I wrote about this on my blog this morning.
I am an atheist, but welcome reasoned discussion. I do not allow any attacks to be made on me personally, or condemning me to hell for not believing, which is what usually happens when I post a story about religion. I am always open to discussing faith, and welcome anyone to post a comment on what I wrote.

On an aside, I really enjoy your blog, and if it would be ok, I’d like to continue reading and leaving comments on posts I find intriguing. Thank you.

We had a similar experience here in NZ about 10 years ago when an exhibition went on diaply of a Virgin Mary doll in a condom. The most vocal outrage came from a Christian political party who’s leader was recently convicted of sexual crimes. . . Sometimes the loudest opposition can come from those with guilt in their hearts.

As far as death threats go, that’s just rediculous, cowardly and evil behaviour. No more needs to be said about that.

Go back to Psalm 1. Love His law and meditate on it day and night. Then, we’ll be able to give a better response to the world around us. Psalm 119:165 says, “great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.” Nothing.

Personally I can’t handle much nudity, and unless I was personally sitting under a cross watching my rabbi die, I wouldn’t want to see him unclothed and thus disgraced. I guess that’s why we usually throw a loincloth on our pictures of Jesus.

However, it’s no sin to be historically accurate. Quite the opposite, I think. Why, then, should one be upset at an artist for sculpting that moment of Jesus’ life, and more accurately than the church normally does?

Please, let us treat artists outside of the church with a little more courtesy than to make violent threats when they explore religious subjects. I haven’t heard of anyone threatening Dan Brown with violence, and he blatantly twists theology to the point of absurdity to make a few bucks writing novels. It might a little unjust, then, to make a more honest artist fear death for doing his work.

Sincerely.

Has Cavallaro intentionally tried to provoke a response from the Christian community? In 1999, his painting “The Holy Virgin Mary” included elephant dung as a medium—and got a strong reaction. If so, the protestors bit on “Chocolate Jesus.”

Important correction: It actually wasn’t Cavallaro who did this painting, but an artist named Chris Ofili. Makes a difference when considering this particular work.

My own two cents on the whole issue here.

Now does the artist try to mock Jesus? Who really knows what was in his heart. We are not the ones to judge for the judgemnt day will come. Or job is to love and pray for those who do not know Jesus. Christians should not be known for hate but for love. I ask myself how Jesus would have reacted to this situation.

Let me just leave you with a final question. Does our reaction to the artist of the sculpture Glorify the Lord? Does hate and death threats Glorify and bring honor to His name?

He’s in our hearts, he’s not an imaginary image, from the minds of men, for we walk by Faith not by sight.

It’s just mere art to me. Just like any other thing fashioned to be the Christ, just art.