Gina Heslop
John Bushman, who recently bought the Vista Ridge Mall in Lewisville, Texas, plans to install a monument honoring the Ten Commandments to turn the mall into a space for the local community to find peace and love. Bushman spent $17.3 million on the mall and plans to spend an initial $3 to $4 million on renovations, including the monument.
The planned monument is 8 feet tall and 5 feet wide and will weigh 800 pounds. The two greatest commandments about loving the Lord and your neighbor will also be featured on the second level, as they weigh about a third of the Ten Commandments. Bushman has previously installed similar monuments at several other businesses he owns throughout the country.
Readers have responded positively to Bushman’s efforts to remind people of the Ten Commandments. One reader commented on Facebook, “What a beautiful thing he is doing…The Lord says ‘he who honors Me, I will honor him’. That is my sincere prayer for you.” However, some feel that the installation excludes those who don’t hold Christian beliefs. Others argue that Bushman has the right to do whatever he wants on private property, and if someone is offended, they can choose not to shop there.
Bushman said that he is not trying to make a statement or overwhelm anyone. “We just believe in the Lord’s love. That’s the sole reason. We hope when someone sees it, it will touch their heart and give them new hope that day.” The monument is meant to share peace and the Lord’s love in times of turbulence in the world, and we all need more of that, he added.
