Tenn. Church's 'Satan' Sign Sparks Outrage, Gets Taken Down

[Tennesseer]

Ahhh Tennessee. Home of some pretty interesting and welcoming religious people.

A sign posted outside a Tennessee Baptist church was removed after it sparked outrage in the community and on the Internet.

"Remember Satan was the first to demand equal rights" disappeared from the marquee of the Knoxville's Baptist Tabernacle Church earlier this week following Facebook posts calling the message anti-Christian.



"What is wrong with you people?" posted Ashley Snipes. "You are sending everyone the wrong messages with your ignorance!"

Knoxville resident Adam Miller posted "I thought surely someone wouldn't post such a thing. Makes me sad I was wrong and doubly sad that these folks are in my back yard."

Pastor Tony Greene said the church meant no harm. The message, he said, was about unity.

"It was not a statement against any one group in particular," he said, according to WATE-TV. "You know, what about the rights of the unborn babies, the rights of children, the rights of everyone?"

A Facebook poster named Andy Henry wrote, "It's clearly a sign that was meant to offend a particular group - the LGBT community. Because of (church officials') lack of foresight, they ended up offending everybody who had ever fought for equality or civil rights in general," reported WBIR-TV.

The church's sign now reads "Glad you reading. Did not mean to offend. We all need Christ."

Tenn. church's 'Satan' sign sparks outrage, gets taken down

[Robert not Bobby]

Tenn, you seem like a fish out of water down there?

But if truth be told, I have no problem with Tennessee, or any Southern State.

Every area has it's challenges...it is how you deal with them and depending on your perspective.

I thought the world was black and white, but it is all about shades of gray.

[Tennesseer]

Mar 20, 2015 16:12:18 GMT -5 Robert not Bobby said:

Tenn, you seem like a fish out of water down there?

But if truth be told, I have no problem with Tennessee, or any Southern State.

Every area has it's challenges...it is how you deal with them and depending on your perspective.

I thought the world was black and white, but it is all about shades of gray.

Knoxville is in east Tennessee. I am in the southwest part of the state which is slightly better.

I only stay here because I am committed to seeing something through. Believe me I would have left back in 2004 when I retired. Once my uninteresting-reason-to-others-but-to-myself commitment is completed, I am out of here. The sad/funny part is when I am ready to get out of here, I will probably be moving to coastal Alabama/Mississippi (which is even worse than here) or the FLorida panhandle. But the weather in those areas suits me.

I can leave here anytime but I won't.

[Deleted]

Fortunately (for those of us in Tennessee, anyway) or unfortunately (for the world/country in general)... hatred spouted on signs from religious places isn't limited to Tennessee...

Just Google "hate on church signs" for some interesting examples... (some good ones will accidentally be mixed up in the results though)

Here's a good example of a non-Tennessee Church sign of hate found in New York City:

[Opti]

Mar 20, 2015 18:23:36 GMT -5 @richardintn said:

Fortunately (for those of us in Tennessee, anyway) or unfortunately (for the world/country in general)... hatred spouted on signs from religious places isn't limited to Tennessee...

Just Google "hate on church signs" for some interesting examples... (some good ones will accidentally be mixed up in the results though)

Here's a good example of a non-Tennessee Church sign of hate found in New York City:

It so ridiculous I find it funny.

I guess they are unaware of black men on the down low with each other.

[weltschmerz]

Mar 20, 2015 18:23:36 GMT -5 @richardintn said:

Fortunately (for those of us in Tennessee, anyway) or unfortunately (for the world/country in general)... hatred spouted on signs from religious places isn't limited to Tennessee...

Just Google "hate on church signs" for some interesting examples... (some good ones will accidentally be mixed up in the results though)

Here's a good example of a non-Tennessee Church sign of hate found in New York City:

Well, if that isn't one of the most ignorant things I have ever seen....!

[mmhmm]

The utterly ignorant are everywhere - unfortunately. Bless their hearts.

[weltschmerz]

The church's sign now reads "Glad you reading. Did not mean to offend. We all need Christ."

Glad you reading? Ummm, OK.  How about a church that can't even spell Jesus? You'd think God would have given them a better grasp of the English language, but no.

[jkapp]

Mar 23, 2015 17:11:03 GMT -5 weltschmerz said:

The church's sign now reads "Glad you reading. Did not mean to offend. We all need Christ."

Glad you reading? Ummm, OK.  How about a church that can't even spell Jesus? You'd think God would have given them a better grasp of the English language, but no.

Well what did you want them to do with the extra A? Take it back inside?

[busymom]

Sheesh. I'd been brought up to believe that the devil didn't want equal rights, he wanted to take over.

[Opti]

Mar 23, 2015 18:50:10 GMT -5 busymom said:

Sheesh. I'd been brought up to believe that the devil didn't want equal rights, he wanted to take over.

I have a feeling that was the point of the sign.