Hello ,
Many have declared it to be the greatest hoax of all time. Resting at its permanent home in the Farmer's Museum in Cooperstown, New York is a relic so ridiculous and incredible that it netted it's owner hefty profits during it's heyday in 1869 and '70.
The world famous Cardiff Giant was "discovered" on the farm of a local Cardiff, N.Y. farmer named Stub Newell. The ten foot tall reclining stone man was dug up by workers behind Stubs barn while digging a well. It quickly gained recognition and people from far and wide began to come to the farm to have a look. Stub began to charge visitors 50 cents each, and a lucrative prehistoric industry was born.
Some speculated that it was an antediluvian man, while still others believed that it must be an ancient statue. A group of businessmen in Syracuse, N.Y. were so enamored with the money-making possibilities of the giant, that they purchased it for a whopping $37,500 and moved it to their town where more people could pay and gawk at the amazing spectacle.
Only a Small Hitch
There was only a small hitch; the stone giant was a fake. It was actually the creation of an enterprising tobacconist named George Hull who had paid $2600 to have the stone man carved and buried on Stub Newell's farm years earlier. The plan worked, and Mr. Hull profited handsomely through the curiosity of a gullible public. Today the stone statue is still an attraction, and some have called the giant "Old Hoaxey," for its ability to fool so many.
I've seen the giant up close and personal, and I have to admit, Mr. Hull and his stone cutters did an admirable job. But I have to disagree with the claim of it being the greatest hoax of all time. That undesirable credit belongs to the Prince of Darkness who lied to earth's first parents. The story can be found in Genesis chapter 3. It's a sad tale of selfishness and fakery that plunged this planet into a death spiral. Its main character (the serpent) lied to earth's first
woman, and the results can still be witnessed even today.
This same being continues to prey on humans all over the world with any lie that will get them off track, and keep them from seeking God for help. The Bible says this: "...He couldn't stand the truth because there wasn't a shred of truth in him. When the Liar speaks, he makes it up out of his lying nature and fills the world with lies" (John 8:44).
The Cardiff Giant hoax cheated people out of their hard earned money, but the Liar that the Bible speaks of intends to cheat us out of something bigger...our eternal lives! The stakes are high, but God's Word, the Bible has the truth about how to reclaim what humanity has lost. It's worth looking into.
Have a great day and God bless!
