This is, sadly, not a Babylon Bee spoof. It is an example of the broadening view of religion in America….

Last summer, the huge statue, called the “Statue of Union,” was erected at Sugar Lands’ Sri Ashtalakshmi Temple in Sugar Land, TX (just outside of Houston). The statue was designed in India and much of it was manufactured in China. It is the third tallest statue in the United States (details here). Ninety feet tall and weighing ninety tons, the statue of Hanuman represents the Hindu god who is a symbol intended to unite people and communities together (details here). He is “said to have played a significant role in the birth of the wind god, Vayu” (details here). More significantly, he is a devoted companion of Rama, considered to be the “supreme being” in Hinduism (details here).

According to the temple website….

“If you are feeling low, disappointed, or demotivated, then meditate upon Hanuman. Working like Hanuman can bring you satisfaction and glory that lives forever.”

“Hanuman leaped over the ocean (now Indian ocean) to reach Lanka (now Sri Lanka) over millions of years ago. He overcame several hurdles. It is all history. How does this help all of us today? What can we learn from Hanuman and what is his role in our lives? Why are there hundreds of Hanuman temples across our nation, Bharath and the world?
For devotees and truth seekers, Hanuman represents acharya who connects a soul with the forgotten identity. The identity is: A soul is always subservient to God, not independent of God. Hanuman utilizes his knowledge, wit, values, qualities, appearance and all his skills to overcome any kind of hurdle in bridging the gap between a suffering soul (Sitha) and longing Lord (Sri Rama).”

Christian America

America is no longer a Christian nation, but it appears we have, perhaps, stabilized in the decline of our Biblical Christian roots. According to a Pew Research (details here) published in February of 2025…

“After many years of steady decline, the share of Americans who identify as Christian shows signs of leveling off – at least temporarily – at slightly above six-in-ten, according to a massive new Pew Research Center survey of 36,908 U.S. adults.”

Of course, the 62% of “Christians” include nominal Christians who identity but do not practice their faith, and those who profess to be Roman Catholics. As an indicator of true believers, only 33% say they go to “religious services” at least once a month.