Touchdown Jesus!!!!!

I regularly travel I-75 between Dayton and Monroe Ohio. If you ever have traveled that road, you know what I'm about to talk about. As a matter of fact this thing has actually been immortalised in song. That's right, I'm talking big "J". All 8 tons and 62 feet(124 feet standing) of our lord and saviour. If you are unfamiliar, here's a link:www.solidrockchurch.org. Solid Rock Church is another one of those "Mega Churches". You'll find it at the Monroe Ohio exit off of I-75.  There in all it's glory is an immense statute of of Jesus in front of this place, from the waist up. At first glance it looks like he is bathing. His arms are outstretched towards the sky, like a football referee calling a touch down. Or perhaps guiding a airplane into a hanger. The material used to cover the statue has an off white color, leading to the other nickname,"Big Butter Jesus". From the expressway you can also make out the fact the Big Guy serves as a popular bird latrine. 

Other than the fact that it's an eyesore and an exercise in extreme tackiness, I'm pretty much able to ignore the ghastly thing.( Ironically, the other notable thing about the Monroe exit besides the flea markets is the Hustler store directly across the freeway. ) But every time I see the thing I have to ask myself a few perplexing questions: Doesn't the 2nd commandment forbid graven Images?, How much did that thing cost? How did they pay for it? Why did they put that thing up in the first place? Couldn't they find a better thing to do with the money and resources that thing soaked up? How do people of Monroe feel about it? How does the local government feel about it? hmmmmmmm inquiring minds  would like to know!

I suppose they built that thing for their own gratification (reminds me of the tower of Babel).

Is that thing supposed to make me want to convert? I've looked at the damned thing at least a hundred times and I still do not feel the desire to get up close and personal with my alleged saviour. I have no Idea how much that abomination cost, but I bet you could feed, clothe and house a whole lot of people for what it cost.  Of course you have to ask the most obvious question: The bible portrays Jesus as the humble son of a carpenter, would that sort of person want a big statute of himself?  Look at all of the surviving statuary of antiquity. Generals, Kings, conquerors and tyrants for the most part. Not the kind of company that even an imaginary saviour would keep. 

Sign me perplexed in Dayton

Emoose out