In a time when pop culture essentially drives most of our youthful lives, we find that people become icons for various reasons. Be it a naked crotch shot in a limo courtesy of some drunken starlet, or for being a source of guidance and inspiration for millions of people around the world for two thousand years, it’s all the same, right?
A man by the name of Jesus Christ seems to be a front in humiliating pop “iconization.” The social degradation of the Christian religious figure is outrageous and borderline sacrilegious, especially when it originates from those who proclaim themselves to be a Christian in any form.
How is Jesus blatantly disrespected? Well, take a look at a friend’s Facebook profile. If it reads something like “***In LoVe with JESUS!!!!***” under their religious views, such word choice comes to mind as disrespectful.
There is a sharp contrast between loving someone and being in love with someone — as every heartbroken teenage male on this earth knows. Jesus never engaged in any form of documented romantic activity or sexual relationship, which most people who are “in love” have. A simple “Methodist” or “Catholic” on your Facebook will do. The intention might be innocent, but the result is offensive, and though this might disappoint your friend, he or she can’t marry Jesus. Biology lab is a great place to search for a spouse, where you could try asking the cutie next to you if he or she will add an allele to your Punnett square.
Another example, Jesus is not anybody’s “homeboy,” nor was he, nor will he be. Jesus is not on the moral level of any of any “homeboys.” Christ did not do anything you and any “homeboys” do, and he probably didn’t converse about anything any “homeboys” talk about. Anybody who considers themselves a “homeboy” probably didn’t accomplish what Jesus did as a human being. If Jesus actually was your homeboy, you would show him some respect and not use or wear such a phrase.
So please, do every Christian person and fashion forward youth a favor and stop wearing that super tight, urine colored T-shirt you bought at Urban Outfitters proclaiming Jesus as your homeboy. Try a nicely fitted V-neck from American Apparel instead, perfect for your slim frame.
Speaking of retail, has anybody seen the sweet Jesus Christ action figures?! Oh man, he even carries his own healing staff!
Please, this is mockery at its best. What if those same toy developers created action figures of King David (batteries not included) or the Prophet Muhammad (Dome of the Rock sold separately)? Imagine the outrage. The makers of these toys would be called anti-Semitic and radical Muslim clerics would likely call for the eradication of these “toy” developers. On top of that, these plastic atrocities would probably be covered in lead-based paint and make a big mess a whole lot bigger.
It’s amazing that Christians haven’t taken a stand against this kind of blasphemous product. By making Christ or any religious figure into a toy, that individual is robbed of any credibility as a real human being who existed and did great things for the world. Try investing that hard earned cash on less provocative action figure such as Stretch Armstrong, a long-time, Jesus-friendly toy.
The real issue at hand is that people don’t understand that what they’re doing is directly blasphemous. They perceive “spreading the word of Jesus” as morphing him into A-list celebrity status. At this rate, when is his tirade at the temple going to hit the cover of Us Weekly?
The hypocrisy is evident. To portray Jesus Christ as a plastic superhero is to disgrace his worldly contributions centuries ago. To consider Jesus a homeboy is to place him on one’s own level, and for Christians, the Bible specifically declares otherwise. To be in love with Jesus is to demoralize everything that Christianity stands for. Consider these notions as a Christian or as a member of any faith, and don’t condone — intentionally or not — products that may further insult someone else’s faith.
Young people who consider themselves religious need to find alternate forms of expression for their faith. When it comes to theology, it is imperative that we, as the future of society, recognize that religion is to be celebrated in only the most mindful of ways.
This isn’t a matter of political correctness, but a matter of respect. Religious figures are not pop stars. For people of a faith to acknowledge or idolize them in that way is shameful and should not be tolerated on any scale.
— Oliver Casey is a sophomore in enterprise management. He can be reached at [email protected].
