# I'm creeped out by the sign at a local church **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 31, 2004, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-creeped-out-by-the-sign-at-a-local-church/262342 "2004-08-31T01:37:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2004, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-creeped-out-by-the-sign-at-a-local-church/262342/1 "2004-08-31T01:37:15Z")
In the community where I work, there is a church which regularly puts a message out on its sign alongside the road. Nothing surprising here; many churches in the area have something similar. And while most messages are of a somewhat fundamentalist bent, they generally don’t give me the creeps. But this latest one did: “Sign your children up to join our **Kids Krusade**!” That one didn’t work for me on three levels. Firstly, it recalled the whole clusterf\*\*k that was the Crusades, which represented some real barbarity thinly veiled as a noble cause. Secondly, the Children’s Crusade itself, while at least part legend, recalls a horrible fate inflicted on unwanted youth in Europe. Slavery, sexual abuse, early death in an unmarked grave, etc. And last, “Krusade” with a K??? Geeze, do the kids need to bring their own white sheets? Your opinions? ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2004, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-creeped-out-by-the-sign-at-a-local-church/262342/2 "2004-08-31T01:44:56Z")
Agreed, But I’m going to guess that the person who wrote that sign isn’t nearly as well read as you are **QtM** Had you not just schooled me on those two facts I would have never gave it a second thought myself. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2004, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-creeped-out-by-the-sign-at-a-local-church/262342/3 "2004-08-31T01:47:06Z")
Creeped out? Yes. Surprised, considering the area? Nope. ---
**Author:** ![liirogue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dbc845/32.png) [@liirogue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/liirogue)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2004, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-creeped-out-by-the-sign-at-a-local-church/262342/4 "2004-08-31T02:16:03Z")
I agree with you **QtM**. Maybe you could call them, or if that doesn’t sound like your cup of tea, write an editorial to the newspaper or alert them to the potential newstory. They tend to love stuff like that. I don’t like to stir up trouble and attention… oh no, not at all… 😛 ---
**Author:** ![1010011010](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/ea666f/32.png) [@1010011010](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/1010011010)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2004, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-creeped-out-by-the-sign-at-a-local-church/262342/5 "2004-08-31T02:17:43Z")
Interesting. Take a picture. I have a friend that refers to the teenagers that show up in certain chatrooms after church, to tell us how we’re all going to hell and that monkeys didn’t evolve from dolphins, as “Kiddie Krusaders for Krist”. (S)he’d probably be quite amused to see someone doing it for real. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2004, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-creeped-out-by-the-sign-at-a-local-church/262342/6 "2004-08-31T02:29:01Z")
Where is the area in question? ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2004, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-creeped-out-by-the-sign-at-a-local-church/262342/7 "2004-08-31T02:36:59Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > Where is the area in question? Suffice it to say the area is in the midwest, and replete with Calvinist churches. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Stilettos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/fbc32d/32.png) [@Red\_Stilettos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Stilettos)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2004, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-creeped-out-by-the-sign-at-a-local-church/262342/8 "2004-08-31T02:47:40Z")
I’m betting they are clueless about the potential connection to the Crusades/Children’s Crusades, and God, I so want to hope they aren’t making a not so subtle reference to KKK…but who knows what’s running loose out there. Not sure where you are \*slithering on the hull \* 😉 , but wonder if the KKK concern is what **Ferret Herder** meant when he mentioned your area. The more I thought about it though I wonder what they are hoping to achieve here anyway? Hmmm…hope you aren’t in Nebraska…may have a budding Children of the Corn evolving. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2004, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-creeped-out-by-the-sign-at-a-local-church/262342/9 "2004-08-31T02:48:54Z")
That explains it. They either don’t know or don’t care about the history of their wording. Besides, they are right and you are wrong. (In their opinion. Which is always right.) 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Syntropy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/65b543/32.png) [@Syntropy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Syntropy)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2004, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-creeped-out-by-the-sign-at-a-local-church/262342/10 "2004-08-31T02:49:53Z")
Ahhhhhh. That would be the Kids Krusaders Koalition. Komplete with baptismal robe and hood. “Kome to Kamp, kids! Learn to tie interesting knots!” ---
**Author:** ![smartini](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/22d042/32.png) [@smartini](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smartini)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2004, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-creeped-out-by-the-sign-at-a-local-church/262342/11 "2004-08-31T03:00:41Z")
> [@Red Stilettos](#): > > I’m betting they are clueless about the potential connection to the Crusades/Children’s Crusades, and God, I so want to hope they aren’t making a not so subtle reference to KKK…but who knows what’s running loose out there. Not sure where you are \*slithering on the hull \* 😉 , but wonder if the KKK concern is what **Ferret Herder** meant when he mentioned your area. > > The more I thought about it though I wonder what they are hoping to achieve here anyway? Hmmm…hope you aren’t in Nebraska…may have a budding Children of the Corn evolving. :eek: :smack: …sorry, that post is really mine, **Red Stilettos** is my daughter. here’s one for her too :smack: Repeat after me: I will log off when I visit and use mom’s pc :rolleyes: 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2004, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-creeped-out-by-the-sign-at-a-local-church/262342/12 "2004-08-31T03:39:43Z")
> [@smartini](#): > > I’m betting they are clueless about the potential connection to the Crusades/Children’s Crusades, and God, I so want to hope they aren’t making a not so subtle reference to KKK…but who knows what’s running loose out there. Not sure where you are \*slithering on the hull \* 😉 , but wonder if the KKK concern is what **Ferret Herder** meant when he mentioned your area. He and I are from the same area (originally - I moved away about a decade or so ago). I wasn’t surprised not necessarily because of KKK influence in the area, but hardcore conservative Calvinism and simply not thinking of how words like “Crusade” as regards religion (and especially when mentioning children) or using multiple K’s in titles may look. ---
**Author:** ![smartini](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/22d042/32.png) [@smartini](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smartini)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2004, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-creeped-out-by-the-sign-at-a-local-church/262342/13 "2004-08-31T04:00:58Z")
> [@Ferret Herder](#): > > He and I are from the same area (originally - I moved away about a decade or so ago). I wasn’t surprised not necessarily because of KKK influence in the area, but hardcore conservative Calvinism and simply not thinking of how words like “Crusade” as regards religion (and especially when mentioning children) or using multiple K’s in titles may look. Ahhh, thanks for the explanation. Much better than envisioning the kiddies sewing little hoods for crafts projects :eek: ---
**Author:** ![bughunter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aeb1de/32.png) [@bughunter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bughunter)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2004, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-creeped-out-by-the-sign-at-a-local-church/262342/14 "2004-08-31T06:07:19Z")
Well, you can take some slight solace in that it could have been “Kids Krusade for Krist.” I’d go for “Kids Krusade for Krusty,” though… ---
**Author:** ![Largo62](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/45deac/32.png) [@Largo62](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Largo62)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2004, 8:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-creeped-out-by-the-sign-at-a-local-church/262342/15 "2004-08-31T08:05:05Z")
> [@Red Stilettos](#): > > Hmmm…hope you aren’t in Nebraska…may have a budding Children of the Corn evolving. :eek: Only in this kase it would be children of the Korn. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![js\_africanus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/87869e/32.png) [@js\_africanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/js_africanus)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2004, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-creeped-out-by-the-sign-at-a-local-church/262342/16 "2004-08-31T11:21:05Z")
> [@Maureen](#): > > Ahhhhhh. That would be the Kids Krusaders Koalition. Komplete with baptismal robe and hood. > > “Kome to Kamp, kids! Learn to tie interesting knots!” I once saw a sign for a restaurant called “Kathy’s Kountry Kitchen” and the words were placed so that the initials reading down the left were “KKK.” I laughed. It reminded me of the “Krusty the Klown Klassic.” _Krusty: That’s not gonna be good._ Heh. ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2004, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-creeped-out-by-the-sign-at-a-local-church/262342/17 "2004-08-31T11:38:51Z")
When I was in the USA this spring, my host allowed me to cut the \*four pages \* with Church advertisements from his Yellow Pages to paste in my scrapbook. Back in the Netherlands, my friends were just \*baffled \* at the commercial attitude. Churches? Advertising? When did those two form such an unholy union? ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2004, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-creeped-out-by-the-sign-at-a-local-church/262342/18 "2004-08-31T12:44:44Z")
> [@Qadgop the Mercotan](#): > > In the community where I work, there is a church which regularly puts a message out on its sign alongside the road. Nothing surprising here; many churches in the area have something similar. And while most messages are of a somewhat fundamentalist bent, they generally don’t give me the creeps. But this latest one did: > > “Sign your children up to join our **Kids Krusade**!” > > That one didn’t work for me on three levels. > > Firstly, it recalled the whole clusterf\*\*k that was the Crusades, which represented some real barbarity thinly veiled as a noble cause. > > Secondly, the Children’s Crusade itself, while at least part legend, recalls a horrible fate inflicted on unwanted youth in Europe. Slavery, sexual abuse, early death in an unmarked grave, etc. > > And last, “Krusade” with a K??? Geeze, do the kids need to bring their own white sheets? > > Your opinions? Send the church a friendly, anonymous, letter pointing this out to them. And ridicule them savagely. ---
**Author:** ![cornflakes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@cornflakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornflakes)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2004, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-creeped-out-by-the-sign-at-a-local-church/262342/19 "2004-08-31T13:01:01Z")
I could see a letter written in a Emily Latella/Lazlo Toth/The Onion-esque style, decrying the whole idea of another Childrens Crusade and vowing that “_my_ child will never be allowed to wander Europe without parental supervision and be sold into white slavery in a market in Venice!” ---
**Author:** ![Metacom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecae2f/32.png) [@Metacom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Metacom)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2004, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-creeped-out-by-the-sign-at-a-local-church/262342/20 "2004-08-31T13:05:32Z")
Maybe their youth ministry is putting on a play based on the children’s crusade, and they’re just trying to advertise it? “Oh, Mark look! Little Johnny looks so adorable dressed as a 13th century peasant boy! I’m so glad you bought the camcorder. And there’s Father Fletcher, dressed a turk! The family will love seeing this at thankg… Uh oh–Did Johnny drop something? … Oh my _GOD!!!_” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-creeped-out-by-the-sign-at-a-local-church/262342.md?page=2)