A couple living a bit south of Fort Worth, Texas, are claiming that a cross found on an egg laid by a chicken on their farm is a sign from God.
OK.
You can see the egg there on the right. I have some comments… like, if this is a sign from God, wouldn’t the cross have looked better? The proportions are off from the way the cross is usually depicted. The arms are curved too. Held sideways, it looks more like a seagull in flight. Even right side up it looks more like a saguaro cactus.
Also, note the egg itself. Yegads. It’s wrinkly and folded. Any chicken ranchers out there seen eggs like this? I’ve seen my share of home-grown chicken eggs, and they’ve never looked like that. But be that as it may, given the wrinkly nature of the egg shell, a cross at the tip isn’t all that suspect.
This is the first time I’ve heard of someone seeing a random cross pattern and claiming it’s a divine sign. Frankly, I’m not surprised; a cross is too simple a shape, and you can see them everywhere. Plus there’s something about a face that grabs our attention. We’re genetically wired to recognize faces, so when we see them outside of a head we tend to take notice. But a cross? A Mogen David would be a little more convincing.
And for those of you who will give me the usual hand-wringing comments taking me to task for arrogantly trying to take away someone’s token of spirituality: you’ve missed the point. I think it’s a wee bit more arrogant to think that a divine omniscient omnipresent omnipowerful timeless spaceless being would send you, personally, a sign. Especially on an egg. Or an oil stain, or wood pattern, or dew, or a thin film interference pattern.
So, as always, I will point you to this.
Tip o’ the infundibulum to gdarklighter. Image credit: KTVT/KTXA
December 4th, 2009 at 3:19 pm
-I- think it looks like Elvis!
December 4th, 2009 at 3:20 pm
The cross shape is probably more of an impresson of the laying chicken’s sphincter from sitting on the egg.
December 4th, 2009 at 3:21 pm
I am more like a chicken inspector……
December 4th, 2009 at 3:24 pm
Ray Bradbury, “The Inspired Chicken Motel,” I Sing the Body Electric (New York: Knopf, 1948), pp. 55–64.
December 4th, 2009 at 3:25 pm
Scott, did you just imply that this holy image is, in fact, chicken taint?
You, sir, win one internet. Congratulations.
December 4th, 2009 at 3:29 pm
If I were her (and thank god I’m not), my first response would be, “Why, in your name, are you designing my eggs with horribly designed crosses when so many in the world are suffering and need you to, you know, do your job and intervene? Get your priorities straight, Big Guy!”
December 4th, 2009 at 3:29 pm
And these are the same people that would SCOFF at Koran verses showing up on a baby… Do you think they even realize how incredibly silly the seem to anyone with an ounce of rationality?
December 4th, 2009 at 3:36 pm
Koran verses show up on babies? I’d probably be a little impressed with that… I guess it depends on how many verses there were though.
December 4th, 2009 at 3:37 pm
I’m guessing that the chicken that laid that egg has a major calcium deficiency. The owner’s should be more concerned with what their chickens are eating than the meaningless folds in a single egg.
December 4th, 2009 at 3:46 pm
S.C. Kavassalis:
See the BA’s blog entry: http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/?p=7029
December 4th, 2009 at 3:48 pm
We keep chickens, we’ve never had an egg as misshapen as that but that is because we look after our birds. Miss shaped eggs like this are caused by stressed or ill hens.
So why would big G be choosing someone who does not look after their animals well to be the recipient of a Sign?
December 4th, 2009 at 3:51 pm
Jeremy: Not quite chicken taint. I’m talking actual chicken sphincter, not just next-to-chicken-sphincter.
But I will nonetheless accept your award of one internet.
December 4th, 2009 at 3:52 pm
PeteM: Maybe the sign is “Take care of your me-damned chickens, you irresponsible woman!”
December 4th, 2009 at 3:54 pm
Quick search: wrinkled and misshaped eggs are caused by damages to the hen’s oviduct.
So maybe god’s message is “check your chickens’ health!”
PS. Oh I see now that some other compassionate readers are pointing this out!
December 4th, 2009 at 4:06 pm
I’m not sure what all this disbelief is about. I mean, I’ve seen enough deviled eggs in my life to think that the opposite could be true…
December 4th, 2009 at 4:06 pm
From what I found the wrinkled egg is indicative that the chicken has bronchitis and should be killed to avoid spreading the disease.
Funny how the religious in Texas want to put a retarded man to death but want to save a sick chicken.
Duh
December 4th, 2009 at 4:18 pm
fleur-de-lis! A revolutionist chicken! Off with its head!
December 4th, 2009 at 4:32 pm
S.C. Sadly IIRC the koran verses on the baby were showing up in the form of bruises. Which makes it less impressive and more despicable.
December 4th, 2009 at 5:03 pm
Everything I know about egg formation I learned from the book “Bad Astronomy”!
December 4th, 2009 at 5:09 pm
Holy cow? Nahh, holy chicken!
December 4th, 2009 at 5:11 pm
Actually, that’s not a cross. It’s an image of the Nile River goddess from pre-dynastic Egypt. You can see her at the Brooklyn Museum of Art.
The long neck, the outstretched arms, everything fits. She’s even bird-like, and what better way to show Her Divine Presence than through (ahem) a bird?
http://tinyurl.com/ykoseqh
December 4th, 2009 at 5:14 pm
I agree that there is probably something wrong with the hen’s innards to get an egg shaped like that. The cross could indeed be an impression of folds in the shell gland portion of the oviduct.
The egg is pathological, not miraculogical.
December 4th, 2009 at 5:27 pm
I think it’s more like a hen said “ouch!” when she laid that booger,
December 4th, 2009 at 5:43 pm
This reminds me, oddly enough, of a Ray Bradbury short story, “The Inspired Chicken Motel”. Although the hen in that story laid eggs with clear, perfectly-formed images and messages, not like this lumpy blobby thing.
(Not that this signifies anything, mind you. Just a funny little coincidence.)
December 4th, 2009 at 5:56 pm
I know what it is. Chickens have finally evolved propellers.
December 4th, 2009 at 6:30 pm
Personally, I find the disbelief in these comments to be shameful. Clearly, it is a cross, an undeniable message of God’s love for all of us, and anyone with even a little bit of soul would embrace such a message without question.
Or maybe it’s a chicken foot. Yeah, on second glance, I say it’s a chicken foot. I mean that makes sense right, chicken foot on an egg?
Chicken foot.
December 4th, 2009 at 6:54 pm
It’s not a chicken, it’s a dinosaur!
December 4th, 2009 at 7:04 pm
Fighter pilots often use the term “pucker power” when referring to an anxious situation. Did the farmer have to shake the chicken off the egg?
December 4th, 2009 at 7:18 pm
Quoth Phil:
“This is the first time I’ve heard of someone seeing a random cross pattern and claiming it’s a divine sign.”
What, you don’t remember this crap?:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Trade_Center_cross
http://www.cbn.com/700club/guests/bios/John_Picarello_091107.aspx
December 4th, 2009 at 7:34 pm
omg,chicken propellers!? They’re dangerous ENOUGH flying at me from the barn rafters when i feed them! that’s all they need, more THHHHHHHHHHHHRRRRRRRRRRRRRRUST.
I dunno about the sick chicken theory. This time of year, some pullets are just getting started with first production, and i’ve seen some newbie layers produce some p-r-e-tt-y weird eggs. Could just be a “first egg down the production line” problem.
Mrs. tweety, that egg is revolting….
December 4th, 2009 at 7:53 pm
This particular “divine omniscient omnipresent omnipowerful timeless spaceless being” seems to be experiencing a steady diminution of its powers. In the beginning, it’s reputed to have created the entire universe. But now, all it seems able to do is create poor likenesses of people and religious symbols. If this is a sign, it’s one that’s telling believers to “Move along, there’s nothing left to see.”
December 4th, 2009 at 8:58 pm
It’s a banana.
December 4th, 2009 at 8:58 pm
To me it looks like an upside down half peeled banana. Lets call Kirk Cameron.
December 4th, 2009 at 9:13 pm
@ Mike V:
(To be read in a huffy voice.)
Do read the comments before you post, smarty pants. Say…#4!
December 4th, 2009 at 9:18 pm
Father Corona: Pax venuti nictum. Down on your knees now! D’ye recognize what I’m holdin’ over your heads, lads?
Indian: It’s a Cross. The Symbol of the Quartering of the Universe into Active and Passive Principles.
Father Corona: God have mercy on their heathen souls.
J/P=?
December 4th, 2009 at 9:27 pm
I might fry for this, but putting crosses on eggs and Jesus’ face on an iron doesn’t seem like a good use of God’s time. Shouldn’t he be doing more important stuff, like, I dunno, running the universe and making sure the New Orleans Saints go undefeated?
December 4th, 2009 at 10:06 pm
…or a salt stain on the concrete wall of an overpass. This happened in Chicago a few years ago. The site is still visited by people even though the stain was vandalized and painted over.
December 5th, 2009 at 12:08 am
…I would not eat that egg. I don’t think it was a well chicken who laid it.
December 5th, 2009 at 12:11 am
“This is the first time I’ve heard of someone seeing a random cross pattern and claiming it’s a divine sign.”
I’m surprised you haven’t heard of the ‘cross’ shaped structure in the whirpool galaxy m51
(though you may know it better as the x structure)
December 5th, 2009 at 12:38 am
I always wonder what all these signs mean? Maybe the Rosetta language series could come out with a god language set. If I write on an egg and an iron and then shove them both up the Pope’s butt, do you think god would get the message?
December 5th, 2009 at 2:36 am
John Paradox, you have made my day.
Meanwhile, I will also mention Isaac Asimov’s short story “Pate de Foie Gras”, which has almost nothing to do with this, but does involve unusual eggs.
December 5th, 2009 at 3:04 am
Farmer son here:
I’ve seen similar eggs before. Some even had cross-like shapes, but nobody praised the Lord, nor called the press. Wrinkled eggs are a sign that something’s wrong with the hen. Just that. Also, when the egg is formed with a calcium deficit, it comes out with a soft translucent shell.
More wonders of nature:
http://tinyurl.com/yzotfbw
http://tinyurl.com/nk3556
December 5th, 2009 at 4:29 am
The egg looks like it’s made from some sort of stone rather than shell. Clearly this does concern god, but they’re thinking of the wrong one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iUMWy4hqAg
December 5th, 2009 at 5:24 am
The real question is, “will it balance on its end on the Vernal Equinox?”
December 5th, 2009 at 6:00 am
Poor chicken, that shell looks like it was awfully soft and pliable when laid.. classic chicken calcium deficiency &/or stress, we used to see it in the chickens (or chooks, to give the Aussie vernacular) that we kept when I was a kid. I think the ‘chicken sphincter’ reference is correct but it would be the sphincter from the cloaca rather than the other sphincter
Awesome leap of the ol’ spiritual beliefs to go from calcium deficient chicken egg with sphincter impression to the mark of God, hallelujea.
One wonders what the quality control on their egg production/chickens are if there is a egg/chicken production venture involved.
And yes, the Vernal Equinox question did come to mind, Phil
December 5th, 2009 at 6:46 am
If I may quote the Bible “only a faithlees generation asks for a sine and to them no sine will be given”
December 5th, 2009 at 8:01 am
Mike surely you mean a sign? I didn’t know the bible had a trigonometry section.
I think it looks like a cactus anyway.
December 5th, 2009 at 8:07 am
I can’t believe only one person here saw it. When I saw the image for the first time I immediately noticed it’s a peeled banana.
And we know BANANAS ARE ATHEIST’S WORST NIGHTMARES. That’s the divine sign.
Nothing more to say.
December 5th, 2009 at 8:27 am
How do they know it’s not an upside-down cross?
December 5th, 2009 at 9:09 am
I was driving down the road yesterday and saw a cross every 50 feet. When a chicken lays a teleph0ne pole, then I’ll call it a miracle.
December 5th, 2009 at 9:35 am
Have you guys seen the amazing rage cookie?
http://tinyurl.com/y8p5g8y – original
Vs
http://tinyurl.com/y9ry3af – amazing rage cookie
December 5th, 2009 at 12:32 pm
Maybe the chicken was playing a practical yolk.
December 5th, 2009 at 1:08 pm
Clearly this is not a sign from God. A cross on an egg laid by a chicken during advent? Don’t be silly. Now if it was a cross on an egg laid by a rabbit at Easter, that would be altogether different. Pax Nabisco.
December 5th, 2009 at 1:24 pm
Its a skinny ghost, with his arms out to his sides, and his fists held over his chest. This proves ghosts exist.
As to the poor chicken, all I can say is ouch.
December 5th, 2009 at 9:10 pm
Looks like a plus sign to me. God is clearly telling us to study math. Excuse me while I solve some quadratic equations.
December 5th, 2009 at 9:44 pm
Oh ye of little faith. “Held sideways, it looks more like a seagull in flight.” Only you atheistic scientists would fail–or refuse–to recognize God’s Dove of Peace, or Holy Ghost, when you see it. Two of the trinity in a single chicken egg. My faith is renewed.
Wait–maybe it’s three for three! It also looks like an impression of God’s sphincter! Praise the Lord!
December 5th, 2009 at 10:21 pm
Two out of three; I don’t there’s any mention in the Bible about God having a cloaca.
December 5th, 2009 at 11:26 pm
The colored eggs I find scattered all over my house at Easter are also a sign – from the Jesus Bunny. Dunno why god loves yard birds so much. Maybe she’s a supramultidimensional hen.
December 6th, 2009 at 7:50 am
55. TechyDad Says:
Looks like a plus sign to me. God is clearly telling us to study math. Excuse me while I solve some quadratic equations.
No, it must be Satanic, check out the ‘new’ Twilight Zone episode (part 2 of 2 in the half-hour) I of Newton, starring Tim (WKRP) Reid and Sherman (The Jeffersons) Hensley. First segment has Tim (Trancers) Thomerson as a ‘nasty’ comedian.
J/P=?
December 6th, 2009 at 7:57 am
> And we know BANANAS ARE ATHEIST’S WORST NIGHTMARES. That’s the divine sign.
Well, before I even saw the banana commentary, I was going to comment that I have actually seen a few malformed eggs. One most notably in the shape of guess what – a banana. But again, probably due to illness or chance.
December 6th, 2009 at 2:43 pm
this is the first time you’ve heard of people using random crosses as a sign from God? So, you didn’t follow the Laminin ridiculousness PZ blogged about last year? Watch the video, if you think you can handle it
http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2008/04/molecular_biology_for_babbling.php
In short, it’s a pastor talking about his conversation with a molecular biologist, who discovered that a molecule called Laminin, that acts as a short of adhesive inside our cells, is made of two strands of atoms that intersect. and…. what could two intersecting lines be other than a sign of the cross! Taken even further, of course, this shows that Jesus/the crucifix is, literally, holding our bodies together.
The even sadder part is that when you watch the video and the “big reveal” is an electron microscope shot of the actual molecule, it looks like a 2 year old was trying to draw a “t” with a crayon, and is an embarrassing representation of a cross to begin with.
December 6th, 2009 at 10:02 pm
This brings to memory the image of some kind of transdimensional being from a graphic novel or comic that I saw years ago, but I just can’t recall it better than that. If anyone can tell me what it was I’d appreciate it.
December 7th, 2009 at 3:04 am
A message for John Paradox: Antelope Freeway, exit one mile….
December 7th, 2009 at 4:31 am
Antelope Freeway, exit three-quarters mile….
December 7th, 2009 at 8:57 am
I say it’s a holy sword! It must come from the allmighty Torm! *
All praise to Torm!*
*AD&D fans will get it…
December 7th, 2009 at 1:09 pm
OK, what if it was ” caused by damages to the hen’s oviduct”; doesn’t matter. What most of you all are missing the point is MOST OF YOU ALL ARE PEOPLE OF LITTLE OR NO FAITH OR ASHAMED TO ADMIT YOU ARE A BELIEVER. I hope that when its your time to meet our Lord, that HE won’t deny he knows YOU becuase you have no faith or believe that God can work in mysterious ways. Go ahead laugh and see who has the LAST laugh. But let people believe or have their faith don’t make fun of them for believing.
December 7th, 2009 at 2:33 pm
For the record, I believe chickens only have one nether orifice, which serves both reproductive and waste disposal functions. Therefore they have not taint at all.
December 7th, 2009 at 5:53 pm
Chickens got sphincters?!
December 10th, 2009 at 3:40 pm
I do not disagree this is a poor excuse for a cross and probably not a sign from god. (If it was the chicken farmers should be figuring out how to interpret it and do Gods will instead of looking for publicity.) Phil you forgot to add ever-loving creator to your list of attributes to God.
December 10th, 2009 at 3:45 pm
Daisy, You are right to defend God. But you are not helping to show these people who God is. What can we tell them that is positive and draws them in versus alienates them and pushes them away? How hard it is to bring the unbelieving to god when people take Gods power and love and reduce it to a mishapen wrinkle on an egg. Not every pair of inersecting lines is a cross or every bearded looking shadow is a picture of Jesus. If these farmers believe it to be a true sign from God let them stop seeking publicity and start doing Gods work, the work of Jesus asks us to do, bear witness to the love God showed us and worship him.
May 13th, 2010 at 3:12 pm
looks more like an ankh….