Lynching photo placed in front of Indiana church to urge people to vote

'We need to be reminded,’ Pastor Joy Thornton. ‘My past is your past. Your future is my future.’

An Indiana pastor is urging people to vote — and he’s put up a massive poster outside his church depicting a lynching and slaves shackled in chains to get people to the polls in November.

The large poster is situated on a busy road outside the Greater St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church in Indianapolis.

On one side, the poster depicts slaves in chains with a message that reads “lest we forget.” The other side of the poster is the historical image of the lynching of two black men in Marion, Ind., in 1930. That image is outfitted with a message that asks “Is this a reason to vote?”

“We need to be reminded,” Pastor Joy Thornton told WISH—TV of his reasoning behind the provocative images.

“My past is your past. Your future is my future,” he said.

Neighbors feel the images aren’t entirely appropriate.

“It’s not a good example for them to have it like that,” said Mary Bishop, who runs a business near the church. “He meant well but went about it the wrong way.”

Thornton feels the images do reflect the importance of exercising the right vote.

“It’s to let people know there's been a price paid for the privilege of voting. Often times people get complacent and don’t realize that people made a sacrifice, matter of fact, the ultimate sacrifice for such a privilege.”

The Indianapolis Urban League told WISH it agreed with the pastor’s efforts to encourage people to cast ballots in November, but did not support the imagery on the poster.

Isa 30:1 Woe to the rebellious children, saith the LORD, that take counsel, but not of me; and that cover with a covering, but not of my spirit, that they may add sin to sin:

Isa 30:2 That walk to go down into Egypt, and have not asked at my mouth; to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, and to trust in the shadow of Egypt!

Isa 30:3 Therefore shall the strength of Pharaoh be your shame, and the trust in the shadow of Egypt [your] confusion.

Isa 30:5 They were all ashamed of a people [that] could not profit them, nor be an help nor profit, but a shame, and also a reproach.

Isa 30:7 For the Egyptians shall help in vain, and to no purpose: