The Vine That Resembles Jesus… June 29, 2011

The Vine That Resembles Jesus…

By Guest Contributor
June 29, 2011

See this?

What does that remind you of?

I say a vine that vaguely resembles a cross. Because I’m sane.

Kent Hardison, who runs a Ma’s Hot Dog stand in nearby Kinston, North Carolina, sees Jesus… because he doesn’t understand pareidolia:

He says he was getting ready to spray it with herbicide until he noticed the resemblance.

Hardison and his customers think the vine can be seen as a symbolic reminder that God is watching over people.

Or a reminder that some people are so desperate to find a god, even when one doesn’t exist, that they’ll “see him” anywhere.

(Thanks to Amy for the link)

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What Are Your Thoughts?leave a comment

  • I don’t see dead people, I see kudzu.

  • James

    What I see is evidence that if you leave large poles (e.g. telephone poles) unattended and undisturbed for a long period of time, then nearby plants that also go without any sort of human or animal induced maintenance will continue to grow and cling to the nearby pole where they will form vines. I also see evidence that these vines will continue to grow in bulk until they begin spreading along any connected poles or wires and, as a result of their weight, begin to droop down over their new substrate.

    Or it could be evidence of Jesus. Whatever floats your boat.

  • Valdyr

    A torii arch in Hiroshima was still standing even after the atomic bombing that shattered every other building around it to dust and gravel. This is clear proof that Shinto is the true religion!

  • I totally would have guessed Lady Gaga. Ugh! I’m so bad at these kinds of games.

  • twinertia

    I see a SWAMP THING scarecrow…..

  • Jillian

    I see Jim Morrison.

  • Greg

    Definitely a scarecrow.

  • parsh

    You’re all wrong! It’s the FSM!

  • jenea

    That’s not Jesus! And it’s not just any scarecrow! That’s the scarecrow from Howl’s Moving Castle!

  • Matto the Hun

    So people are suffering and dying the world over. His fervent followers tortures and suffering, pleading and praying to no avail. His fervent followers doing the torturing, spreading pain and misery in his name. Instead of doing anything about it, God shows of his power and reveals himself in vines, sandwiches, potatoes, cheetoes and all manner of stains.

    If this shows he’s real, he’s given me all the reason in the world to despise him.

  • Rich Samuels

    I see the little silhouetto of a man…

  • Michael

    I see a fire hazard.

  • JSug

    It’s Excalibur!

  • Marguerite

    It totally looks like Jesus. Also, I saw Jesus in my peanut butter jar this afternoon, too. Yesterday I saw him in the oil stain on my driveway.

    Seriously, if you let vines run amok over a crosspiece, you’re going to get something that looks vaguely… crosslike. It isn’t a far leap from there to think you can see Jesus. Seek and ye shall find– by which I mean that if you’re inclined to see Jesus, you’ll probably find him. Conversely, if you’re looking for Zeus, you’ll probably see him around, too.

  • Dawn

    It reminded me of a tent spike first… then maybe a 3-armed cross

  • A symbolic reminder, maybe. But it’s a literal reminder that God doesn’t care enough to intervene and destroy this invasive species that is devastating ecosystems.

  • Richard Wade

    In a few months it’s going to look like this:

    vine monster

    Keep the herbicide handy. People will breathe a sigh of relief.

  • Drakk

    …the incredible hulk, Richard?

  • Derek

    I say “Paraquat”!

  • Gibbon

    The first thing I thought was that it looked like a crucified person, which could have been any person who was sentenced to death by crucifixion from the same period as Jesus. It’s not like he was the only one that suffered that punishment.

    My next most immediate thought was…

    Crucifixion is a doddle. 😉

    Bwian eh. No, no, Brian. 😉

  • Charles Black

    This reminds me of the Face on Mars, the Mars canals & Biostation Alpha.

    The Face on Mars was just simply a rock formations & Biostation Alpha is most likely rock formations as well.

  • Trace

    Something from a Tim Burton movie?

  • Jen

    I live in NC and the other day I drove past what was recognized by all passengers as a giant vine penis complete with balls.

  • Joseph Reilly

    I live about 5 miles from this power pole with overgrown kudzu. I asked my 11 year old son if it looks like jesus to him, he said “It looks like kudzu to me.” I agreed with him. Sometimes my overly religious neighbors get irritating. I am currently considering a late-night-drive-by-roundup-spraying. By the way, if your in the area, Ma’s Hotdog House has a pretty good bacon cheeseburger for those non-vegans out there.

  • PJB863

    It’s kudzu. It won’t look or even seem like jesus if they are hit by a hurricane this year. That’s why utility companies don’t like this stuff – it’s an accident waiting to happen.

    It’s also an exotic invasive plant that’s found all over the South and is spreading – it’s been discovered as far north as Chicago.

  • I immediately thought of Bercilak from Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, but I’m an English teacher.

  • Kent Schlorff

    I resent the idiot theists who are soiling my good name. IMMA FIRIN’ MAH LAZER AT DUMBASSES. :/

  • The Scarecrow from the Wizard of Oz. Where’s a little girl with an annoying little dog when you need one?

  • JJR

    Kudzu Jesus germinated for your sins, or something…

    Kill it with roundup and if it comes back in three days, somebody prank call the Vatican…

  • Thai Flowers

    Reminds Me of the Evil Activities logo.

  • sue

    That’s quite clearly one of the scarecrow soldiers from the ‘Family of Blood’ episode of Doctor Who.

  • Drew M.

    @Nathan DST aka LucienBlack

    The Scarecrow from the Wizard of Oz.

    So apt.
    http://youtu.be/8RjXY_-PUbo

  • T-Rex

    scarecrow city baby

  • There is an excellent test that can be performed. Kill the vine. If it grows back within three days then it is Jesus and they can start leaving offerings of gold nearby and worshipping it. If it remains dead then it was just a weed. If it grows back in a few months then it was a virulent weed. Kill it again.

  • Mikko

    looks like an old syringe

  • sware

    I saw the FSM on my dinner plate last night. Then I ate it since it was covered in the blood sauce of the FSM with some delicious FSM body garlic toast. Totally done in rememberance of course.

  • Michael

    Wow so many think it looks like kudzu, surprising because that is what it is!

    What is also surprising is how this “friendly” atheist site appears to only be friendly in the sense of making fun of people for being and having different thoughts than you.

    I wish that atheists could take the high road and make their case without having to rely on polylogisms and name calling. But then again I also wish that atheists actually knew that atheism is not a disbelief in god, but a disbelief in religion. Don’t believe me try looking at the words atheism, agnosticism, and the latin roots of the words!

    I hope someday, that some of you will be able to look at a story like this and conclude that it is at most mildly entertaining, and beneficial if for no other reason than it makes some people happy and content.

  • C.S.

    I live in Northern Florida and most of the light poles look similar to that one. Kudzu *yawns*

  • Oh my gosh – it’s not kudzu!

    According to this morning’s Raleigh News&Observer, it is a Trumpet Vine, not kudzu.

    Link to N&O story

    And here I thought it was a sign from Kudzu, lord of the really lame southern comics. Instead it is a sign from Louis Armstrong (a much better artist).

  • geewiz1

    sigh