If you’ve ever been on Interstate 75 in southwestern Ohio, perhaps you’ve seen this ridiculously ginormous statue of Jesus:
I call him Jeebus. Others call him “Touchdown Jesus”, and comedian Heywood Banks wrote a song about him called “Big Butter Jesus” (because he really looks like he was carved out of butter). Google any of the names I just mentioned and you will find a plethora of websites and YouTube videos poking fun at Jeebus. Here’s a link to an article the flippin’ NEW YORK TIMES even wrote about Jeebus!
Yesterday the kids and I were driving home from a friend’s house. She lives about an hour south of us so our drive up I-75 took us right past Jeebus. Now, I for one loves me some Jesus, but I think Jeebus is ree-donkulous. I was kind of hoping Joshua wouldn’t notice him, but since he’s not blind, I was out of luck. Here is our Jeebus-inspired conversation:
Joshua: Whoa, who’s that big guy?
Me: That’s supposd to be Jesus.
Joshua: What’s he saying to all those people?
Me: What people? (I have no idea what people he was talking about. There were cars in the church parking lot but no people I could see).
Joshua: ALL THOSE PEOPLE!
Me: Ummmm..he’s saying “I love you.”
Joshua: And why’s he looking up at the sky?
Me: Well, he’s looking up at God in heaven.
Joshua: And why’s he got that funny look on his face?
Me: Uh….it’s a happy look. He’s happy because he’s looking at God and he loves all the people.
Joshua: Oh. Right.
Who knows what Joshua’s little brain and heart thought about our conversation? We talk about Jesus and God in our house every day. We read books about Jesus and Bible stories…but how can they compete with JEEBUS?? I guess Bobby and I need to keep making very, very sure that he sees Jesus in our actions as we parent every day, and that Jeebus just remains another of the many distractions we see along life’s highway. Last night when we said bedtime prayers, he thanked Jesus for his cousins, his toys, and Sophie’s birthday party. Jeebus didn’t get a mention, so maybe we’re doing ok.
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This is Emily, but I just had to jump in here, as I love the topic of Touchdown Jesus (or “The big white giant,” as Kate likes to call it)! As Jenny mentioned, the internet is full of fun facts about this frightening monument, but here’s a link to my favorite article about it.
Oh, how I miss driving down I-75. The Solid Rock Church and Casino, complete with Touchdown Jesus and the anatomically correct horse on the Trader’s World sign. The walmart at the Taylorsville Road exit where my mom almost got into a fist fight with a photo center employee. Ah, the memories. I do have to say, my girls had some similar Touchdown Jesus. Like, “Mom, where’s the other half of him?” “Why is he SO BIG?” “What is he made out of?” “WHY is it there?” I don’t know if the Solid Rock Church and Casino people know how they have screwed up the minds of young children who pass the church in their travels.
Ah, one of the things that makes Ohio great. Did I say great? I meant “weird!” 😉
This is actually MY favorite picture of “Jeebus”
http://vaughnblog.blogspot.com/2007/11/buckeye-jesus.html
It’s funny he’s also known as “Touchdown Jesus” because that’s what people in my wedding party coined the Jesus above our heads in our wedding photo:
http://www.pediascribe.com/20070803/sixteen-years-of-marital-bliss/
I love reading your post but this I had to leave a comment about. It really does look like he’s saying “Touchdown!” lol! I must say I’ve never seen anything like this before. I guess we can add this to the list of weird roadside attractions!
Thanks. I can’t get Jeebus out of my mind!
Found this on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gq01UYiMyHg
SO glad to see a local writing about our big giant Savior. It freaks my little monkeys out, too, and we don’t often drive 75.
Talking to one of our mutual friends, Em, in the 75 corridor, about Jeebus a while ago and both bemoaned what impressions people just passing through our great state are left with after they pass 1) the exit for the prison on RT 63 with the convienently located Hustler store; 2) Trader World flea maket and the other flea market on the opposite side of 75; and then finally, 3) Jeebus.
All within 30 seconds…what great thoughts they inspire!
Holy cow! I have been down 75 hundreds of times and have never seen this. I must be blind! I’ll keep my eye out for Jeebus on my next trip… 🙂
i have to say this it is not the world’s largest but is the largest staute of Jesus in america. their is one larger in rio desnario ok so i cant spell and dont fell like looking it up.
Karen, thanks for sharing the sites. My oldest daughter loved the picture as Jesus as an Ohio State fan! Go Bucs. PS – I like your wedding touchdown Jesus too. What a cute and funny story.
Well Luanne and I dubbed this ” Jesus in Quicksand” when it was first going up. We wanted to do a coffee table book of all of the odd things we do to commerate our Lord. A great mural in Huntsville,AL has Jesus in,well I guess it’s space, and his bottom half is some weird freaky swirly design. I call him Jesus on eggbeaters…
So I got page 1 and 2… We call our book “What in the name of God??” Whaddya think??
I suppose this is better than seeing Jesus in a piece of toast or an highway overpass and trying to explain THAT to your kid 🙂
Bradley
The Egel Nest
why, that is one mighty big Jesus!! cute story. 😉
Awww…Karen beat me to it. I was going to share Jesus as the “H” in O-H-I-O! I love that picture!
you shouldn’t refer to jesus as jeebus. you talk about loving god then you refer to him as a simpsons character did who was mocking jesus. also there’s nothing wrong with this statue. yeah its unnecessary but if it even brings one person to christ its worth it.
I’m not referring to Jesus as Jeebus, I am referring to the statue as Jeebus. Because to me, the statue is like a cartoon character – distracting from the real thing, and a mockery. We’re gonna have to agree to disagree on this one.