Just when you thought our nation couldn’t get any stranger, news of a giant has emerged. No, this isn’t a motion picture movie or a new thrill ride coming to Universal Studios. It’s not the Jolly Green Giant we see on a can of peas. It’s far more bizarre than that.
Nope. It’s giant, and for a good reason – its name is The Giant. I am not kidding.
Picture an academy awards trophy on steroids times a hundred, and you might come close to The Giant.
I can hear folks from all over say things like, ‘What in God’s creation is that thing?”
“Land sakes alive; that thing is gigantic!”
“What is that thing?”
“Wicked cool! I want to go inside!”
A friend recently wrote a fantastic piece about The Giant, and it was published on ifapray.org (Intercessors For America), and I thought rather than recreate the wheel, why not share excerpts of her article with you. This week, we’ll look at the description of The Giant. Next week on Monday Musings, we will look at this from a biblical perspective. I will put the link to the whole article down below.
Ready? Let’s go!
A GIANT MAY BE COMING TO A CITY NEAR YOU
JULY 1, 2021 | ANGELA RODRIGUEZ, IFA CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Imagine–a moveable statue standing over ten stories high that speaks, sings, transforms, and offers “words of wisdom.” Sporting a patented skin with a matrix of millions of programmable LED pixels, this statue takes the form of any person, from Steve Jobs to Michael Jordan. With a moveable head and arms, it comes to life before your very eyes. The versatile canvas of its body can become a work of art or change into a giant advertising platform. Does this sound like science fiction or the scene from a futuristic movie?
Believe it or not, the details you just read about describe a tourist attraction known as The Giant, and it may be coming to a city near you. The brainchild of entrepreneur Paddy Dunning, this colossal statue aims to become part of the landscape of 21 cities around the world. Enterprise Ireland, an Irish company, based in Dublin, has engaged CBRE, one of the largest commercial real estate companies in the world, to identify possible sites for the Giant. They believe this one-of-a-kind experience will draw hundreds of thousands of visitors yearly, translating into millions of dollars in revenue.
A video on the Giant Company website gives a sneak peek of what visitors can expect. Here are a few highlights from the video: “People of the world, welcome to the Giant. The visitor attraction for the 21st century… a glorious celebration of the great men and women of your country; inventors, artists, scientists, celebrities, athletes and other heroes… the Viewing Tower–see the city from the shoulders of a giant…the Roof Garden…new dimensions in retail, gastronomy, and special events for a diversity of occasions…a place to behold heroes and superheroes…a space to celebrate the great and the good.”
As noted above, the Giant comes complete with a roof garden, restaurants, and stores. An exhibition space will feature state-of-the-art technologies such as robotics, virtual reality, and artificial intelligence, all of which are designed to be engaging and educational. Visitors will take “a hero’s journey” as they encounter tasks and questions that encompass mythology and legends. They will learn about the “heroes” of their world and the icons of the city where the Giant is located. The versatile venue can even be used for performances, presentations, and concerts. In addition, visitors can take in a dramatic view of the city from the viewing tower. Here is where visitors can “stand on the shoulders of a giant.”
A press release from the Giant Company says: “We envision The Giant as an adjunct to new urban redevelopment projects, stadiums, arenas, shopping centers, museums, and other locations; it’s going to be an awe-inspiring addition to the cities where we locate it.”
The Giant is inspired by Jonathan Swift’s book, Gulliver’s Travels, and it “uses technology to celebrate humanity.” The unique skin (coating) of the Giant can take on any image, and it’s what gives the statue the ability to transform into historical figures, sports stars, celebrities, and works of art. The Giant website features images of Beyonce, Rihanna, John Lennon, George Harrison, John F. Kennedy, Abraham Lincoln, Captain America, Cat Woman, Spiderman, and more. The millions of programmable LED pixels light up with vivid colors and images, allowing the Giant to metamorphose every hour. The crowds gathered below can listen as it sings songs, recites poetry, or voices famous quotes.
The artistic canvas of the Giant will be a digital art gallery in the sky, but it will also be a “beacon for brand celebration” where companies can advertise. The video on the Giant website uses Coca-Cola, Apple, and Google as examples of corporations who can take advantage of this “giant opportunity.”
“The Giant will be one of the world’s most ambitious cultural and commercial projects bringing together art, amusement, and wonder to create a contemporary and highly profitable business,” declares Paddy Dunning, the creator of the Giant.
Tourists who visit the Giant may find themselves featured on the colossal canvas. Every visitor can be scanned while touring the exhibition space. Next, their image is uploaded and displayed on the statue. The website calls this “the ultimate selfie.” The Giant Company says, “They can also add audio messages to their Giant selfies wishing friends and relatives birthday and anniversary greetings, or offering marriage proposals and other salutations.” Paddy Dunning believes these selfies will draw more attention than the other images. He says, “You can look up, and you will become the Giant.”
Currently, there are at least 23 cities that are potential candidates to host a Giant, such as Berlin, New York, Dubai, Singapore, Las Vegas, London, Belfast, and Dublin. Many more have great interest in bringing a Giant to their area. The cost of each statue ranges from 18-24 million dollars, depending on the location and size chosen. The attraction can be utilized as either a temporary or permanent structure that can be built in as little as 18 months.
The Giant is meant to be part of a global movement. Global events will bring these giants and their cities together. The Press Release from the Giant website says, “the Giant will lead the charge on promoting sustainable living and climate action, funding programs and as well as engaging in other philanthropic endeavors. While every Giant is bespoke for its city and country, each is also a member of a family that can digitally communicate with other Giants around the world. Global events will engender global communities, and these trendsetting events will become a defining social feature of the coming decades.”
Visitors to the Giant will receive a certificate and become part of the “Giant Movement.” Mr. Dunning states, “The world has to change, and the Giant wants to be part of this change and inspire people to reach their full potential and help save this planet.”
The Giant aims to be the world’s tallest moving statue, “built by Irish hands.”
2 Timothy 3:2,4 declares that in the last days: “men will be lovers of themselves…lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.” This begs the question–do we really need a giant image of ourselves plastered on a 100- foot image? The world tells us to magnify and glorify ourselves rather than Jesus. Yet, we know only Jesus is worthy of honor, glory, and worship. The Bible tells us, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble,” James 4:6.“
Is that all?
Wow! That’s quite a manufactured creation. The spectacle, the intrigue, the fascination with something so unique could be coming to a city near you in the future.
Just a few thoughts.
From a non-spiritual perspective.
- Why this and why now?
- Can’t you put the $18-$24 million to better use? Help the hungry, homeless, less fortunate, those who lost their homes during COVID-19? What about helping all those who can’t afford their monthly prescriptions? Starving children?
- Can you solve some of the problems we’re having worldwide instead of spending money and energy on something like this?
- I can see this potentially taking the world by storm because it’s so unique.
- Many a statue have been torn down in America. Can you see someone trying to topple that thing? Not.
- Interesting. King Neb’s statue was roughly 90′ tall and quite impressive for 2,500 years ago. The Giant surpasses that. Do they know the story?
From a spiritual perspective (More on this next week)
- When I started reading Angela’s article, the first thing I thought of was King Nebuchadnezzar and the statue he built to honor himself. This is an idol. Idolatry is a sin, whether a statue, sports figure, movie, or music performer. Friends can become idols, and so can money.
- This is just one more thing that will aid in the love of self, which is what we’re supposed to stay away from as believers.
- Let this statue be a reminder to us of what not to do – we are not to worship it. Our worship and devotion are for the Lord alone.
- We’re not supposed to do or say anything that would cause anyone to stumble. Talk about a huge stumbling block.
- My God is bigger than the giant.
If you aren’t paying attention to what is happening in our world today, you might want to start. I know the world sounds scary, and you’d rather not watch, but the Lord tells us to stay alert and always be ready for his return. Even if you only scan the news for five minutes a day, at least you have a snapshot of today’s events. There’s so much happening in our world today. Folks, we are another day closer to Jesus’ return.
There are so many things coming at us in rapid succession. So much of it is in the flavor of instant gratification, self-love, and evil. Deception is at an all-time high where up is down and down is up. Truth is false, and false is true. Right is wrong, and wrong is right.
The best thing we can do is stay close to the Lord, get into our Bible, and pray. God sees what’s coming. The Giant is no surprise. It, too, will come down one day. Next week, we will dive deeper into the spiritual perspective of such a statue.
You can read the complete article at A Giant May Be Coming To A City Near You
Angela Rodriguez is a fantastic writer, author, blogger, and homeschooling Mom who studies the historical and biblical connections between Israel and the United States. You can visit her blogs at 67owls.com and 100trumpets.com. She just released her new book, Psalm 91 available most anywhere books are sold. Grab your copy today!
Blessings!
The Teaching Lady
Angela Rodriguez’s Website – 67 Owls
False Teachers – Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing
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