By Jennifer Baker, Cincinnati Enquirer
MONROE, OHIO — Monroe fire officials set damage at $700,000 after lightning struck and burned down a 62-foot-high Jesus Christ statue and an adjacent amphitheater at Solid Rock Church late Monday.
Church leaders are vowing to rebuild the iconic "King of Kings" statue — also dubbed "Touchdown Jesus" — which alone was valued at $300,000.
Monroe Fire Capt. Richard Mascarella said the other $400,000 in damage was to the amphitheater when flames from the sculpture spread to the back wall and roof.
"The heat coming off the statue singed the entire back wall of the amphitheater and burned through it," Mascarella said. "Portions of the roof are destroyed, so they will have to replace a large part of it."
VIDEO OF FIRE: Watch here PHOTOS: "Touchdown Jesus" before fire Enlarge By Tiffani West-May, AP Flames shot up from the "King of King's" statue of Jesus Christ early Tuesday morning after it was struck by lightning.A pond surrounding the statue that used to be full of fish is now filled with remnants of the structure, made of fiber glass and foam. All the fish are either dead or dying, Mascarella said.
Church leaders also plan to repair the amphitheater and the pond and the structures were all insured. Insurance adjusters were expected at the site Tuesday afternoon.
The fire is not suspicious. It was ignited about 11:15 p.m. Monday during a severe thunderstorm that spawned lightning across the Greater Cincinnati region, Mascarella said.
John Centers, a Monroe assistant fire chief who lives about a mile from the church, said he was outside on his deck watching Monday night's storm when he saw a very bright flash of lightning accompanied by loud thunderclap. At first, he didn't think much of it, "because there had already been so many ground strikes that night," Centers said. But he could tell that the lightning had struck fairly close by and "it was a very significant ground strike."
"The pattern of light flashed all the way to the ground," and was in the general direction of the church, Centers said.
He soon realized that must have been the lightning that struck the statue because within four minutes of his witnessing the strike, firefighters were being called to the blazing statue.
And it burned quickly: "It burned to the ground. The whole statue is gone," said Kim Peace, a police dispatcher.
Authorities on Tuesday were urging motorists to resist the temptation to stop on Interstate 75 and snap photos, fearing that drivers pulling on and off the berm could cause crashes.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol is issuing warnings to those who stop — and will soon start writing citations, a dispatcher for the patrol's Lebanon post said.
The number of warnings written so far was not immediately available.
The large "King of Kings" statue was a Butler County landmark since it was erected in 2004 outside Solid Rock Church, 904 N. Union Rd., along northbound Interstate 75 in Monroe just north of the Ohio 63 exit.
Fire crews were called to the church at 11:15 p.m. after several people phoned 911 to report the blaze as a severe thunderstorm swept through Greater Cincinnati, producing a spectacular lightning show, Peace said.
"The lightning was just amazing," she said, wryly adding: "It was a lot of fun in here last night."
When fire crews arrived, they found the statue fully involved and an adjacent amphitheater burning. The fire extended into the attic of the amphitheater, destroyed equipment, before fire crews contained it, Peace said.
No one was injured.
There were grounding devices built into the structure, Neu said.
"Everything around the structure and even the structure itself has lightning resistors and grounding rods," but he added that the unpredictable nature of lightning doesn't make those devices entirely effective.
The sculpture stretches 40 feet wide at the base. It was made of plastic form and fiberglass over a steel frame. The frame is the only thing visible this morning.
According to the evangelical church's website, there are about 4,000 members. The church was founded by former horse trader Lawrence and Darlene Bishop of Middletown.
Re: 'Touchdown Jesus' statue in Ohio destroyed by lightning
format_quote Originally Posted by Supreme
Zeus is now my god. This is clearly a sign from Zeus that making statues of Jesus, not Zeus, can only lead to lightening strikes.
Zeus seems like a more logical god for you indeed, at least he isn't one with Hercules after copulation with Alcmene, the one you worship seems prune to accidents!
all the best
Text without context is pretext If your opponent is of choleric temperament, seek to irritate him
Re: 'Touchdown Jesus' statue in Ohio destroyed by lightning
format_quote Originally Posted by τhε ṿαlε'ṡ lïlÿ
Zeus seems like a more logical god indeed, for at least he isn't one with Hercules after copulation with Alcmene, the one you worship seems prune to accidents!
all the best
How many Zeus statues have been struck by lightening lately? None. It is but logical to assume that, due to the lower rate of lightening strikes on Zeus statues, that Zeus is the True God who is worthy of worship, and that any statues of any false gods will be subsequently be struck by lightening.
Re: 'Touchdown Jesus' statue in Ohio destroyed by lightning
format_quote Originally Posted by Supreme
How many Zeus statues have been struck by lightening lately? None. It is but logical to assume that, due to the lower rate of lightening strikes on Zeus statues, that Zeus is the True God who is worthy of worship, and that any statues of any false gods will be subsequently be struck by lightening.
This is all irrelevant.. and if you want to talk 'logic' then you have missed the point entirely, we are not discussing Zeus statues vs. the 'real god' statues.. rather the paganism of Christianity and the breakage of the most basic commandments that is if you consider your book in continuum with what preceded!
Text without context is pretext If your opponent is of choleric temperament, seek to irritate him
Re: 'Touchdown Jesus' statue in Ohio destroyed by lightning
The Bible itself is clear about forbidding all forms of idol worshiping:
Let us look at Deuteronomy 4:15-19 "And you must take good care of your souls, because you did not see any form on the day of Jehovah's speaking to you in Ho'reb out of the middle of the fire, that you may not act ruinously and may not really make for yourselves a carved image, the form of any symbol, the representation of male or female, the representation of any beast that is in the earth, the representation of any winged bird that flies in the heavens, the representation of any fish that is in the waters under the earth; and that you may not raise your eyes to the heavens and indeed see the sun and the moon and the stars, all the army of the heavens and actually get seduced and bow down to them and serve them, which Jehovah your God has apportioned to all the peoples under the whole heavens." .
Here we see two things: First, GOD Almighty told the people of Israel that he never appeared to them in any way shape or form, and second, he prohibited them to create any images to represent Him. This is the reason why Moses (peace be upon him) told the Israelites that GOD Almighty never appeared to them in any visible form.
In fact, one of the Ten Commandments says "You shall not make yourself a carved image or any likeness of anything...you shall not bow down to them or serve them." (Exodus 20:4-5).
When truth is hurled at falsehood , falsehood perishes. because falsehood by its nature is bound to perish [21:18- Holy quran]
Re: 'Touchdown Jesus' statue in Ohio destroyed by lightning
format_quote Originally Posted by τhε ṿαlε'ṡ lïlÿ
This is all irrelevant.. and if you want to talk 'logic' then you have missed the point entirely, we are not discussing Zeus statues vs. the 'real god' statues.. rather the paganism of Christianity and the breakage of the most basic commandments that is if you consider your book in continuum with what preceded!
I think you've missed the point. Zeus statues are 'real god' statues. If they weren't, they would be struck down by lightening. Because, y'know. That's how you can tell if your god is real or not. Or something.
Re: 'Touchdown Jesus' statue in Ohio destroyed by lightning
format_quote Originally Posted by Supreme
I think you've missed the point. Zeus statues are 'real god' statues. If they weren't, they would be struck down by lightening. Because, y'know. That's how you can tell if your god is real or not. Or something.
oh forgive me, I can't of course take my understanding of the event to that school boy level of pedantry simply to indulge your linear tract of thoughts.. but I am still glad you found a more capable god that won't be struck by lightening or crucified by provincial oafs!
all the best
Text without context is pretext If your opponent is of choleric temperament, seek to irritate him
Re: 'Touchdown Jesus' statue in Ohio destroyed by lightning
format_quote Originally Posted by Airforce
The Bible itself is clear about forbidding all forms of idol worshiping:
Let us look at Deuteronomy 4:15-19 "And you must take good care of your souls, because you did not see any form on the day of Jehovah's speaking to you in Ho'reb out of the middle of the fire, that you may not act ruinously and may not really make for yourselves a carved image, the form of any symbol, the representation of male or female, the representation of any beast that is in the earth, the representation of any winged bird that flies in the heavens, the representation of any fish that is in the waters under the earth; and that you may not raise your eyes to the heavens and indeed see the sun and the moon and the stars, all the army of the heavens and actually get seduced and bow down to them and serve them, which Jehovah your God has apportioned to all the peoples under the whole heavens." .
Here we see two things: First, GOD Almighty told the people of Israel that he never appeared to them in any way shape or form, and second, he prohibited them to create any images to represent Him. This is the reason why Moses (peace be upon him) told the Israelites that GOD Almighty never appeared to them in any visible form.
In fact, one of the Ten Commandments says "You shall not make yourself a carved image or any likeness of anything...you shall not bow down to them or serve them." (Exodus 20:4-5).
If You wanna play in jews and judaism you can follow all jewish rules. In catholicism we believe that after Jesus Christ appeared on Earth in a form of a man, it is possible to create His images or images of apostles, because the Creator already made His decision by coming in a form of human being. Not all Old Testament rules are valid for us, since many of them were just for jews in times when Creator didn't show up Himself to the believers.
This country is dying because of a lack of men, not a lack of programs.
Re: 'Touchdown Jesus' statue in Ohio destroyed by lightning
format_quote Originally Posted by LauraS
I can't help finding stuff like that funny. It has nothing to do with any God though, just a natural incident.
Try to follow the thread in its entirety so that your points have a sensical appropriateness to the subject at hand!
format_quote Originally Posted by τhε ṿαlε'ṡ lïlÿ
This is all irrelevant.. and if you want to talk 'logic' then you have missed the point entirely, we are not discussing Zeus statues vs. the 'real god' statues.. rather the paganism of Christianity and the breakage of the most basic commandments that is if you consider your book in continuum with what preceded!
format_quote Originally Posted by Airforce
The Bible itself is clear about forbidding all forms of idol worshiping:
Let us look at Deuteronomy 4:15-19 "And you must take good care of your souls, because you did not see any form on the day of Jehovah's speaking to you in Ho'reb out of the middle of the fire, that you may not act ruinously and may not really make for yourselves a carved image, the form of any symbol, the representation of male or female, the representation of any beast that is in the earth, the representation of any winged bird that flies in the heavens, the representation of any fish that is in the waters under the earth; and that you may not raise your eyes to the heavens and indeed see the sun and the moon and the stars, all the army of the heavens and actually get seduced and bow down to them and serve them, which Jehovah your God has apportioned to all the peoples under the whole heavens." .
Here we see two things: First, GOD Almighty told the people of Israel that he never appeared to them in any way shape or form, and second, he prohibited them to create any images to represent Him. This is the reason why Moses (peace be upon him) told the Israelites that GOD Almighty never appeared to them in any visible form.
In fact, one of the Ten Commandments says "You shall not make yourself a carved image or any likeness of anything...you shall not bow down to them or serve them." (Exodus 20:4-5).
Text without context is pretext If your opponent is of choleric temperament, seek to irritate him
Re: 'Touchdown Jesus' statue in Ohio destroyed by lightning
format_quote Originally Posted by Amadeus85
If You wanna play in jews and judaism you can follow all jewish rules. In catholicism we believe that after Jesus Christ appeared on Earth in a form of a man, it is possible to create His images or images of apostles, because the Creator already made His decision by coming in a form of human being. Not all Old Testament rules are valid for us, since many of them were just for jews in times when Creator didn't show up Himself to the believers.
So what made Jesus Abrogate his own Laws ?
Could you show me one verse where Jesus ask you to worship him in the form of an idol from the new testament.
When truth is hurled at falsehood , falsehood perishes. because falsehood by its nature is bound to perish [21:18- Holy quran]
Re: 'Touchdown Jesus' statue in Ohio destroyed by lightning
format_quote Originally Posted by LauraS
It is obvious what you are suggesting. Try re-reading your own posts so that your points have a sensical appropriateness to the subject at hand!
Are you psychic, unable or unwilling to read the written word? or just like to leave your micturate in various places on the forum to mark your presence?
Text without context is pretext If your opponent is of choleric temperament, seek to irritate him
Re: 'Touchdown Jesus' statue in Ohio destroyed by lightning
the early christian pagans wanted to continue their pagan practices and lifestyles, so they decided that "oh, Jesus abrogated all previous laws and we can continue our drinking, eating pork, worshipping statues"
"after all, since we go straight to paradise for accepting jesus as god, we can do anything we want to do. and to appease our god jesus we will just erect more statues of him, just like what we'd been doing with our gods zeus, apollo, etc"
"hey, we can even continue our pagan festivals too, like christmas, easter, etc."
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Enlarge By Tiffani West-May, AP
is that why he struck your god by lightening?
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