Walking through DFW the other day this backlit advertisement caught my eye. Um. Is it just me or does this sploogy thing…

texashelpus.jpg

…look like it spells out “Jesus”? I swear to God that I thought it said “Jesus” as I walked on by. I stopped, took in the whole backlit thing for a second and thought, “What on earth does that cowboy have to do with Jesus?” A split second later I realized that what it said was “Texas.” Am I an idiot? Was I having a mini-stroke? Or did they do it on purpose?

68 replies on “Save Me, Texas!”

  7. Actually, that’s pretty clever, as much as I don’t like being reminded that christians exist at all, the way they did that was creative. Once in a while the religious nuts do show a hint of creativity.

  9. That’s actually a font called “Texas Hero,” based on the handwriting of Thomas J. Rusk, a prominent political and military figure in the days of the Republic of Texas.

    It’s a pretty font, but damn near useless for its lack of legibility. And for some reason it’s microscopic at a point size that any other font would be legible in.

    I still keep it around though, because I know that someday I’m going to find the perfect use for it and it’s going to look awesome. Free download at texashero dot com.

  16. I don’t see it at all. Eye of the beholder, I guess. Like the old joke about the granny who called the police to complain about kids walking past her window whistling dirty songs.

  17. Jesus v. Texas fits a pattern wherein either two-syllable word may replace the other and render a lyric still sensible:

    “The yellow rose of Jesus…”

    “The stars at night are big and bright, deep in the heart of Jesus…”

    “Texas loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so…”

    Executioneer Rick Perry’s campaign theme song could
    be: “What a fiend we have in Texas…”

  20. This is exactly why I have a love/hate relationship with fonts. There are so many cool looking fonts out there that are borderline illegible. They look fun or interesting or really fit a theme… but you can’t read it well. Or there are at least a few letters that are confusing. Ug! It drives me crazy.

    I’m sure this font was designed to look like rustic handwriting, but yeah, that T looks like a J to me too, and the x is downright terrible and could be anything.

  21. Heh. Somma you folks ought to take a drive through our country roads and see the signs for the Cowboy Churches. Yep. Right out in the open like that, cowboy church, with a huge billboard of a guy riding a bronc and waving his hat. What this has to do with jayzus, I have no idea, but I’m certain people go to them and toss enough in the collection plate for them big ugly signs.

  24. @20 Well, that’s actually the “correct” stroke direction for cursive, hand written script font, they use to teach that stuff in school, how to dress up handwriting instead of padding resumes and such. It’s concept is not to lift the pen, so all crossings are replaced with sweeps and bounces. It’s still fun to use sometimes, trips people out, they think it’s a whole different language.

  26. Reminds me of a jar of Orange Curd I saw once a long, long time ago. They used a frilly font like that, and the C looked an awful lot like a T. It’s one of my favorite things I’ve ever seen.

  27. humm actually i first read “Jecas”, and no, it wasn´t on purpose, it´s just a miserably poor usage of typography, wich is all more common with the epidemic of ill prepared graphic designers this days. On a side note “jecas” in my mothertongue, brazilian portuguese makes an hysterically funny relation with texas: it would be the plural for the word meaning something like a redneck….

  28. I didn’t see Jesus, but then I wasn’t looking for him either. Perhaps, Dan, you’re being summoned by God for a higher purpose. You know, like John Denver in that 70’s movie “Oh God”. I don’t think God looks like George Burns anymore though, probably more like Ashton Kucher, since God’s trying to grab your attention. I hope, for your sake, he’s hung like George Burns, I hear he was packing some serious luggage.

  30. I saw Texas. No you aren’t an idiot. I’m inclined to think that we can become sensitive to things that have been used against us in any way. You’re someone who has had a negative experience with some Christians so part of you is on guard, especially being in the “Bible Belt.” Just like I recoil when people playfully swat at me, because I’ve been clocked too many times to count. We aren’t consciously trying to be sensitive, but we are at a level for defense purposes. Or sometimes we are sensitive because a topic has been on our mind. Just a thought.

  34. @30 It is sad that everyone “like” someone else inherits all the negativity others have “like” them have displayed. I was raised by a Mormon mother … most of what I saw was hypocrisy and lies, but there are a few good ones out there. I myself use to be guilty of painting all things christian as evil, so we are all capable of changing for the better, it may be just a dream but someday the haters of every group will see, they’re not all bad or even the same. PS: I’m not Mormon or even christian anymore myself. 😉

  37. Kids these days have a hell of a time reading cursive (not being taught anymore in school).

    I saw Jesus, and said WTH.

    And I think @22’s comment wins 😉

  39. @37 It’s odd, we have gotten so use to the standard computer fonts that I didn’t even notice that fewer people know what cursive even is. I think there are some schools that still teach it, just not sure it’s sticking anymore.

  40. Yeah, things move on. Previous generations can read cursive, current and future ones, 733t. But I remember reading about a kid (by which I mean about 17-20 ish) who wanted to read her grandmother’s diary, but couldn’t understand the script.

  41. I didn’t see either. I saw “Jecas”. If my typography instructor saw that he would Hulk-out and throw a bar stool thorough that thing…

  44. 30
    interesting.
    so Dan was scarred by his Catholic upbringing
    and turned into a bigoted arrogant asshole?
    do you think digging up his mother’s body
    and burning it
    would help excise the demons?

  45. I saw Jesus first, then I thought it was Arabic, then I saw Texas.

    Also I assumed DFW meant David Foster Wallace at first, and walking through him didn’t make any sense.

  46. 43

    stfu.
    you are not an idiot, Dan.
    and you did not have a mini-stroke….

    it’s the syphilis.
    once it gets to the brain hallucinations are common.
    quit skipping your meds….

  47. I saw “Tecas”; I still see “Tecas”. I can see how you might think “Jesus”, but the “x” is a fucking stretch. Definitely on purpose, bad purpose.

    @22: I’m quite literally LOL in response while I type this; thx. 🙂

    @41: Awesome; I think our design people here would either *facepalm* or orgasm, depending on their theory perspectives.

  49. I definitely saw “Texas” but I basically never look for Jesus, so there’s that.

    But yeah, as a Texan, and as someone who knows Dallas pretty well… I’m not gonna say they necessarily set out to do that, but they probably noticed the similarity, accentuated it, and ran with it.

    Gross. What presumptuous assholes.

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