As an owner of an ETX125 I'm just seconding all the previous responses.
The ETX125 is good for the Moon, Sun (with solar filter) brighter planets (its 1900mm focal length gives quite a good image size) and bright DSOs. However its 5-inch aperture (with a central obstruction) and f/15 focal ratio (read: 'dim image') limits its use for fainter stuff. As the others have said, an 8-in or 10-in dob is the usual way to go first-off.
The 125ETX was my first 'real' scope purchase as I just wanted to see what the go-to stuff was all about in a portable package. I'd already looked through many other types of scope. I'd also had some previous experience of 'star-hopping' which I found somewhat frustrating.
I've been quite happy with the ETX's optical performance with Vixen LV eyepieces (but the scope does take a long time to cool down), but nervous about how long this one's so-far good electro-mechanical operation will continue, as this aspect of mass-produced go-to scopes leaves a bit to be desired.
If you want to stick to a computerised SCT then the previous suggestion of a Celestron Nexstar SE sounds like a good idea.
http://www.celestron.com/c2/product....=13&ProdID=415
The 6-in 6SE is a similar price the Meade if you shop around and you have the advantage of a slightly bigger aperture and the benefits that Miaplacidus pointed out. I certainly didn't realise you can remove the OTA in the SE range.
Don't forget the cost of add-ons, essential and optional: eyepieces, better finder(?), dew control, external battery power, red torch, planisphere, star atlas (the last two assuming you want to learn the sky by the traditional methods in addition to the scopes' go-to and computerised data).
Hope this info helps. Where are you located? There are no details in your posts.