BETTING firm Sportsbet may have scored an own goal after linking Jesus Christ to gambling.

Melburnians looking to the heavens this morning could have been forgiven for believing they had witnessed the Second Coming as a 46m high Christ the Redeemer statue emerged through the mist.

Jesus was seen wearing an Australian soccer jersey donning the Sportsbet logo with the slogan #KEEPTHEFAITH.

media_camera The balloon looks down on the city’s southern suburbs in this photo taken for mX. Picture: Andrew Tauber

Sportsbet said its replica of Brazil’s world famous landmark will give a much-needed dose of divine intervention for our Socceroos this week.

But the statue attracted criticism for its association between religion and gambling.

Deputy Premier Peter Ryan said the balloon promoted was disrespectful.

“They ought to sink it,” he said.

“It should leave the skies.”

media_camera The real Christ The Redeemer statue is 30m tall. Picture: Andrew Tauber

Child psychologist Michael Carr-Gregg said the betting company was crazy to use the image of Christ to lure punters.

“It’s stupid, short-sighted, it’s going to offend a lot of people,” he said.

“Whoever is the PR agency advising them, dumb, very dumb, get another one.

“It’s very offensive, particularly if you’re religious.”

Australian Christian Lobby director Dan Flynn told 3AW the campaign was “unfortunate”.

“It’s really like the use of a sporting hero or a major iconic person to promote gambling and obviously their intention is to increase gambling revenue,” he said.

“In a sense Jesus is being co-opted in that and I think the concerns that we would have is that people seeing this flying over the CBD, children who have a fascination with Jesus, a fascination of balloons, are sort of inducted into the culture of gambling.

“Jesus was very much for the poor and we know the effect of gambling on the poor, they take the biggest brunt of that.”

media_camera Christ the Redeemer was the largest art deco statue in the world when it was built. Picture: Andrew Tauber

Sportsbet PR manager Shaun Anderson defended the stunt saying it was about sending a message of support to the team in Brazil using a Brazilian icon.

“Let’s be honest — the Socceroos need divine intervention to progress past their three group games so the message we’re aiming to get across is that for all Aussies to keep the faith in the Socceroos,” he said.

The World Cup kicks off on Friday in Brazil, with the host nation going head to head with Croatia.

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