I tend toward iconoclasm...

...although I recognize scripture is not as clear on the subject as I tend to think it is, and I recognize many Christian traditions enjoy statues and other images as useful outreach tools.

(For those who do not know, iconoclasm is a belief that images are inappropriate in Christian worship. Iconoclasts during the Reformation were known for raiding churches and destroying statues by force.)

But, the destruction of the famous Jesus statue in Ohio is a good reminder that any image - even that of Christ - is just a thing made of human hands. It is not God or even a god.

A bolt struck a 62-foot-tall statue of Jesus Christ on Monday outside a church in Monroe, Ohio, and the statue erupted in flames. All that remains is a charred steel skeleton, its spindly arms stretched toward heaven, a gesture that once earned it the nickname "Touchdown Jesus."

Darlene Bishop, co-pastor of Solid Rock Church, says she's simply relieved that the lightning hit Jesus and not the home for at-risk women next door.

Plus, how often do you have the excuse to use "iconoclasm" in a blog headline?

Deep Thought of the Day: Human Idols and Heroes

Recently, a man in our church has been in the papers and charged with acts that shed serious doubt on his good standing. This man was an Elder of the church, a former pastor, and currently the head of a major charitable organization. The papers have certainly exaggerated the charges, bringing out rumors as well as facts, but it appears at least some of the charges are true.

It has reminded me of the importance of NOT trusting in human idols or heroes.

As children - and even as adults - we are all tempted to pick heroes whom we attempt to model our lives after. For some, it is a great historical figure like George Washington or Teddy Roosevelt. For some, it is a family member - Mom or Dad or a grandparent. For others, it is a mentor - a pastor, a teacher, a counsellor. We look up to these people, and pattern ourselves after them.

But the reality is that very few humans can stand up to the pressure of this kind of idealization. Historians have an obsession with taking heroes off of their pedestals - as seen more recently in the obsession with Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemmings. And even the best men have feet of clay and weak moments. Martin Luther - who stood strong against the Catholic Church under the threat of execution - was an ardent anti-semite. We now know that Mother Theresa often had deep doubts about the existence of God.

Remember, only God can stand up to the intensity of human expectations. One of the reasons He gave us Jesus was so that we could see one perfect human. For all the others, be kind when judging their frailties. Be just, but also be kind.