Act of God: Jesus zapped by lightning bolt

The calm before the storm - Jesus in happy times. Click for larger pic

A huge statue of Jesus Christ in Monroe, Ohio, USA was struck by lightning and destroyed during a thunderstorm yesterday night.

The six story statue, built next to the not entirely aptly-named Solid Rock Church, was the idea Church founder and former horse trader Lawrence Bishop and his wife.

The 'Beacon of Hope' - Click for larger view.

The $250,000 statue was intended to be a ‘beacon of hope’, but after being struck by lightning it became a rather more conventional beacon with searing flames and smoke etc. It is now more or less obliterated.

We are left wondering how the quarter of a million dollars insurance claim will fare. This was indeed the ultimate Act of God…

Original story here.

More dramatic pics can be found here.

Special Offer: FREE Steak Dinner for all Atheists!

Fancy a fine steak dinner tonight – absolutely free? Maine-based minister Daniel Shunk is generously offering a free steak meal to anyone who considers themselves to be an atheist.There’s no catch. All you need to do is not believe in any kind of God and that juicy steak is yours!

This delicious steak dinner can be yours absolutely FREE.

Oh, there is a condition or two. Dinner must be partaken in the company of Mr Shunk, and the conversation will largely consist of the pros and cons of evolutionary theory. (If you are of the female persuasion, an additional dinner guest in the form of Mrs Shunk will also be present.) We trust the conversation will be stimulating and the steaks not too well-done.

Another condition: you must be someone who teaches (or has taught) evolution. (We’re not sure if that applies solely to teaching formally in an academic setting. Presumably a parent innocently telling the scientific facts of life to their daughter might qualify, for example.)

If you’re such a hungry atheist, head over to the special steak offer page at Evidently It’s True, Mr Shunk’s Christian ministry – which according to its website evidently has a few issues with science, and evolution in particular.

The ministry is already championing BOOK TRUTH DAYS, at which children and adults are encouraged to collect and bring along books full of LIES.  “It is our goal to rid our community of all books that would LIE to our kids, particularly evolutionary LIES. ”

Examples of LIES include Cavemen, Gill Slits in Human Embryos or any book which includes the phrase ‘millions of years ago…’

If you know of any such books, please hand them over to the Book Truth organisation where they can be safely disposed of. Not only will you save children from LIES, you can also WIN GRAND PRIZES! Evidently, this is also true.

Update: Mr Shunk kindly pointed out a couple of errors in the above article which we hope are now fixed.

Thanks to @PhillisDorris for the heads-up. Ahem.

Outrage over Jesus depicted with stonkingly huge penis

Controversial Jesus image - Click for a closer view

Not your usual church member

Oklahoma churchgoers are ‘outraged’ over a crucifix in a Catholic church which allegedly shows the erect private parts of Jesus.

Despite being based on traditional non-pornographic church art, the controversial crucifix, which hangs above the main altar in St Charles Borromeo Catholic Church, Warr Acres,  seems to depict the Saviour with a gargantuan member.

Not only that, but the member appears to be in a state of excitement, giving worshippers an entirely unwelcome meaning to the phrase ‘the Passion of Christ’.

Mark Gilmore, friend of artist Janet Jaime who was commissioned to create the crucifix image, explained that the controversial section was in fact supposed to be Jesus’s abdomen and that any resemblance to a penis was entirely accidental.

Rude Jesus in situ - Click for larger view

“She is very serious about her religion, ” he commented, “and wouldn’t in the slightest possibility ever imagine wanting to sneak a pee-pee onto Jesus.”

The crucifix is now in the process of being altered by the artist to reduce the unfortunate resemblance.

Update 14/05/2010:  The priest who commissioned the controversial artwork has been ‘reassigned’. Full story.