September 11, 2004 @ 6:29 pm

Commentary: The Jesus Piece

by: R. Hagood

The Passion of the Christ DVD had already sold over 9 million copies during its initial release. Kanye West's oft-changed "Jesus Walks" single and video are all over the airwaves. The Da Vinci Code has been the bestselling book for more months than we can count. And has anyone else

Absurd? Perhaps, but interestingly worth discussing at length. When exactly did Jesus become a pop-culture icon? Is this a good or bad thing? And is any of this actually about devotion? But more than that, is Jesus being pimped? This isn't to say that reducing Jesus to a punchline is anything new. The classic 70's TV series Good Times made the age-old debate over Jesus' race a classic first-season episode. You know the story, JJ painted a portrait that arguably resembled Ned (the wino) and named it "Black Jesus", or "BJ." Florida was firmly against hanging the painting in their home, countering that she preferred the one she grew up with, which, incidentally, depicted Jesus as a European. This was even after Michael pointed out that JJ's painting was closer to how Jesus is described in the Bible. The rest of the Evans clan credited the portrait with their instant stream of good luck, only to take it down when things went back to normal. The intent: To show how the white man has claimed ownership of God's earthly incarnation. The punchline: Be happy Jesus ain't your homeboy. But this isn't about Jesus being a joke, it's about how His new popularity has compelled those of us who aren't so religious to delve deeper into Him. Who exactly, benefits from this somewhat trivial interest in Him? Twenty-four-seven Jesus devotees who practice something akin to a religious immersion certainly don't. But what about those of us that want the answers without the strict religious constraints? Perhaps this branding of Jesus is teaching us that it's alright to talk about Him outside of the church and not feel as though we are preaching or trying to save someone. Rather than look at this as another case of shameless commercialization, let's look at it as something positive. Whatever your beliefs are, the recent Jesus fascination could simply be an example of people's need to know - those without a means for pursuing that knowledge. The entertainment industry could be laying the groundwork here, pointing us in the right direction, even if that's not really the intent. So whether Dan Brown, Kanye West, or Mel Gibson pointed you there, it could only be a positive thing. That's if it results in you taken the further steps to look deeper. And if somehow Jesus ends up being your homeboy, then that's alright too.

Article tags: Commentary, Jesus, Piece 

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