Did you see this?

I was scanning the KC Star this morning and ran across an article titled "City Has Taxing Problem." It seems that Stafford, TX (a suburb of Houston) has 51 religious institutions (the Houston Chronicle reports 55, but who's counting) in a relatively small area. Here's what the Star said, "In one short stretch, there is the Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Hindu temple, made of 3,836 tons of hand-carved Italian marble and Turkish limestone; the simple yet welcoming Family Worship Center ("A Good Place to Call Home," declares the sign); St. Johns Knanaya Syrian Orthodox Church; and the future home of the Henry David Thoreau Unitarian Universalist Congregation ("Room for Different Beliefs ... Yours," says its sign). Next door is the unadorned Islamic Society mosque; across the street is the West Side Baptist Church with its "Prayer; Wireless Access to God; No Roaming Charge" sign; and on the corner, next to an auto-parts store, stands the Jesus House Texas with its big pink cross and "Reigning in Victory" sign. And that is just one street."

At issue is the amount of land that is being used by non profit organizations - meaning, there is no land left for "paying customers." The taxable property available to the city of Stafford is shrinking and the city is thinking of putting a moratorium on more churches. Of course, there are more opinions than there are people on this issue, but what concerns me here is the Jesus House Texas with a big pink cross. Now folks, that's just plain wrong! Next thing you know the Houston Texans will be wearing pink helmets, the Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs will wear pink court shoes, and the Texas Department of Public Safety will trade in their black and white super-charged Cameros for used Mary Kay pink Cadillacs.

A pink cross at Jesus House Texas -- the very idea!