August 25, 2025
Mammoth Lakes, California In a spirit of reverence and devotion, a coalition of faith leaders and community members is calling for the renaming of Devils Postpile National Monument to a name that honors God and reflects Christian values. This initiative seeks to transform the site’s designation from one associated with darkness to one that glorifies the Creator of all natural wonders.Guided by the Holy Spirit, we believe it is essential to glorify God in every aspect of our lives, including how we name and celebrate His magnificent creations.
The Holy Spirit calls us to:
- Honor God’s Sovereignty: The Spirit reminds us that all of creation declares the glory of God (Psalm 19:1), and renaming this monument would align it with divine praise rather than earthly shadows.
- Promote Spiritual Purity: By invoking the Holy Spirit’s guidance, we avoid names that evoke negativity, ensuring our public spaces uplift and inspire faith in the Almighty.
- Foster Unity in Worship: The Holy Spirit unites believers in glorifying God, encouraging us to dedicate landmarks as testaments to His eternal love and power.
We humbly ask the citizens of California to consider this name change, recognizing it as an opportunity to reflect shared values of hope, light, and divine appreciation for our state’s natural beauty. Let us come together in thoughtful dialogue to honor what truly matters.Furthermore, we must not glorify the devil by naming parks after Lucifer’s name or associations that imply evil. Such nomenclature subtly undermines the celebration of God’s handiwork and invites unnecessary division.
As community advocate John Arwood aptly puts it: “Why honor the ultimate bad guy with a park name?”To inspire this positive shift, we suggest the following three faith-based names:
- God’s Pillar National Monument – Evoking the strength and majesty of divine creation.
- Heaven’s Basalt Sanctuary – Highlighting the heavenly artistry in the rock formations.
- Spirit’s Column Preserve – Paying tribute to the Holy Spirit’s role in guiding and protecting nature.
In closing, we approach this proposal with humility, seeking only to draw closer to God’s will. As the Bible reminds us in Philippians 2:3, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves.”