I see so much of this stuff I decided to start a new flickr group.
To further document bible belt tackiness.
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Delusion: A persistent false belief held in the face of strong contradictory evidence. (i.e. religion)
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RE Dewey Cooper:
In July 26-Aug. 1, 2007 issue
By Whitney Kelsey, Times Journal Intern
editor@russellcounty.net
RUSSELL SPRINGS - "You can't get sinners to come to church anymore," said Evangelist Dewey Cooper. He says this is the reason he went on a mission ten years ago to erect "warning" signs across Kentucky.
Cooper's signs are big, orange and scream out their message in red, blue and black letters. "Warning Jesus is coming. Are you ready?"
"We are after those people who aren't saved," said Cooper.
He said he started his mission at home by erecting the first sign in his own front yard. He said his second sign was put up in Middletown in Russell Springs. Cooper said he now has a sign as far away as Williamsburg. He said the 31 signs dot highways all over south central Kentucky.
Cooper said the signs cost him four hundred dollars each to construct. He said local churches and individuals have donated money to his cause. However, Cooper said most of the money comes out of his own pocket.
He said he built the signs' bases, painted them and erected them himself.
Cooper said the late Phillip Gosser and Gosser's wife, Eva, helped him paint the sign boards.
The evangelist said that when looking for locations for the signs he finds "people who love the Lord," to let him place the signs on their property.
He said he hasn't paid to put up a single sign. Cooper added though that the Commonwealth of Kentucky has regulations of sign placement that he must follow.
Cooper said he puts a lot of hours into maintaining the signs. He said he drives around weekly checking on them and painting areas that are flaking or fading.
He said at times he washes the signs; climbing a ladder to reach the orange cross at the top.
"That's a big job too," said eighty-four year old Cooper.
He said the signs are not his only effort to win souls for the Lord. Cooper said that on Mondays he can be found preaching at rest homes and hospitals. He said that on most Tuesdays and Wednesdays he visits jails and on Sunday he is in church.
Cooper explained that he belongs to the West Union United Baptist Association where he is an evangelist to forty churches.
"I call on all the churches in the association to encourage them," said Cooper. He said he usually preaches at two churches most Sundays. He said there are no churches in Russell County that belong to the association.
"The Lord led me to be an evangelist," Cooper said. He said he felt God was telling him to preach his word. He said he used to preach at the stockyards before he became an evangelist in the association.
His son Rick Cooper said as long as he can remember his dad has been involved with the church. Dewey said he had no formal training.
"No seminary school at all, we don't believe in that at all," said Cooper.
Cooper said he believes biblical prophecy and world conditions point to the reality of Christ's return.
"When his father tells him to come he's going to come," Cooper said. "Our country is getting away from God, we are putting God out of everything you see. It's a serious time we are living in."
Cooper said he has plans to erect more signs in the future and that he has been scouting out locations.
"We have to do something because we can't get them to come to church any more," said Cooper.
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