It’s no musica…

… and I’m very relieved about that. I don’t agree with Billy Graham on every spiritual issue, but I am glad that LifeWay decided to keep his likeness (above) clothed in the new statue unveiled yesterday downtown. I have to say that it does look very much like Graham, at the very least.

I honestly think this sculpture is pretty gaudy, though I am sure it is well-intentioned. Christianity places so much significance on humility and compassion–as does Graham–so it seems odd to me to create a colossal version of the beloved evangelist to tower over passersby for years to come. It seems a bit ironic, and almost intimidating, to me, and that really isn’t Graham’s nature, in my opinion. As I said above, there are plenty of things I don’t agree with Graham on, but I do think he is a dedicated, sincere and kindhearted man. I’m not sure this attempt at tribute lives up to that legacy.

(For the record, I love that Musica is on Music Row, if for nothing else that it offends some local folks with sensibilities that may be a bit too conservative. I just don’t want to see Billy Graham naked, and I think I’m in the majority on that issue.)