Written By: Ken Hulsey
Source: Avery Guerra
Bow down and prepare to receive the cleansing radioactive breath of the "King of the Monsters" all ye of true faith.
Okay, not really.
Though the local Nazarene church in Zillah, Washington is called the "Church of God-Zillah", to my knowledge, none of their flock have renounced their faith and begun worshipping 55-meter-tall monsters from Japan.
I said, to my knowledge.
Regardless, the church has been more than happy to cash in on the fact that "Zillah" sounds like "(God)Zilla" and have erected a wire-frame float of the monster, complete with cross and a sign that says "Jesus Saves", in the parking lot. One can only assume that one day the thing will be covered in green scales to look more like the original.
According to the church, they began using the name "God-Zillah" long before Godzilla ever stomped throuh Japan. As for the town, it too was named way before the horrors of radioactivity unleashed giant creatures upon mankind, in 1892, not for any dinosaur, but for Miss Zillah Oakes, daughter of Thomas Fletcher Oakes, who was president of the Northern Pacific Railway at the time.
Who would name their daughter "Zillah"? I guess when your a big railroad tycoon you can name your kids anything that you want, and who will argue?
Even though the town, and the church were named first, I suspect that when Toho's lawyers get wind of this, they will still file a suit.
Now I lay me down to sleep. I pray Godzilla my soul to keep, and if I die before I wake. It will probably be the monsters fault. - Japanese proverb
See Also: Godzilla - 13-Inch Plush - Doll / Chinese Entertainment Co. Buys Share In Legendary Pictures / Godzilla Goes Prime-Time! - Godzilla vs Megalon On NBC In 1977 / Putting Legendary Pictures Godzilla 3D (2012) Into Perspective (Part 2) / Godzilla 2012: Brian Rogers On Legendary Pictures Film Plans / GODZILLA 2012 Producer Brian Rogers To Speak At 3D ENTERTAINMENT SUMMIT / It's GODZILLA Vs TUFFZILLA In Court / New Legendary Pictures GODZILLA Design To Be Revealed At Comic Con! / Arkansas Family Builds Ultimate GODZILLA Suit / Tim Burton On For MONSTERPOCALYPSE - Still In Line For GODZILLA? - More Film Details! / A Reason To Be Optimistic About Godzilla 3D (2012)? / Hot Off The Press! Page 77 Of Todd Tennant's "Godzilla 1994" Online Comic / Godzilla, Anguirus, And The Case Of The Missing Monster Suits / Godzilla 3-D, Godzilla 2012, Rumors And Misinformation Abound / What The Fans Want To See In An American Godzilla / Godzilla 2012 - Legendary Pictures/Warner Bros (Fan Group) / It's Official! A New Godzilla Movie Is Coming In 2012! / Get Ready With Your Finger Missiles And Robot Punch! The Shogun Warriors Are Coming To The Big Screen! / Japanese Uber Geekdome - Godzilla Related Cosplay & The Return Of The Life-Sized Gundam / "Godzilla 1985": 25th Anniversary / All Monsters Attack (aka Godzilla's Revenge)(1969)(Toho) / A Godzilla Plush Doll For All You Little Monsters / Run For Your Life! It's Godzilla!!...No...Wait It's A Crustacean / Putting Legendary Pictures Godzilla Into Perspective / Legendary Pictures Announces New Godzilla Movie! / Roland Emmerich Proud Of Godzilla, Not Making Sequel / Toho Tells Comcast, "Didn't You Learn From Subway? You Can't Use Godzilla To Sell Cable TV!" / Peter H. Brothers' Ishiro Honda Bio To Be Published / G-FAN No. 88 Summary / Schedule Conflict Knocks Out Godzilla Film Fest / G-FEST XVI News / Preserving Godzilla And The Blu-Ray Announcement / Godzilla 3D - Opinions Swirling Swirling Swirling