Touchdown Jesus Burns

  Tragedy Occurs for Roadside Oddity Lovers !!Touchdown Jesus, the subject of an earlier blog entry, burned to the ground when lighting struck it.  Located between Dayton and Cincinnati the Giant Jesus was a landmark and center of activity for the Solid Rock Church of Monroe OH. 

As you might expect, the fire that burned the 60 foot statue caused some speculation by church members as to the meaning of the event.  

"God struck God, I like the irony. Jesus struck Jesus,” said Dawn Smith, 25, of Hamilton, who was among those standing outside the vehicles along Union Road. “I had to see it. What else are you going to do on a Monday night?”   Another member of the church was quoted in the Dayton Daily News “It sent goosebumps through my whole body because I am a believer,” said Levi Walsh, 29. “Of all the things that could have been struck, I just think that that would be protected. ... It’s something that’s not supposed to happen, Jesus burning,” he said. “I had to see it with my own eyes.”

“I can’t believe Jesus was struck,” said his brother, who noted the giant Hustler Hollywood sign for the adult store across the street was untouched. “It’s the last thing I expected to happen.”

This is a real tragedy for lovers of roadside landmarks and strange things around the country.  The church members say the statue will be replaced.  Value is around $300,000.

  All of the photos on my blog are original, most of them taken by me or always in my presence, but this time I had to make an exception and swiped these off the Internet.