There’s something awfully syncretistic about the 72-foot Statue of Liberation Through Christ, created by World Overcomers Outreach in Memphis. It looks like the New York Harbor’s Statue of Liberty, only instead of a torch, she’s carrying a cross, and instead of the July 4, 1776, tablet, she carries the Ten Commandments. Her crown says "Jehovah," and a tear is running down her cheek. A tear indeed. World Overcomers pastor Alton Williams says the 12,000-pound statue, which cost $260,000, was created to fight "godlessness in America." The New York Times quotes him saying, "This statue proves that Jesus Christ is Lord over America, he is Lord over Tennessee, he is Lord over Memphis." The Commercial Appeal of Memphis reports that at the unveiling, Williams "faced the 72-foot statue and blessed the city of Memphis against disease, crime, intolerance and poverty."
Weblog isn’t sure the way to fight godlessness is to create what American Christians would see in any other culture as an idol. Perhaps next a nice Midwestern church can erect a statue of a giant gilded cow that says "Holy Cow! God Loves You!" or "Let Jesus Moooove Into Your Life."
(Does any Madison church see an opportunity to evangelistically use the cow statues scattered around Madison? – MC editor)