoever spots them first wins....we crack up every time we do this. One time my mom made DH an official "Jesus Poles Spotter" certificate.

Jenny

 

[daisax]

The song "Three Wooded Crosses" is to signify that we each deserve to be crucified, so that there should have been four crosses (Jesus, the two theives, and us) but that because Jesus sacrificed himself for us, we were not required to hang there with Him.

Maybe there's more than one song by that name, but the Randy Travis song isn't about that.

Am I the only one to wonder how much more good 3 million dollars might have done in those impoverished countries? It has always seemed to me that Jesus was more about the DOING than the talking. And He didn't have much use for people making big public displays of their religiosity when they could be feeding and clothing the poor.

 

[jenfur]

Maybe there's more than one song by that name, but the Randy Travis song isn't about that.

Am I the only one to wonder how much more good 3 million dollars might have done in those impoverished countries? It has always seemed to me that Jesus was more about the DOING than the talking. And He didn't have much use for people making big public displays of their religiosity when they could be feeding and clothing the poor.

I think the same thing when I hear about spending millions to rescue a dog during a flood or some other disaster along other exspensive nonsense. I am sure if he built the crosses there a great deal of aid relief went too. Missionaries are everywhere doing great things everyday. BUT- it really is the giver's perogitive isn't it?

 

[cteddiesgirl]

They do NOT signify the Trinity. God was not crucified. The Holy Spirirt cannot be crucified (as a spirit). Jesus was. Just because there are three of something does not automatically make it symbolic of the Trinity.

They DO signify the crucifiction (Jesus was cricified between two theieves - hence three crosses, with the largest center cross being Jesus').

I'm aware of that fact. But, I know quite a few church-going people that do say they represent the Trinity. And they don't know each other or go to the same churches.

Maybe there's more than one song by that name, but the Randy Travis song isn't about that.

Am I the only one to wonder how much more good 3 million dollars might have done in those impoverished countries? It has always seemed to me that Jesus was more about the DOING than the talking. And He didn't have much use for people making big public displays of their religiosity when they could be feeding and clothing the poor.

I agree. But, the viewpoint of the people that do this is that they're trying to make sure that when the person dies, they die as a Christian.

 

[delilah]

There are 3 white crosses along the interstate, I think it's on I-95 in South Carolina, they're from a car accident, and are lettered "Mom", "Dad", "Sister".

But I don't think they're what the OP is talking about. I haven't seen the others referenced.

Around here, people routinely put up three crosses wherever there is a traffic fatality. We have them all over the place around here. So, it means different things different places.

 

[Cool-Beans]

Around here, people routinely put up three crosses wherever there is a traffic fatality. We have them all over the place around here. So, it means different things different places.

Are they big? These were like ten or twelve feet high, maybe more. And never near the road. They're alongside the highway, you can see them from the road, but they're pretty far back...and almost always up on a hill.

I'm getting as many answers here as I did in my search, lol.

I guess we can all interpret them as we please.

 

[Master Gracy]

we have electric glowing hillside crosses here,
quite scary

 

[DarthKTrava]

There are 3 white crosses along the interstate, I think it's on I-95 in South Carolina, they're from a car accident, and are lettered "Mom", "Dad", "Sister".

But I don't think they're what the OP is talking about. I haven't seen the others referenced.

Most of the ones I've seen by the road are placed there at accident sites in remembrance of those who died there.

 

[bgirldeb]

The three crosses, something completely different from roadside memorials for people killed in car wrecks, represent the calvary, Jesus and the two sinners, not the trinity.

Not that I agree with this, but this is what I found when I googled:

http://www.gospelteacher.org/articles/Three_Crosses_at_Calvary_RF.htm

http://www.sermonstore.org/2004/3-Cross.html

 

[countryboy64]

Here is the real meaning of the song according to me..for what its worth..

3 wooden crosses at the right side of the highway represent that 3 people that died in that accident, dissmiss the person driving the bus. the song/story was not to be taken that litteral.

"why theres not four of them heaven only knows" represents that out of the 4 people in the crash one of them survived, thats why there arent 4 wooden crosses at the right side of the highway, this has nothing to do with the crucifiction of the 2 theives next to jesus, although you can interpret it that way.

as the song progresses you hear :An' that preacher whispered: "Can't you see the Promised Land?"
As he laid his blood-stained bible in that hooker's hand." ---which means the preacher was dying and tried to show the hooker the right way to live, by the bible as he gave it to her right before he died.

the last part of the song


That's the story that our preacher told last Sunday.
As he held that blood-stained bible up,
For all of us to see.
He said: "Bless the farmer, and the teacher, an' the preacher;
"Who gave this Bible to my mamma,
"Who read it to me."

this means that the preacher telling this story is the son of the hooker, which was the only one who survived the crash. the hooker apparently took the preachers death as a life changing moment and straightened out her life and telling that story about the crash and reading that bible to her son, who is now the preacher telling the story.

I hope this helped, i figured it out after hearing the song a few times tring to understand it and it just came to me.

 

[TomLovesBecky]

Here is the real meaning of the song according to me..for what its worth..

3 wooden crosses at the right side of the highway represent that 3 people that died in that accident, dissmiss the person driving the bus. the song/story was not to be taken that litteral.

"why theres not four of them heaven only knows" represents that out of the 4 people in the crash one of them survived, thats why there arent 4 wooden crosses at the right side of the highway, this has nothing to do with the crucifiction of the 2 theives next to jesus, although you can interpret it that way.

as the song progresses you hear :An' that preacher whispered: "Can't you see the Promised Land?"
As he laid his blood-stained bible in that hooker's hand." ---which means the preacher was dying and tried to show the hooker the right way to live, by the bible as he gave it to her right before he died.

the last part of the song


That's the story that our preacher told last Sunday.
As he held that blood-stained bible up,
For all of us to see.
He said: "Bless the farmer, and the teacher, an' the preacher;
"Who gave this Bible to my mamma,
"Who read it to me."

this means that the preacher telling this story is the son of the hooker, which was the only one who survived the crash. the hooker apparently took the preachers death as a life changing moment and straightened out her life and telling that story about the crash and reading that bible to her son, who is now the preacher telling the story.

I hope this helped, i figured it out after hearing the song a few times tring to understand it and it just came to me.

Is there any other interpretation for this song? I think it's really obvious. I am wondering what the previous poster thinks Randy Travis is judgmental about? Most people would agree that "prostitute" is not a good and honorable job, and does nothing to promote the mental, physical, or emotional well-being of those involved.

 

[perdidobay]

I think of Six Flags over Jesus whenever I see them, because SFOJ has a HUGE SET that are illuminated all the time. I just shake my head and wonder how many poor families they could help if they didn't build it and have to pay that huge electric bill.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bellevue_Baptist_Church



I don't mind the simple wooden ones along the roadsides.

 

[allison443]

When I clicked on this thread I thought it was going to be about that song. I've only heard the song a couple of time, and that was enough. I guess, I just don't agree with the message.

I never heard the song but I read the lyrics in this thread..just wondering what is your interpretation of the message that you don't agree with?

 

[jimmiej]

I think of Six Flags over Jesus whenever I see them, because SFOJ has a HUGE SET that are illuminated all the time. I just shake my head and wonder how many poor families they could help if they didn't build it and have to pay that huge electric bill.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bellevue_Baptist_Church





I don't mind the simple wooden ones along the roadsides.

A (Christian) church's primary objective is to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. Maybe this is the objective of this group.

 

[perdidobay]

A (Christian) church's primary objective is to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. Maybe this is the objective of this group.

If you saw the building you'd know that it's for another reason entirely.
I think Jesus would be disgusted with this church.

I'd like to see the gospel spread in a more personal helpful way, myself.

Maybe like, say, being an example by LIVING His words.

Someone on these boards has a quote along the lines of "I try to spread the gospel, with words when neccesary"

Amen to that!

 

[samsteele]

If someone is now deciding to have them symbolize the Trinity

I think these crosses have been up for more than 40 yrs. I remember seeing them as a child when our family would drive from Ontario, Canada to Florida for our family vacations. ps here, small crosses mostly just remember victims killed in road accidents as well.

 

[Kitty 34]

I think these crosses have been up for more than 40 yrs. I remember seeing them as a child when our family would drive from Ontario, Canada to Florida for our family vacations. ps here, small crosses mostly just remember victims killed in road accidents as well.

Like this thread

 

[samsteele]

Like this thread

I must have clicked on one of those lovely threads in the bottom banner and posted w/o thinking. My apologies!