Sunday, February 7, 2010

Sundays in My City: Big Butter Jesus

Unknown Mami



Join us as we travel the world with the Unknown Mami. I am joining you from SW Ohio, just north of Cincinnati.



This statue is for real, and it is about 15 minutes from my house. You can see it on I-75, between Dayton and Cincinnati, Ohio. It sits in front of a baptismal pond for the Solid Rock Church. Around these parts it's known as Big Butter Jesus or Touchdown Jesus (my favorite). The "big butter" is a reference to carvings made out of actual butter at the Ohio State Fair. Well, probably other state fairs, too.

I personally find it very distracting, and I am somewhat disgusted by the reported $250,000 it cost the church to erect. However, it has inspired a very funny song by comedian Heywood Banks. Here are the lyrics to "Big Butter Jesus":

In southern Ohio, just north of Cincinnati
I beheld a vision, next to the expressway.
Was a 60 foot jesus, with his hands in the air
looks like he’s carved out of butter,
just like at the state fair.

Big butter Jesus
Sweet cream Jesus
Oh country fresh Jesus
Unsalted Jesus
Oh Promise Jesus
Imperial Jesus
Can’t believe it’s not Jesus
Oleo Lord.

Well you see him from the chest up
like he’s about to do a back flip,
like he scored a touchdown
or maybe melting or about to drown.

Well I’ve been to the state fair
seen a cow made out of corn cobs
Garth Brooks made of string cheese
and the virgin out of olives.

Big butter Jesus
Sweet cream Jesus
Oh country fresh Jesus
Unsalted Jesus
Oh Promise Jesus
Imperial Jesus
Can’t believe it’s not Jesus
Oleo Lord.

Shipped in pieces on a flatbed
staring backwards was his big head
Driver stuck in traffic backups
desperately avoiding eye contact.

Well don’t make no graven images.
That’s one of the 10 commandments
I hope the grading curve is kindly
You get to heaven with a 90.
Big butter Jesus
Sweet cream Jesus
Oh country fresh Jesus
Unsalted Jesus
Oh Promise Jesus
Imperial Jesus
Can’t believe it’s not Jesus
Oleo Lord.
Can’t believe it’s not Jesus
Oh spread the word.

For the full effect, check out the actual song on YouTube:



Hope I have made you laugh today. Have a great week!

14 comments:

  1. OMG-(or should I say Jesus?) I've never seen anything like it! Loved the pics and the post. Thanks!

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  2. Holy cow that's huge... disgusted at the cost too! Have a wonderful Sunday!

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  3. Wow. I am not disgusted by it. I wonder if it helps the church get more people to come. I know I am going to google that church right now. It certainly makes a statement.

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  4. Wow, that would be distracting and the cost is crazy! The song is funny! LOL

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  5. Wow, that's a lot of money for something that probably has upkeep too :( Sometimes I wish churches and synogogues would invest money helping others versus making it all pretty.

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  6. Wooow..thats just amazing looking.

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  7. Wow. That thing is kind of disturbing. Funny names, though!

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  8. Mike & I laugh every time we pass by this Jesus - it's hysterical!

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  9. That thing looks pretty ridiculous. I got nothing against Jesus, but I'm just not getting his big butter version!

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  10. That's a little much! The song is very funny.

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  11. But it is so captivating. It is art, in my humble opinion. But yes, I am not for statues.

    Thank you for sharing and the song is cute:)

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  12. It's odd how He is rising from the water like a less happy Little Mermaid.

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  13. Crackin' me up, Bekah! I am a big fan of Jesus, but NOT THAT statue. It is hideous, and thanks for that song...never heard it before and am LMAO! I wonder how many drugs LB had to sell to pay for that! LOL!
    (It has been rumored for many years that the pastor of that church is a BIG TIME drug runner, for all of you non-SW Ohioans. Just a little trivia to make the butter Jesus even more hideous!)

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  14. great stuff theeartist@hotmail.com i am the artist james lynch

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