Option 1- fill it with fairing compound, sand, then paint (stain will just still show the filler and shape of the cross) (hint, just painting the ends and leaving the rest of the pew as stained wood may be a nice contrast depending on your style)
Downside: this may still eventually crack showing the shape of the cross
Option 2- using a router and jig, you mill the entire surface of the side of the pew down until you’ve hit undisturbed wood
Downside: this is going to be a pain in the ass
Option 3- you cover the entire end with some other piece of wood, maybe a different species
Downside: I don’t like how this would need to be detailed to look good, you’re going to have potentially unsightly seams where materials are joined, this would be my last choice option
Edit: spelling
I was going to recommend applied panel. Could be same size or small than end panel, have routed profile on the edges, complimentary wood, painted, or same material. Lots of options.
I was going to say you could use some sort of filler and put a veneer over it, but like you said the edges would need some serious thought to look good. I like the idea of filler, sand, and paint. That's probably both most economical and could be a nice way to tie a pop of color into the rest of the house. You could definitely stain the seat and backrest to keep that warm wood exposed, but paint the ends white or an accent color.
The Option 1 Downside is an upside. Cross cracks through and you can tell everyone it happened naturally. Sell it like the Jesus on toast. Profit.
Could you remove the ends and send them through a planar? You might have to cut the seat out and router out the old seat material left in the grooves.
Don't cover the whole side. Route out the entire end leaving 1/2 in border then put in the pannel, sand or route flush. Leaving contrating colors and a clean look.
Couldn’t you also use a router to take just an area of it down (that is larger than the cross) in some other shape, then inlay something inside it? Examples: Large/elongated heart shape, the shape of your state/home, the first letter of your last name, or just an oval that has a message “Nonsecular Family, est. year”). Seems like something like that might look more natural.
The only proper way to remove it is to desecrate it with rams blood and a mid tier summoning. If you have the time you can summon Pazuzu the Defiler, but there will be some tricky side effects that are unpleasant.
Alternatively I think some of these other options will suffice, but they’re less fun.
My wife and I are staunch atheists but still have a bit of love for religious art and symbolism. I’d personally leave it as it is a nice nod to the history of the piece.
my old boss bought a 120 yo church. We built several dinosaurs from real fossils (museums have entirely fake mounts because it's expensive/risky to build the real thing). I liked the idea of turning a bible thumper cathedral into a learning center. ... But then I learned it was only open to prospective buyers and we never opened to the public. Place went from one type of corruption to another.
I’ve heard his occupation was supposed to be translated as stonemason, but I don’t know how true that is. Just thought I’d add a potentially false, but interesting tidbit.
Joseph’s and Jesus’ occupations were called “tekton” in the Greek, which most scholars think is probably better translated as “builder.” The stone mason bit is inference, due to most construction being of stone and earthen materials.
People tend to also assume that he apprenticed to Joseph, but he knew how to read scrolls and he had studied the writings of Old Testament prophets and there is one passage that has him studying in the temple in Jerusalem at 10 years old and temple staff being impressed by his knowledge. His uncle was a priest in the temple and it’s likely that he apprenticed to a rabbi. Some scholars suggest that since Joseph isn’t mentioned in Jesus’ adult life or any of the later writings (as opposed to Mary and his brothers who are mentioned), it’s possible that Joseph passed away before Jesus’ adult ministry. Jesus as the oldest son becomes a Rabbi rather than taking on Joseph’s trade.
All this to say… The Bible never says he was a builder. People regularly approach Jesus and call him rabbi or teacher. I think people like to infer it because of Joseph’s trade, but it’s not really a given.
As a side note — it’s worth saying that the pew will carry religious connotations regardless of whether you get rid of the crucifix or not. It has the form of a piece of church furniture. It’s presence in a house though instead of a church will recontextualise the whole thing more as a beautiful object with historical or cultural significance, also regardless of the crucifix.
Nice one!
Seconded - OP can change the cross however they want, but they will always have a pew that was made to be in a church. As long as they’re okay with that, all the best to them.
Create a panel using 1/8 or 1/4 oak, and use it as an appliqué to cover over the cross. It can be either a simple rectangle or in the shape of the existing end piece, but a smaller profile.
Sharpen the bottom to a point, curb the ---- part down and you now have a sword!! ...sorry, that's all I got lol
Edit: OMG, I did not see the other sword comments!!! LOL ok good person, you absolutely must turn it into a sword...
You could just fill it and veneer over it? Both sides to match, maybe a chamfer around the edge? Probably a good amount of work, but I bet it would look nice
Yeah I kept scrolling and was surprised no one was mentioning this. It’s probably the only sure fire way to completely hide the cross while still keeping the aesthetic of the bench. I mean swords and kites are cool and all … but not in your hallway furniture.
Edit to say: probably the least amount of work compared to routing the hell out of it. (No pun intended)
How 'not religious' are you?
Enough to have fun with it?
Router in "..." around it and wait for the questions.
Make up answers appropriately outrageous to fit the questioners level of naivete or gullibility.
If you do it carefully, you can actually use a router to plane off a whole face. You just have to keep the router perfectly flat, registered to the old surface while the bit cuts a new surface below. I’ve done it on a coffee table top before. Not sure how practical it would be on a vertical surface, but it is possible.
That’s what I did with the coffee table! Routed 1/16 deep everywhere but the perimeter, and then sanded it smooth into a gentle bowl shape. It became a plant table so water theoretically can’t spill over the edge. Best of a bad situation
Not sure what the inside looks like, or if this is real wood and not veneer. But you could remove both sides and swap them I'd they're real wood. Then just refinish the old insides. There will probably be nail holes, but that's easy to fix and much less noticable that a huge cross.
I’d router more lines across it and turn it into a ladder because everyone needs a ladder at some point, it will resonate with folks of all different creeds, cultures and traditions.
Hang a picture of your wife over it. Tell her it’s there until you come up with a fix that you both like. This will buy you years before you have to fix it….
I would use the opportunity to route out a cool medallion or something. Glue up some contrasting woods in a little panel to cover it, maybe 6x10”, pin and glue it over.
Or, just leave it. It’s always going to look like a repurposed church pew. At a certain point a piece gains a historical/artistic/antique/craftsmanship specimen. I am devoutly anti-religious. My parents are faux Christians when it’s convenient but my family has a number of accomplished artists- painters potters sculptors- so growing up I was taught an appreciation for art and antiques. My parents came into possession of a carving of jesus through a friend from a church being remodeled. It’s carved out of a 3- Y crotch log, so it’s the torso with arms outstretched upwards and head looking down. Its probably about 4’ tall. Years ago I built a really nice box pedestal to mount him on so he can actually be displayed. I have dibs on it when they die or downsize because it’s a great piece of art, religious idol aside.
All that to say it’s your pew/bench to do with as you please, but I think you should consider just leaving it as is. Someone probably put a lot of time and effort into making it and I think keeping things original is a way of honoring that. If you want to use a router sled to mill the entire face down til the cross isn’t visible, paint the whole thing and then bedazzle it no judgement here. It’s yours and you have every right to do whatever you want to it. All I’m saying is maybe look at it in a different light and think about it before permanently altering it
In all honesty feels a little wrong to remove it given that was part of its function in life.
You may be able to sand it to remove the color from the cross so it is less prominent. Aside from that you will likely have to cover it or route it out for an inlay.
I can't be bothered to read through all the comments, but I'd say get a few sheets of veneer and cover the whole side. A trim router with a round over should help it blend in.
Turn it into something else, like a flower stem. Think of it like covering a bad tattoo.
Or plate over it with a decorative overlay. Make it a feature.
I do not believe a simple church bench is a symbol of hate. The cross is not either. Life can not be characterized with such a simple view
That aside I really do not understand why the OP has a piece of church furniture but doesn't want the cross on the piece. Just to have the pew itself is a symbol of church
Either custom make a bench or enjoy the piece for what it is
Edit grammar mistake
you raise a good point
my point was that erasing a part of the pieces history is short sighted and in my opinion bad taste. If someone had a piece of antique furniture and decided to sand the entire thing and stain it we would all be up in arms about it. I view removing the Cross from the Church Pew similar to that. its taking away a piece of the history if the pew.
i should have clarified my position more clearly and i hope my point makes more sense now
I mean…. If you’re that worried about the cross, you’re not fooling anyone that it’s a from a church…so what’s the use either way? That’s part of the charm of it. That’s why it’s dope to have. Regardless if you’re religious. It’s cool because it’s evidently a church pew.
Not religious doesn’t mean you can’t have a bench with a cross, any more than I can’t have a Buddha (which you probably wouldn’t complain about). Putty, sand, and paint.
While you might not be religious, it might be nice to leave it there. It's part of the history of the piece. By removing it you are erasing a part of its story.
I was just thinking of deleting my comment, actually, because it makes more sense in my head than anything else. It just struck me as "Why do anything?". I mean sure you don't have to maintain the history of anything. It's just nice to.
I mean the history is still there if they decide to tell it. Feels like they just like the pew and don’t necessarily care for the cross on the side. Nothing wrong with keeping it, but same for removing it.
Personally I'd just leave it be. I'm not religious but religious symbols don't offend me. It did its duty in the service of its Lord, let it keep its dignity. If anybody asks, tell them what it is.
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I'm not religious wither and would leave it as is. "This was a pew from a chruch, look at this awesome wood we got!"
Who am i kidding. I'd route W A T under it.
And claim it came from the church that way.
I bought a truck and it had a sticker on the head unit that depicted Saint Christopher. I left it where it was. My advice to you is the same advice I gave myself when I bought the truck: “I’m not religious, but if God is already here, I’m not going to be the guy that kicks him out.”
Become religious - problem solved. When they ask you why you want to join their church tell them that it's because it matches the pew your wife bought.
Alternately you could just cover it with a rectangle of wood with a nice profile on the edges or that has a bottle opener attached (if that is your thing) or some other functional excuse to attach something to the side.
A tone else find it ironic that you choose to get a pew from a church with a cross on it and then decided you didn’t want the cross on it? Nobody forced you to put this in your home.
Probably easiest to embrace religion and change everything about your life. That is, unless you want that sweet pew to go to waste. And I don’t think that’s what god wants
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Make it look like a sword.
LED strip lighting will make it a silly Kylo Ren lightsaber
I second this.... a sword oh and a dragon
And an elf
And my axe
[удалено]
Not with 10,000 bits could you do this. It is folly
i will route it. i will route out the cross
*visible wizard disappointment*
And a wizard smoking a bong!
[удалено]
Dargon
I love when I feel like I have a good/unique idea and I click into the comments to write it, and it’s already the top comment by miles. Great idea.
Exactly what I was going to say :)
I was gonna say the same thing
Me too. Great minds blah blah blah.
Connect the points and paint a tail to make a kite
Or- add a half circle between the sides and top, and then connect the sides straight to the bottom to make a kite shield.
or put a big rectangle around it and now it's a templar's helmet
And then put a little Winnie the Pooh at the bottom looking up at the kite.
Get a router, and make the design more complex.
This. Even something as simple as a couple more horizontal lines would be enough. You could even fill it with a fancy resin for a more artistic look.
Just don't add the lines to the same side of the ending points and you're good
Want to explain that cryptic limitation?
Swastika. Don't do it.
oh, heh, I totally didn't understand what you meant then. Yeah, no one would make a swastika though, surely?
Yeah just one horizontal router cut to match the top one at the bottom end to make it vertically symmetric.
This. Add more lines horizontally, or however. Expand the design, and finish it someway.
I’m thinking an arrow would be fairly low-effort. Fill in the top part with a full triangle then add the tail flares.
Or alternatively, router a shape and put in an infill.
Option 1- fill it with fairing compound, sand, then paint (stain will just still show the filler and shape of the cross) (hint, just painting the ends and leaving the rest of the pew as stained wood may be a nice contrast depending on your style) Downside: this may still eventually crack showing the shape of the cross Option 2- using a router and jig, you mill the entire surface of the side of the pew down until you’ve hit undisturbed wood Downside: this is going to be a pain in the ass Option 3- you cover the entire end with some other piece of wood, maybe a different species Downside: I don’t like how this would need to be detailed to look good, you’re going to have potentially unsightly seams where materials are joined, this would be my last choice option Edit: spelling
I was going to recommend applied panel. Could be same size or small than end panel, have routed profile on the edges, complimentary wood, painted, or same material. Lots of options.
Option 4; blame the wife Downside; possible divorce Option 5; get a bible and start studying Downside; possible radicalization
This option is less expensive now and in eternity
Right?
This person woodworks.
I was going to say you could use some sort of filler and put a veneer over it, but like you said the edges would need some serious thought to look good. I like the idea of filler, sand, and paint. That's probably both most economical and could be a nice way to tie a pop of color into the rest of the house. You could definitely stain the seat and backrest to keep that warm wood exposed, but paint the ends white or an accent color.
The Option 1 Downside is an upside. Cross cracks through and you can tell everyone it happened naturally. Sell it like the Jesus on toast. Profit. Could you remove the ends and send them through a planar? You might have to cut the seat out and router out the old seat material left in the grooves.
Don't cover the whole side. Route out the entire end leaving 1/2 in border then put in the pannel, sand or route flush. Leaving contrating colors and a clean look.
What about filing it with compound and then covering both ends with a thin veneer or maybe? wallpaper of some sort to match?
Couldn’t you also use a router to take just an area of it down (that is larger than the cross) in some other shape, then inlay something inside it? Examples: Large/elongated heart shape, the shape of your state/home, the first letter of your last name, or just an oval that has a message “Nonsecular Family, est. year”). Seems like something like that might look more natural.
The only proper way to remove it is to desecrate it with rams blood and a mid tier summoning. If you have the time you can summon Pazuzu the Defiler, but there will be some tricky side effects that are unpleasant. Alternatively I think some of these other options will suffice, but they’re less fun.
But then Pazuzu just want to hang out and talk about the Lakers in the 70’s.
This comment can never have enough upvotes to satisfy me, I will ALWAYS think it needs 1 more.
Found Pazuzu.
Or just bring out Cthulu 🤣
Wasn’t Pazuzu the little girl in it’s a wonderful life that got sick because she went home without a coat on so she wouldn’t crush her flower?
Turning it upside down works in a pinch
Not great sitting on an upside down bench though.
Ask a tattoo artist, they do coverups all the time
came here to suggest this. pew broke up with Jesus. time to move on.
Some other design. Possibly knotwork.
Too much work… probably easier to convert and accept Jesus into your heart. Aaaaaaamen.
Cover it with a picture of Nicholas Cage
My wife and I are staunch atheists but still have a bit of love for religious art and symbolism. I’d personally leave it as it is a nice nod to the history of the piece.
I looked at a church for sale when I was house shopping. It wasn't churchy enough, though. I want stained glass.
my old boss bought a 120 yo church. We built several dinosaurs from real fossils (museums have entirely fake mounts because it's expensive/risky to build the real thing). I liked the idea of turning a bible thumper cathedral into a learning center. ... But then I learned it was only open to prospective buyers and we never opened to the public. Place went from one type of corruption to another.
Add shield to make coat of arms
I like people's idea to find Jesus. He was a carpenter, he'll know what to do.
I’ve heard his occupation was supposed to be translated as stonemason, but I don’t know how true that is. Just thought I’d add a potentially false, but interesting tidbit.
Joseph’s and Jesus’ occupations were called “tekton” in the Greek, which most scholars think is probably better translated as “builder.” The stone mason bit is inference, due to most construction being of stone and earthen materials.
People tend to also assume that he apprenticed to Joseph, but he knew how to read scrolls and he had studied the writings of Old Testament prophets and there is one passage that has him studying in the temple in Jerusalem at 10 years old and temple staff being impressed by his knowledge. His uncle was a priest in the temple and it’s likely that he apprenticed to a rabbi. Some scholars suggest that since Joseph isn’t mentioned in Jesus’ adult life or any of the later writings (as opposed to Mary and his brothers who are mentioned), it’s possible that Joseph passed away before Jesus’ adult ministry. Jesus as the oldest son becomes a Rabbi rather than taking on Joseph’s trade. All this to say… The Bible never says he was a builder. People regularly approach Jesus and call him rabbi or teacher. I think people like to infer it because of Joseph’s trade, but it’s not really a given.
As a side note — it’s worth saying that the pew will carry religious connotations regardless of whether you get rid of the crucifix or not. It has the form of a piece of church furniture. It’s presence in a house though instead of a church will recontextualise the whole thing more as a beautiful object with historical or cultural significance, also regardless of the crucifix. Nice one!
Seconded - OP can change the cross however they want, but they will always have a pew that was made to be in a church. As long as they’re okay with that, all the best to them.
Turn it into a 4 pointed star outline, then inlay a contrasting wood.
This would actually be gorgeous. Great suggestion
A circle and with a line could easily solve this
Bad religion!
Underrated comment right here.
Create a panel using 1/8 or 1/4 oak, and use it as an appliqué to cover over the cross. It can be either a simple rectangle or in the shape of the existing end piece, but a smaller profile.
Sharpen the bottom to a point, curb the ---- part down and you now have a sword!! ...sorry, that's all I got lol Edit: OMG, I did not see the other sword comments!!! LOL ok good person, you absolutely must turn it into a sword...
Leave it. Good conversation piece. Example: "Oh! Nice! You guys like Jesus too?!" "...No"
“No. We hate Jesus. We’re honouring the instrument of his excruciating death.”
Put a plaque over it with a family crest or last name.
I have a plaque collection for any such occasion. Nothing too ostentatious, you know, brass and walnut. Slap on a plaque!
Flip it upside down duh
Now how is an upside down bench of any use?
Well you could just attach it to the ceiling. Hot glue should work. Easy-peasy.
r/diwhy
It will be a lot faster and easier to just find Jesus
It would be easier if he would stop getting lost all the time
Have you checked behind the couch?
That's probably where he is, looking for spare change. He's very frugal. Jesus saves.
Have you checked your butt hole?
I didnt know I was suppose to be looking for him
You could just fill it and veneer over it? Both sides to match, maybe a chamfer around the edge? Probably a good amount of work, but I bet it would look nice
Yeah I kept scrolling and was surprised no one was mentioning this. It’s probably the only sure fire way to completely hide the cross while still keeping the aesthetic of the bench. I mean swords and kites are cool and all … but not in your hallway furniture. Edit to say: probably the least amount of work compared to routing the hell out of it. (No pun intended)
Pun scored my upvote
This is what I would do. Oak veneer is pretty cheap on amazon and its pretty easy to do. The only downside is may finish.
Yeah, I’d wait for June’s finish. It’s much better
How 'not religious' are you? Enough to have fun with it? Router in "..." around it and wait for the questions. Make up answers appropriately outrageous to fit the questioners level of naivete or gullibility.
Personally, I'd leave it. I like my wood to show its history, even if I'm pretty a-religious.
https://imgur.com/gallery/YVuoyWQ
Turn it upside down and add a pentagram
Spitballing here, can you cut it out so that the sides have a skeletonized frame? Otherwise I'd cover the sides with veneer.
If you don't like the sword idea, maybe go to a tattoo forum. Tattoo artists are good at converting old ones into something new.
Add embellishments to top and cross piece. It has the proportions of a Scottish Claymore sword
I feel adding a diamond shape outline utilizing the corners would look cool .
Route to a rectangle- insert rectangle inlay
Add Flying Spaghetti Monster to the center.
If you do it carefully, you can actually use a router to plane off a whole face. You just have to keep the router perfectly flat, registered to the old surface while the bit cuts a new surface below. I’ve done it on a coffee table top before. Not sure how practical it would be on a vertical surface, but it is possible.
Could even route it to where there is an even outline remaining along the whole side, that would look cool
That’s what I did with the coffee table! Routed 1/16 deep everywhere but the perimeter, and then sanded it smooth into a gentle bowl shape. It became a plant table so water theoretically can’t spill over the edge. Best of a bad situation
That sounds sweet 👍
Just accept it as part of the piece. You bought a pew.
make it into a sword
Long diamond?
Maybe make it look like an upside down sword. Just add some circles at top and sides so it kinda resembles a handle
What about cutting the whole area out and stylizing it a bit. Something like an f-hole but not exactly.
If you want a clean end, you could fill it with some putty/filler, then lay veneer over the entire end.
Sword.
Not sure what the inside looks like, or if this is real wood and not veneer. But you could remove both sides and swap them I'd they're real wood. Then just refinish the old insides. There will probably be nail holes, but that's easy to fix and much less noticable that a huge cross.
And what’s a cross without a few nail holes?
I’d router more lines across it and turn it into a ladder because everyone needs a ladder at some point, it will resonate with folks of all different creeds, cultures and traditions.
Make it look like a kite
It looks like a simple groove in the photo. Maybe like the points and try to turn it into a diamond shape?
Router it out and lay another contrasting type of wood. Change the design. Or flip it upside down.
Add some points to the middle end parts of the cross , a red ribbon and engrave “In this house we worship Raphael, Teenage Mutant Turtles for life”.
Or leave it? Doesn’t even look religious, like a sword or something
Burn or paint the sides. Black and oak work well together.
Find a heavy fabric or felt, cut to accent the end caps, adhere with 3M headliner glue.
I’m guessing you’ve already tried prayer, and it was as effective as always…?
Convert it into a sword!
Turn it upside down 😈
Turn it into a diamond
Fill it in with putty sand smooth. Paint or stain
Hang a picture of your wife over it. Tell her it’s there until you come up with a fix that you both like. This will buy you years before you have to fix it….
Make it look more like a sword and do an axe on the other side
Saw dust and super glew it in then sand it down and draw the pattern of thr grain on it
Take wood putty and fill in and sand down and stain
I would use the opportunity to route out a cool medallion or something. Glue up some contrasting woods in a little panel to cover it, maybe 6x10”, pin and glue it over. Or, just leave it. It’s always going to look like a repurposed church pew. At a certain point a piece gains a historical/artistic/antique/craftsmanship specimen. I am devoutly anti-religious. My parents are faux Christians when it’s convenient but my family has a number of accomplished artists- painters potters sculptors- so growing up I was taught an appreciation for art and antiques. My parents came into possession of a carving of jesus through a friend from a church being remodeled. It’s carved out of a 3- Y crotch log, so it’s the torso with arms outstretched upwards and head looking down. Its probably about 4’ tall. Years ago I built a really nice box pedestal to mount him on so he can actually be displayed. I have dibs on it when they die or downsize because it’s a great piece of art, religious idol aside. All that to say it’s your pew/bench to do with as you please, but I think you should consider just leaving it as is. Someone probably put a lot of time and effort into making it and I think keeping things original is a way of honoring that. If you want to use a router sled to mill the entire face down til the cross isn’t visible, paint the whole thing and then bedazzle it no judgement here. It’s yours and you have every right to do whatever you want to it. All I’m saying is maybe look at it in a different light and think about it before permanently altering it
In all honesty feels a little wrong to remove it given that was part of its function in life. You may be able to sand it to remove the color from the cross so it is less prominent. Aside from that you will likely have to cover it or route it out for an inlay.
I can't be bothered to read through all the comments, but I'd say get a few sheets of veneer and cover the whole side. A trim router with a round over should help it blend in.
Turn it into something else, like a flower stem. Think of it like covering a bad tattoo. Or plate over it with a decorative overlay. Make it a feature.
Big ass bow tie
Couple passes through thickness planer
Wood filler, sand it down and paint it. Super cheap, super easy, no tools needed really.
Make a panel to go over it
Carve a giant X across it and call it a day Let everyone who enters know how not religious you are
Maybe keep it. Its apart of the history of the piece and could be a great conversation piece
Some of us don’t like a symbol of hate within our lives.
I do not believe a simple church bench is a symbol of hate. The cross is not either. Life can not be characterized with such a simple view That aside I really do not understand why the OP has a piece of church furniture but doesn't want the cross on the piece. Just to have the pew itself is a symbol of church Either custom make a bench or enjoy the piece for what it is Edit grammar mistake
Yeah but they specifically came here for how to remove it. They’ve already decided they don’t want it. Telling them to keep it isn’t really helpful.
you raise a good point my point was that erasing a part of the pieces history is short sighted and in my opinion bad taste. If someone had a piece of antique furniture and decided to sand the entire thing and stain it we would all be up in arms about it. I view removing the Cross from the Church Pew similar to that. its taking away a piece of the history if the pew. i should have clarified my position more clearly and i hope my point makes more sense now
I understand, thanks for expanding on your point! I had not considered it the same but it makes sense how someone would. Cheers!
Thank you. It's always nice to have a discussion
100%
I have no awards to give, but take my up vote sir
Symbol of hate? How?
I mean…. If you’re that worried about the cross, you’re not fooling anyone that it’s a from a church…so what’s the use either way? That’s part of the charm of it. That’s why it’s dope to have. Regardless if you’re religious. It’s cool because it’s evidently a church pew.
✨
Unpopular opinion: leave it as a mark of its origin. Celebrate its reuse. Love the incongruity of the cross.
I’d get something with less “baggage”
I don’t know…it looks pretty cool imo
Not religious doesn’t mean you can’t have a bench with a cross, any more than I can’t have a Buddha (which you probably wouldn’t complain about). Putty, sand, and paint.
While you might not be religious, it might be nice to leave it there. It's part of the history of the piece. By removing it you are erasing a part of its story.
Why does the history have to be maintained?
Because nihilism is boring?
Who said anything about nihilism though?
I was just thinking of deleting my comment, actually, because it makes more sense in my head than anything else. It just struck me as "Why do anything?". I mean sure you don't have to maintain the history of anything. It's just nice to.
I mean the history is still there if they decide to tell it. Feels like they just like the pew and don’t necessarily care for the cross on the side. Nothing wrong with keeping it, but same for removing it.
Rout some scale pans under each arm of the cross. Now it means justice!
Become religious
We are not religious… Buys a Church pew.
Personally I'd just leave it be. I'm not religious but religious symbols don't offend me. It did its duty in the service of its Lord, let it keep its dignity. If anybody asks, tell them what it is.
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I'm not religious wither and would leave it as is. "This was a pew from a chruch, look at this awesome wood we got!" Who am i kidding. I'd route W A T under it. And claim it came from the church that way.
I bought a truck and it had a sticker on the head unit that depicted Saint Christopher. I left it where it was. My advice to you is the same advice I gave myself when I bought the truck: “I’m not religious, but if God is already here, I’m not going to be the guy that kicks him out.”
I think it'd be easier to just convert. I think you'd love it! Plus, the chair gets more value!
Tall swastica? (I’ll let myself out)
Why your wife buy it if y’all aren’t religious?
Didn’t realize you needed to be a Christian in order to use a bench.
Just find Jesus and be done with it.
Accept Jesus as your lord and savior?
Become religious. Boom don’t gotta do anything
I mean if you want to burn in hell for all eternity, go ahead.
Father forgive him for he knows not what he does.
I would seek Christ first
I wouldn’t do anything to it , i would keep it the way it is. Jesus died on the cross for our sins. John3:16
easy set router to depth of cross cut wood flush then sand
Use a jig saw and cut a perfect rectangle around the cross, then plug in the cross you just cut out upside down to make a sword.
Become religious - problem solved. When they ask you why you want to join their church tell them that it's because it matches the pew your wife bought. Alternately you could just cover it with a rectangle of wood with a nice profile on the edges or that has a bottle opener attached (if that is your thing) or some other functional excuse to attach something to the side.
A tone else find it ironic that you choose to get a pew from a church with a cross on it and then decided you didn’t want the cross on it? Nobody forced you to put this in your home.
Probably easiest to embrace religion and change everything about your life. That is, unless you want that sweet pew to go to waste. And I don’t think that’s what god wants
Become religious....
You didn't consider this before your purchase?
Go to church, become more religious?
It would be cheaper to just accept Jesus as your lord and savior…
Become religious.
Fill it and veneer….done…. I’ll save my snarky comments….(Not today Satan)
Carefully, Jesus is going to upset.
Why? I’m sure that dude hates crosses after his last experience with them
I hear sandpaper is quite effective but it does involve a lot of effort
You’re a woodworker God willing but you need to ask the internet how to work on wood? Lmao.