Texas City Avoids Conflict by Selling Land with Cross to Church

 

 

A Texas city has sold a plot of land in a park, which includes a cross monument, to a local church as a way to avoid conflict with an atheist organization.

 

According to SRNNews.com, the southeastern Texas town of Port Neches decided to sell a 20-by-20 foot plot of a city park surrounding a white cross to the First United Methodist Church of Port Neches.

 

City Manager Andre Wimer said the city sold the patch of Port Neches Riverfront Park with the cross to the church for $100. 

 

The city decided to sell the patch of park with the cross, which has stood in the park for nearly 50 years, to the church in order to avoid a conflict with the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF), an atheist organization.

 

The FFRF alleged that it was unconstitutional for a religious symbol to stand in a city park. They threatened to bring a lawsuit against the city for violating the separation of church and state. 

 

he FFRF’s response to the city’s decision to sell the portion of the park with the cross to the church was not immediately known.