An exhibit depicting a naked Jesus statue made out of chocolate was canceled on Friday by the art gallery in New York where it was to be displayed. Photo below.
“This is an assault on Christians during Holy Week,” said Kiera McCaffrey, director of communications for the league, which describes itself as the largest U.S. Catholic civil-rights group.
The exhibit of the naked chocolate Jesus was set for showing on Monday, but was canceled in the face of heated complaints from the Catholic League, which threated an organized boycott of the hotel which is an adjunct to the gallery.
Reuters has the story
“Your response to the exhibit at the Lab Gallery is crystal clear and has brought to our attention the unintended reaction of you and other conscientious friends of ours to the exhibition of Cosimo Cavallaro,” Roger Smith Hotel President James Knowles said in a statement addressed to “Dear Friends.”
I almost always agree with the Catholic League in their plentiful defenses of Christianity and Catholicism in particular. Christianity is under attack in western culture, and it is advantageous to stand up with strong, unified voices.
In this case I think I would have to see this statue in person to fully understand the fuss. As a Catholic, I’m just not so exercised about this “art” as I was, for example, about the Mapplethorpe Christ in a jar of urine exhibit.
We actually DO eat The Lord’s flesh every Sunday, so the chocolate part is somewhat interesting symbolism to me. Naked? Okay. We are made in His image. I’m still trying to be offended.
“The fact that they chose Holy Week shows this is calculated, and the timing is deliberate,� said Catholic League President, Bill Donohue, whose group represents 350,000 Catholics nationwide.
Yes they chose Holy Week, but that begs the question. Is this a celebration of Jesus which is appropriate for Easter Holy Week, or is it an affront?
See other perspectives at Outside the Beltway, Maha Blog, Think Christian, Michelle Malkin.
The chocolate statue of Jesus is below the fold if you want to see it, both the back and a difficult to find front photo which I guess I will call the “uncensored” version.
“My Sweet Lord” by Cosimo Cavallaro
[tags]naked+chocolate+jesus, statue, photo, uncensored[/tags]
April 1st, 2007 at 5:27 am
Wow - rare photo indeed - you must have been on a mission, McCain.
I posted about this yesterday too and there are some interesting comments on what folks think.
http://writeslikeshetalks.blogspot.com/2007/03/is-chocolate-jesus-blasphemous.html
Happy Pesach ya’ll!
April 1st, 2007 at 7:26 am
I think a chocolate Jesus raises the awareness that our culture has missed the point on Easter. On the first Easter, no one was looking for chocolate bunnies or chocolate Easter eggs…they were looking for Jesus’ body!
Before his crucifixion, Jesus said that three days later he would rise from the dead, as proof that he was the Son of God. He didn’t say he would reincarnate (who would know?). He said he would come back to life three days after his crucifixion. Pretty specific proof, and publicly stated, several times.
The Roman government even posted a guard of soldiers at the tomb to prevent it. Yet, three days later, the guards fled, the tomb was empty (except for Jesus’ burial cloths). Faith in Jesus completely hinges on the resurrection.
Here’s a great summary regarding Jesus’ disciples and their perspective, due to that first Easter: http://www.everystudent.com/wires/apostles.html
April 1st, 2007 at 7:30 am
Marilyn, thanks for the link. The thing is that I don’t get from the statue that we have missed the point on Easter. We have missed the point on Easter, but…
Jill, I just read your thread. Thanks for the link!
April 1st, 2007 at 9:05 am
Here’s a unique idea, put a loin cloth on it…
Or someone can just gnaw the appendage off it it offends them so badly…
Idolaters being pissed off by a chocolate idol?? Funny…
April 1st, 2007 at 9:59 am
You bet, McCain - just linked to it again - how do people feel about a Jesus made of yellow peeps?
April 1st, 2007 at 11:36 am
um … wh do men always want to show their bits and pieces … and associate them with candy?
we do like chocolate, but we aren’t thaaaat stupid … paris hilton notwithstanding
September 18th, 2009 at 10:13 am
mapplehtorpe did not do “piss christ”, it was Andres Serrano. i saw the exhibit and ehard him speak in dallas.