Construction Begins For 'Touchdown Jesus' Replacement Statue

MONROE, Ohio — Construction has started on a giant Jesus statue to replace one destroyed by lightning in southwest Ohio. And this time, it will have some defense against Mother Nature.

The Solid Rock Church in Monroe says construction began Wednesday on the 51-foot-tall statue. It will show Jesus standing with outstretched arms.

Church officials say the new statue will have a lightning-suppression system. It will have a steel substructure and be finished with a top coat that resembles limestone.

It is replacing a mammoth partial depiction of Jesus from the chest up. That statue had been nicknamed Touchdown Jesus because of the way the arms were raised outward, like a referee's signal.

The Middletown Journal reports that construction of the new statue is expected to be finished by the end of the year.

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Information from: Journal, http://wwww.middletownjournal.com

Comments

[MarmadukeGoofy]

12:19 AM on 06/19/2011

I'm sure Jesus would rather the money go to help actual people, instead of a 51' statue.

[oldwarhorse]

06:33 PM on 06/13/2011

AHHH trolls multiplying like cockroaches and scurrying all over the HP religious pages. I do get a laugh out of some of the comments on here. The non believers are always out in force around here... wonder why they waste their time reading these stories? Nothing better to do I would suppose, or not able to think enough to respond to any other issues.

[Neutronstar21]

07:10 PM on 06/13/2011

Just checking up on the asylum

[oldwarhorse]

09:42 PM on 06/13/2011

you an escapee?

[logicanada]

04:31 PM on 06/11/2011

Put a massive $100.00 bill in it's hands and Jesus will protect it.

[Nukualofa]

02:20 PM on 06/10/2011

The statue says "Bring Me The Money!"

[Ioan Lightoller]

12:20 PM on 06/10/2011

What a joke! All these Christians getting down on me for being a Pagan (and hence, an "idolator") and we have this monstrosity being rebuilt. I thought there was a thing in fundie Christianity about "graven images".

I laughed when it got hit by lightening. I guess that the whole "signs and wonders" crowd wasn't paying attention.

[blackkatya]

01:00 PM on 06/10/2011

Dumb question: what exactly is Pagan?

[oldwarhorse]

06:22 PM on 06/13/2011

Druid? You wouldn't know a pagan if he slapped you in the face.

[tck29]

09:48 AM on 06/10/2011

Touchdown Jesus is in South Bend, IN.

This is Big Butter Jesus.

Spread the Word!

[mjw51295]

01:55 PM on 06/10/2011

Go Irish!

[MarmadukeGoofy]

12:21 AM on 06/19/2011

You are correct. It's the big butter Jesus, just north of Cincinnatti. Go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0OxLXe5YnQ. It's great.

[random bear]

08:54 AM on 06/10/2011

It's so nice to see good, upstanding Christians following the directions of their Lord and Savior. He never said anything about feeding, clothing the poor or giving shelter to the needy or otherwise wasting your money on other people.

[Ioan Lightoller]

12:24 PM on 06/10/2011

Fanned and faved. Yeah, he never said any of that stuff, so they're free to have monstrosities such as this erected. [/sarcasm]. Just sad that people feel a deep need to have this crap erected instead of helping their fellow humans.

[oldwarhorse]

06:24 PM on 06/13/2011

I am sure these folks are losing sleep over what non believers think... LOL

[djekizian]

10:23 PM on 06/09/2011

The reconstruction of Touchdown Jesus belongs in the comedy section. Hilarious!!

[Forester]

08:52 PM on 06/09/2011

I don't care if it rains or freezes
long as I got my plastic jeezus
ridn on the dashboard of my car

when i make a touchdown play
I know its cuz he showed the way
and then i'll be a big football star

[SeonaidDivine]

04:28 PM on 06/09/2011

How is Jesus getting struck by lightning NOT a sign? I mean, if ever you were going to take something as a sign, that should be it.

[digitalprophet]

06:24 PM on 06/09/2011

No doubt.. It was great. Like I said elsewhere, I live pretty close to this monstrosity. My sister called me at 2AM to tell me about it getting hit by lightning. She was saying the same thing.

[Kaydie Nielsen]

04:25 PM on 06/09/2011

Hint...stop wasting money on statues

[Don Kezima]

12:44 PM on 06/09/2011

How ironic. A statue of Jesus destroyed by lightning, which is apparently controlled by God, according to the Quack, Quacks.

[Bill J4321]

12:22 PM on 06/09/2011

Jesus will be made entirely of marshmallows.

[random bear]

08:50 AM on 06/10/2011

Not the Stay Puft Marshmallow Jesus! What have you done?!?!

[Bill J4321]

01:49 PM on 06/10/2011

The next time he's struck by lightning, there will be a sing-a-long with toasted jesus s'mores.

He's always thinking of us!

[JanaK63]

09:26 AM on 06/09/2011

There is a song dedicated to this statue called Big Butter Jesus by Heywood Banks...hilarious!

[Rodger leMonde]

04:07 PM on 06/08/2011

People just don't believe in omens any more.
Unless they're the ones making them up.