America
Understanding America, Part One
Giant Jesus Statue, Monroe, Ohio. Roadside America — One problem that the elite liberals have is that they don’t really get out much except to visit London or New York. Few have ever actually driven across the country. The fascinating roadside America website offers up all sorts of cool and unuausl attractions that compete with the best Europe has to offer. How is the giant Jesus any more of an eyesore than the two story cement wine bottle that graces the village of St. Julien in the Bordeaux region of France, for example.
France
I would have to agree – neither one is more of an eyesore than the other. 🙂
People in Ohio didn’t vote the way you wanted them to so now you are upset and decide to make fun of them. Cute!
And I thought people who lived in your area valued diversity.
Really what it boils down to is that Ohio didn’t do what you wanted, now you are mad and are deciding to throw stones and insult those people.
They have a word for this: passive-aggressive
I’m sure you could find fault with George Washington, Ben Franklin and Abraham Lincoln if they didn’t agree with.
I just find it a little lame and temper-tantrumlike you are targeting Ohio.
And Jesus, seeing that Bush has been re-elected, throws up his hands to heaven and says, “I give up.”
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When I see such an eye-catching display, I like to think that the guy who struck on the idea is the same guy who lectures on how to create attention-getting item titles on eBay. 🙂
This is one of the most awesome and powerful churches in the tri-state area! Don’t believe me? Go check it out for yourself! The pastors are the most caring and welcoming people you’ll ever meet. The music is unlike anything you’ve ever heard. Don’t slam what you don’t understand.
I heard this cost $250,000 – so why is building a tacky, gaudy statue anymore important than say, a meal for 25,000 homeless people?
Incidentally, the region that payed for the wine bottle in France isn’t tax exempt as the Church is. Consequently, I’d like to see some of those tax-exempt dollars funding some of that Christian charity rather than this statue which frankly is tacky and rather pointless. I’m reminded of this quote:
“On that day many will say to Me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your Name, and cast out demons in Your Name, and do many mighty works in Your Name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you evildoers.'”
Surely something to mull over for the people who commissioned this eyesore.
to paraphrase Mencken – no one ever went broke underetimating the taste of the American Public.
Not that it is any business of most of you all, but this church uses thirty percent of its tax-exempt dollars for mission work. I bet you have no idea how the average church spends there tax-exempt dollars. Well the average church in the United States is proud of spending ten percent on missions. This church has maintained a food pantry for the last ten years giving out food and other needed items to the less fortunate in the area. This church not only supports orphans, but this church ownes three orphananages housing fifty orphans and they are buying three more houses to expand this outreach. This church has built an unwed mothers home that can house up to thirty two pregnant teens who have no place to go. This church is growing and building all the time and as a result keeping many people in this area working. What are you doing to help the community? What are you doing to make someones life a little less difficult? You probably don,t have time cause your to busy being a bully to those who do make a difference. Now there are a bunch of you out there who would really like to be making some of the decisions at this church even though you are no member of this congregation. Now critisize all you want but at least get some facts first. Just as you all have the right to critisize how this church spends there money, this church and every other church has the right to do things that you do not understand. I think the church should always do things that confuse worldly folks and even those who will now say they are very religious and hate our statue. Well hate it, and talk about it, fuss about it, and throw your little fits, and at the end of the day I thank you for all the free attention and advertisement you gave this small church in Monroe Ohio.
The Bishops, owners and ministers are Solid Rock Church do a lot of good in the community. They have a strong faith and perhaps they thought the statue would be a good way to attract others with a like mind.
to #8 and others,
I am happy to learn that the business partners of this organization are extraordinarily giving. Kudos, we need more like them.
However, this does not allow them a ‘get out of stupidity’ free card. Good people can and do stupid things.
This unholy erection of a monument, supposedly praising Christ (as envisioned and paid for by these folks) devalues the Christian faith. I do not worship a cartoon, TV Jesus. I adore Christ the man, brave and selfless. If He were here, I am confident He would destroy this abortion of a monument, much like the way He disrupted the money changers at the temple. The atmosphere at that moment was much like a flea market of today. It is fitting, I suppose that the unholy Christ is nothing more than a landmark to the Flea Markets.
Giant Jesus (as my sisters and I dubbed him the first time I saw him several years ago) evokes mixed feelings for me.
On one hand he is symbolic of the entire evangelical movement. That is, he is technically inaccurate (Jesus was buried in a cave, not in the ground.) A significant portion is missing (the lower half of his body), similar to the evangelical movements interpretations of teaching of the gospels (i.e. tolerance and compassion.) It is a celebration of excess. It is a homage to “in your face” beliefs and values being imposed on everyone regardless of whether they want it or not. It is garrish and gaudy. Finally, the money could have been better spent ministering to the poor as Jesus did. For example, it could have been used to pay for day care for children of women who “chose life” and can’t afford day care.
Yet, there is something compelling, nobel and praiseworthy about Giant Jesus. I admire the enthusiam and effort of the parish and the spirit it is trying to evoke. There is something strangely beautiful about it, much in the same way that gaudy, tacky or corny over-the-top Christmas displays radiate a unique beauty which is the sum of spirit, effort and enthusiasm. Giant Jesus has garnered attention and whether you like him or not he has generated a discussion.