Dress Up Jesus for the Holidays!
 

I'm so going to hell......

http://www.jesusdressup.com/

I've drafted a response several different times and it's not coming out right.

I think it suffices to say that I'm just not amused. It's not that I'm outright offended, per se. It's just that lots of different people hold lots of different things extremely dear to their hearts, and I just personally prefer not to mock religious beliefs and symbols, no matter what those symbols are-- or who they belong to.

You all are welcome to mock whatever you want, of course. It's just not my scene.

You have to believe in it first

I totally get what you are saying. I do sort of feel though, that Jesus is tossed about so much by some super religious people in defense of whatever cause or support of whatever country, that this isn't really any different. Not that you are saying that either is ok.

While I always want to respect others beliefs, I do find the product funny because so many have pretty much already commercialized Jesus that putting him as a fridge magnet isn't really any more blasphemous than most of the stuff done in his name anyways.

If you joke with me about maiming cats or dogs, I'd be pissed, but I can laugh at this.

This is wrong on so many levels.

I too, am not amused. If he wern't on the cross it would be different, in my opinion.

"Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do."

Oh, I quite agree.

Thing is, there are plenty of Christians who are horrified at the fridge magnets and other crap, and who really believe in him.

I'm not overjoyed by this either. I don't like seeing other's beliefs really trampled, and I've laughed at enough Jesus spoofing for one Christmas season already.

As I often say at things like this - I'm glad my God has no visible form to make fun of.

Yeah, I get that. My point is that though I laugh at fridge magnet Jesus, I didn't laugh to trample or make fun of others beliefs. I laughed at the satire and irony behind making such a figure at all.

I have to say I am not the slightest offended by this. I really doubt Jesus would be, either. There is a hodgepodge of x-mas items used to decorate him that he might be offended by, but they occured long before this interactive excercise did.

I did have that thought, Wendy, that Jesus wouldn't be upset by it. But my parents would be completely stung by it-- and that's where I'm coming from.

Usually I can appreciate the irony of such jokes. Hell, South Park mocks everyone's various belief systems and I haven't yet stopped watching. There was something about dressing up Jesus on the cross that really bothered me, though.

I can appriciate the humor in this - mainly because once there are "clothes" on him it's the Grinch and not Jesus on the cross, and well.... But if he wern't on the cross it would be different.

The tightie whities made me laugh.

On the one hand, this is pretty offensive. On the other hand, the crucifix itself is an odd symbol. For you crucifix wearers out there, do you put it on as a symbol of comfort or faith and, if so, how conscious are you of the suffering endured during a barbaric execution?

I think I see what you are saying. Perhaps if the cross wasn't visible, it wouldn't be as offensive to some as it seems.

Sorry to have offended - it certainly wasn't my intent. It was just something silly that someone forwarded to me that I figured I'd share. :(

No offense taken here, DP. I am far more offended by real things like 'killing for Jesus' and the like. I appreciate the irony of it as well. Having been raised Catholic, we seldom saw Jesus in any other way than on the Cross, so I suppose it just didn't strike me as any different as the Buddy Jesus from Dogma that we have on our dashboard of our rig.:D

Oh, don't think you have offended. I don't think anyone here would take it that way. Besides, it's not your website, is it?

And in fact I wouldn't say I was offended, but rather that making light of what [I belive] Jesus did is what bothers me. Yes, I see the humor in it, and if it wasn't on the cross it wouldn't bother me.

But let me ask you, would you take a copy of the coroners photo of a dead loved one who was murdered in a back alley, and place a Grince face on them for a laugh?

Just a thought. But thank you for letting us know about it, and be able to talk about it DP!

Excellent point to help me understand your point-of-view. Thanks. :)

I'm not offended either. I've always found the crucifix a borderline offensive image all by its lonesome. And I married a Catholic. He's never been able to fully explain its "okayness" to me. As an outsider (non-Catholic or Christian) it seems horrible and violent and I don't understand how anyone could actually wear such a thing...still, I want to be tolerant and generous in my views of the religious convictions of others. I'd like to show respect. But what about the feelings of non-believers who have to see a person crucified on people's necks? Many people suffered that appalling fate, not just Jesus, and it honestly creeps me out to have to look at an image of torture used as jewelry.



[/waits for negative mojo]

I understand the concept that the religion part of Christianity (and esp Catholicism) is about the sacrifice, not just the philosophy, so I get the crucifix thing, though as a non-believer it does also creep me out.

Makes me think of that Bill Hicks routine:

No, Teresa, you didn't offend me. From the start I said that I was not outright offended by it. People make fun of everything and it's a huge waste of time and energy to get huffy every time someone mocks something that is important to you.

But I know that the image would be really hurtful to people I love. So it's just not my bag. RStar really pegged the reason why it's the cross specifically that makes it hurtful.

As far as crucifixes go, I grew up around simpler versions of the symbol hanging on the wall, typically adjoined wood in a cross formation. None of us wore them around our necks. (We were generally the kind of Catholics who actually listened to that whole "don't beat your heart to show everyone you're praying" advice.) Yes, the crucifix is macabre. But it's meant to be that way, to remind those who believe in it that Christ died that horrible, painful death to save us all from eternity in hell, so we'd best not f*ck up our chance to get there.

I don't really want to talk further about it on this public board, but I will talk about it on my LJ soon.

I don't find the site offensive, but I could see how some would be offended by it.

I'm turned off by this (below), but I could also see how some would be enlightened by it.


Source

I think this is funny:



:D

I think that's where Denis Prager's career should be burried.

That IS funny!

As far as the Statue of Liberty cross... what are they saying? That we're a nation of Christians? Obviously somebody's never been to Canter's Deli.

Of course we are. Just ask Prager.

Mmmmm. Canter's Deli.
:)

Years ago, Dennis Prager had a radio show on KABC called "Religion on the Line" and each week they would have a different panel of representatives from a number of different religions and have a roundtable discussion of a weekly topic. It was a fascinating and informative show and he was a great host. I had tons of respect for the guy.

His recent tirades have led me to believe that someone has killed or kidnapped Dennis and put an imposter in his place. It just can't be the same guy.

Back in the Reagan era, he was going, "Hey, I'm a Democrat, but . . ." with everything. Also, "Hey, I'm a Jew, but . . ." followed by some pandering to Christian moral majority types.

IF it was funny and appropos, yes I probably would. But, I've had a LOT of grusome deaths in my family and if I didn't find the black humor in things I probably would've become the next grusome death by now. (Says the woman who watched Arsenic and Old Lace after my father killed himslef with arsenic.)

I laugh in the face of a lot of things, but mostly don't take myself too seriously.