Controversy in Ocean Grove: Cross-Shaped Pier Sparks Dispute
In Ocean Grove, New Jersey, a dispute erupts over the construction of a cross-shaped pier by the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association. Residents are angered by the Christian group’s decision, feeling their religious freedom is compromised.
Following Hurricane Sandy’s destruction in 2012, the Association aimed to rebuild their Christian ideals through a pier symbolizing their faith. Privately funded and publicly accessible, the project lacked official approval due to undisclosed funds, raising concerns about the intrusion of Christian values into state matters. Opponents argue the $1.3 million, 500-foot long pier is an act of “Christian bullying.” Worried about implications, they urge officials to intervene, potentially delaying the December 7, 2022 opening.
