A message from above? Jesus gets hit.....

[JustRalph]

Anybody that has ever driven by this thing just north of Cincy will never forget it. The last time I went by was on the way to Churchill Downs.......I wonder if they will rebuild it............

Jesus statue along Ohio interstate struck by lightning, destroyed
Tuesday, June 15, 2010 03:11 AM


http://www.dispatch.com/wwwexportcontent/sites/dispatch/local_news/stories/2010/06/15/jesus_statue.jpg


MONROE, Ohio— A six-story-tall statue of Jesus Christ with his arms raised along a highway was struck by lightning in a thunderstorm last night and burned to the ground, police said.
The "King of Kings" statue, one of southwest Ohio's most familiar landmarks, had stood since 2004 at the evangelical Solid Rock Church along Interstate 75 in Monroe, just north of Cincinnati.

The lightning strike set the statue ablaze around 11:15 p.m., Monroe police dispatchers said.

The sculpture, 62 feet tall and 40 feet wide at the base, showed Jesus from the torso up and was nicknamed Touchdown Jesus because of the way his arms were raised, as though reaching out to catch a football. It was made of plastic foam and fiberglass over a steel frame, which is all that remained early today.

[rastajenk]

Dang, Ralph, you're quick. I was going to lead off the morning with this, as it happened about three miles from my palatial estate, and I pass it every day on my commute.

Here's some video. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAAj1OiH-WA)

The Devil came down to Jesus
In the form of a lightning flash
Jesus reached out
Without enough clout
Now he's a pile of ash.

God works in mysterious ways.

[JustRalph]

Rastejanek, great video link. I embedded it.

I have had people tell me that the first time they passed that thing, it gave them the "Willies" it is weird the way it just stood out there next to the freeway. I can't help but feel a little odd about it being struck by lightening? I am not a Religious person at all. But being that it is something close to home for me..... it is a little weird..........I somehow feel some kind of loss.....??? I guess if they ever knocked down the Tower at Kings Island I might feel the same way........... :lol:

IAAj1OiH-WA

[highnote]

Sounds like it was a 60 foot tall lightning rod (steel frame). Not surprised it got struck, but I am surprised it was made of flammable material. Duh.

I wondered how many times the Statue of Liberty has been struck by lightning, so I googled it...


http://www.nps.gov/stli/planyourvisit/get-the-facts.htm

"Does the Statue of Liberty get struck by lightning? Yes! Although the Statue is grounded through the massive concrete and granite base she stands on; the Statue gets struck many times each year. Just how many is not known. The Statue's height and the conductive material she's made of, copper, makes it a structure of choice for lightning strikes."

[OTM Al]

When I saw a headline that said touchdown Jesus burnt down I though they were talking about the one at Notre Dame. I was hoping the football stadium went with it, but that was just me....