Legal battle ignites over Jesus statue in Montana

[The Straight Story]

Legal battle ignites over Jesus statue in Montana

DENVER — They call him Big Mountain Jesus: a 6-foot statue of Christ, draped in a baby blue robe and gazing out over the majestic Flathead Valley from his perch along a ski run at the Whitefish Mountain Resort in Montana.

He has been there more than 50 years, erected by the local Knights of Columbus chapter in honor of the soldiers from the 10th Mountain Division who told of seeing similar shrines in the mountains of Italy in World War II.

These days, though, Whitefish's Jesus statue is at the center of an increasingly bitter battle over the legality of such symbols on federal land.

An atheist group says that because Big Mountain Jesus stands on U.S. Forest Service property, it is in violation of the constitutional principle separating church and state.

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/national-international/article/Legal-battle-ignites-over-Jesus-statue-in-Montana-2291542.php

[DontTreadOnMe]

1. I love it!

We gotta shrink the size of government... and using Federal Land for free advertising should be eliminated! That Federal land is should be used for profit, and not subsidizing some hippie idol who never took a bath!

And they should be back sued for the 50 years they were not paying rent on that statue as well!

And what about the mental anguish the statue has brought upon all the non-believers that have driven by and had to view the statue... that's at least another couple million.

C'mon, just throw them a huge fast ball at their head, I am so sick of these arrogant religious fuckers...

[silverweb]

2. Obscenely tacky.

Is that statue wearing a helmet and holding a ski pole?!?

Never mind the religious issue -- ban it for being hideous and tacky!

[pinboy3niner]

5. The only things it's missing are the eyes that follow you around, lol

The fashion accessories apparently were added by a visitor for a photo op. A quote at the link indicates that visitors like to do that.

[Nye Bevan]

3. The proposed land swap seems like a good solution.

Then they can keep the statue as it will no longer be on public land.

[Logical]

6. As an atheist I am 100% ok with that also.

[WillyT]

4. Is It This One ???

:evilgrin: