Christians are finding inspiration in a wooden cross that was spared from the recent deadly wildfires in California, but there’s a problem: The cross is sitting in the middle of a parking lot and surrounded by blacktop.

Perhaps even more interesting is that the California Camp Fire actually burned down the entire church where the wooden cross was sitting. The image that’s going viral is of the wooden cross, clearly surrounded by material that wouldn’t burn, with the Lutheran church engulfed in flames behind it.

The Christian Post said the cross was “miraculously left standing” when, in reality, it would have been more incredible if it had burned.

A large wooden cross that was left untouched by the California wildfires is serving as a reminder of God’s faithfulness to a town almost entirely destroyed by the inferno. On Facebook, Our Savior Lutheran Church Pastor Brandon Merrick posted a photo of the cross two days after flames devastated the town of Paradise along with the 54-year-old church building and the parsonage where his wife and two children lived. “This picture is not just a heartbreaking reminder of what can happen to the things and people of this world, this is our one true hope in the midst of tragedy that cannot be destroyed by anything,” he captioned the photo. “God is with us. God is holding you right now as you read this note and He wants nothing more than for you to see Him through the cross where He draws us to the only place His mercy and forgiveness are found. In this picture I understand how in the cross we see both the ultimate consequence of our sin in death and the new life we have with Jesus.”

To summarize: The fire destroyed a church that existed for more than 50 years — where the pastor and his family lived — and they are talking about God’s “mercy and forgiveness” because a separate structure was spared? I understand Christians praising God, but at least praise God for things God might actually deserve credit for… An “Act of God” isn’t necessarily that at all.

I would never try to stop someone from feeling hope in a time of tragedy, but this pastor went beyond that by publicizing a “miracle” cross that is nothing of the sort. This happens all the time to different artifacts (including those from different religions) depending on positioning and materials used. There’s nothing special about them.

More importantly, if God so loved the world, He should do us all a favor and spare the human lives lost in the tragedy instead of saving the replaceable crosses.

(Screenshots via WSLS)

