"Zombie" nativity scene puts Ohio man at odds with town

SYCAMORE TOWNSHIP, Ohio - An Ohio man is standing behind his interpretation of the birth of Christ, despite his use of the undead to depict the moment celebrated by faiths worldwide.

Sycamore Township, near Cincinnati, had threatened Jasen Dixon last week with fines if he did not get rid of the zombie nativity scene he erected in the suburb, saying it violated zoning codes by taking up too much space on his front lawn, according to CBS News affiliate WKRC.

But he says it doesn't violate any codes by his measurements and refused to take it down, leaving it up for the duration of Christmas.

"Actually, you'll see them look over and just turn the other way and hit the gas," said Dixon, who runs a local haunted house and decided to put his own spin on the Nativity. "Other than that, everything's positive. Thumbs up, freedom of expression."

Dixon said ministers and pastors have told him they like it because it's his depiction of a nativity scene, WKRC said.

Although the scene will be packed up for the year, Dixon told the Cincinnati Enquirer he's planning on bigger and better for 2015, and even started a crowdfunding campaign to do so.

"I'm a builder. I can make it look real good," he said.