|
|
| Author |
Message |
Patience
Mentor
Joined: 13 Mar 2007
{Posts: 261 }
Location: Canada
|
 Posted: Sat 07 Apr 2007 13:01 Post subject: The Obama-Jesus Story |
 |
|
http://www.getreligion.org/?p=2323
| Quote: | Missing the Obama-Jesus story
Posted by dpulliam
Did you hear that Barack Obama looks a lot like Jesus in a sculpture at the The Art Institute of Chicago? Oh wait, he is supposed to be Jesus in the sculpture. Quick, someone inform Slate’s Timothy Noah, who has been dutifully chronicling the “Obama Messiah Watch.”
In all seriousness, the first news report I saw on this item was frightfully poor. A.J. Sterling of Fox News Chicago states glibly that “some may be offended by the suggestion that Christ is black, or that the United States could have a black president, but they don’t seem to be at the exhibit this night.” I guess the Grand Kleagle of the closest Klan had a previous engagement.
Where does Sterling come from? Sure, some don’t realize that Jesus probably looked a lot like your average Palestinian and are surprised when they see their blond-haired and blue-eyed image of Jesus shattered. But why is it necessary to suggest that this might offend some people? And why is the absence of the imagined offended people part of the news story?
Nathaniel Hernandez, an Associated Press writer, had a much more balanced and thorough report Tuesday that has a response from the Obama camp:
“While we respect First Amendment rights and don’t think the artist was trying to be offensive, Senator Obama, as a rule, isn’t a fan of art that offends religious sensibilities,” said Obama spokeswoman Jen Psaki.
Cordero said the school had fielded plenty of calls about his work, “some of them from angry people.” He also said he had heard from a few potential buyers.
Bruce Jenkins, dean of the art school’s undergraduate program, said response to the piece — part of a student exhibition — has been mostly positive. He said people should take a close look at the sculpture and the context it was created in before judging it.
“When you see it, when you spend time with it, you understand that it’s not a provocative work at all,” Jenkins said. “It opens a set of questions.”
I’d like to see someone try to gather exactly what “religious sensibilities” are being offended in this piece of art. What are the “angry people” saying? Who are the potential buyers?
I’m no expert art critic, but looking at the questions that this piece of art raises — is Obama perceived as a savior (by the media)? — seems to be a great way of covering the story rather than focusing on the fact that a handful of people may be upset over a depiction of a black Jesus.
|
|
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Patience
Mentor
Joined: 13 Mar 2007
{Posts: 261 }
Location: Canada
|
| Posted: Sat 07 Apr 2007 13:03 Post subject: |
|
|
 |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Dragon Horse
SuperMentor
Joined: 07 Feb 2007
{Posts: 1829 }
Location: Lookin DC Metro, Feelin Geneva
|
| Posted: Sat 07 Apr 2007 13:19 Post subject: |
|
|
| This is common in the African AMerican community to depict various black people as Jesus...Martin Luther King has also been depicted as such...it is not really a big deal... |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Patience
Mentor
Joined: 13 Mar 2007
{Posts: 261 }
Location: Canada
|
| Posted: Sat 07 Apr 2007 13:31 Post subject: |
|
|
I found a photo of the happy young artist, David Cordero. He looks a little like his creation. (ah the vanity of youth!)
 |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
odocoileus
Mentor
Joined: 05 Apr 2006
{Posts: 300 }
Location: Chatsworth, CA
|
| Posted: Sat 07 Apr 2007 14:18 Post subject: |
|
|
| Patience wrote: | I found a photo of the happy young artist, David Cordero. He looks a little like his creation. (ah the vanity of youth!)
|
 |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
sagascend
Moderator-at-Large
Joined: 17 Jun 2006
{Posts: 2412 }
|
| Posted: Mon 09 Apr 2007 15:59 Post subject: |
|
|
| Seems to me he would look right at home amongst the natives in Judea/Israel/Palestine. Would also love to know whose religious sensibilities are offended. I am far more offended by a Nordic Jesus personally because it is historically and geographically unlikely that Jesus looked as Europeans portray him. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
MP mulattoprince
Wizard
Joined: 10 Apr 2007
{Posts: 464 }
|
| Posted: Wed 11 Apr 2007 13:31 Post subject: |
|
|
| Among whites they photos of Jesus looking like them with blues, blacks have their photos of Jesus, I even seen a picture of a mexican Jesus I guest this makes christianity a universal religon. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Dragon Horse
SuperMentor
Joined: 07 Feb 2007
{Posts: 1829 }
Location: Lookin DC Metro, Feelin Geneva
|
| Posted: Wed 11 Apr 2007 13:57 Post subject: |
|
|
Muslims don't even allow depictions of God and believe we are all God's children.
So although I tend to not be a fan of the Abrahamic religions and Islam the least they are more correct on this point (in theory, not practice). |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
'
FAQ
Search
Register
Log in
