Jesus Tattooed Billboard Causes Stir in Texas [Photo]

A controversial billboard displaying Jesus Christ covered in tattoos is stirring up controversy in Texas.

An anonymous group has erected 59 billboards throughout Lubbock, Texas depicting Jesus clad in tattoos with the words "addicted," "depressed" and "jealous." The goal of the ad is to spread the message of God's love through their campaign, "Jesus Tattoo."

On the group's website, JesusTattoo.org, a video casts Jesus as a tattoo artist and shows several people with tatts approaching him to remove stigmas and sin from their bodies. He then takes to their forearms and wrists and replaces their original markings with words like, "accepted," "brave" and "humble."

The video then focuses on the character that plays both Jesus and a tattoo artist as he gets up from his seat to take his shirt off which then displays all the tattoos on his body that he just removed from the individuals. The message behind the ad is that Jesus takes people's burdens while offering his love and grace in exchange.

"The message is a simple one, Jesus' love is transformative. He loves us unconditionally and no matter what you've been marked with, faith in Him and love for others will transform us," said Ashleigh Sawyer, media relations coordinator for Jesus Tattoo, according to The Christian Post.

Sawyer says the group is "humbled by Jesus' love" who hope to convey the "greatest love story of all time."

"We're finding that those who visit the website and watch the video come to understand the message of the campaign. Certainly, like with all deeply personal relationships, not everyone approves of the image of Jesus with tattoos, but we welcome the controversy because we understand that a dialogue on the issue is the best way to spread the message," added Sawyer.

"We simply want to share the story with as many people as possible in a way that's relevant and appealing to both the churched and unchurched," she concluded.

Watch the ad below: