PANDORA, Ohio — The Lord and laptop computers are working in mysterious ways to bring families closer during the holidays.

When we travel to northern Ohio to spend Thanksgiving with my wife's family, we skip two Sundays of church attendance. We could visit someone else's church, but we typically don't.

A lot of motorists traversing the Buckeye State during the holidays are skipping church. Perhaps that was the thought behind a giant statue of Jesus erected by a megachurch beside the northbound lanes of I-75 just outside Cincinnati.

It's impossible to drive past the statue — which reaches heavenward from a waist-deep position in a reflecting pool — without thinking about the Savior. The sculpture's startle power remains strong no matter how many times you see it emerge from the highway's horizon.

The first thought most people have when they see the statue is, "Why would anyone build something like that?"

My wife, Sharon, had other questions: Whose idea was it? How much did it cost? Was there a vote among parishioners?

The oversized artwork has inspired at least one song. Comedian Heywood Banks observed that the statue's color makes it appear to have been carved out of butter. His song "Big Butter Jesus" is sweeping the country on morning talk radio.

Sharon had not heard the whimsical tune with its country-gospel style. On the first day of our visit with her large family, I located a "Big Butter Jesus" recording on YouTube, the free video-sharing Web site.

Apparently, the song was not as well known as the statue in Ohio's northwest corner. Before long, multiple laptops in the same house were abuzz with "Big Butter Jesus" refrains. The song's chorus blends the Savior's name with familiar names from the dairy case.

". . .Oh country-fresh Jesus
Unsalted Jesus
Oh Promise Jesus
Imperial Jesus
Can't believe it's not Jesus..."

That song is funny. If it's a sin to enjoy it, there are some devout Christians up here sinking deeply into its evil grip.

During a lively discussion about the statue's origin, Sharon's brother suggested the massive artwork is designed to spark questions and to prompt people to venture inside the church for answers.

I think my father, a Baptist minister, would agree with that assessment. Anything that gets people talking about Jesus is a good thing, he would say.

During previous Thanksgivings here in Ohio, the older women have been known to remove their shoes after the feast and hold a contest to see who has grown the largest bunions.

Anything that offers a diversion from that activity cannot be a sin.

Mark Rutledge can be contacted at mrutledge@coxnc.com.