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On The Wings Of My Dream In The Greater Scheme Of Things
Grotesque
It is said that “Man cannot live by bread alone” and for some hecklers and pseudo philosophers, it has somewhat a grain of truth: “we need water to come go with it”. But these past months, it has been so widely controversial that even chocolates has been a victim of controversy. Cosimo Cavallaro’s creation (a Jesus Chocolate) has met widespread criticism and protest from all Christians around the world. He made a six-foot chocolate carving of a crucified Christ, naked and with ponytails, suspended on thin air. It is not the first time that a Chocolate Jesus was concocted. Actually, several images of Jesus are sold in some gift shops in Rome that are made of chocolates.
But why the heck is Cavallaro’s work controversial?. It is because that the image generated scandal and mockery, especially to people who are hostile to the Christian religion. It is also seen as a cheap attempt to use the Christian Savior as a publicity stunt to earn money from Cavallaro’s exhibit. Are people these days desperate to seek attention that even the most sacred are used for desecration and foolishness?
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In Florida last year, another controversy exploded when an exhibit in the Museum of Science and Industry highlighted corpses, body parts and fetus arranged in a very peculiar way. The bodies are from unclaimed and unidentified individuals acquired by the artist in China. The Anatomical board in Florida voted 4:2 against the opening of this exhibition entitled “Bodies: The Exhibition”.
For an allied medical professional like me, corpses and body parts are our cup of tea, but we make it sure that we deal with them with utmost reverence and dignity. However, we studied real human cadavers in the premises of our classrooms, but we do not fail to give the body or a body part the utmost respect it deserves. The exhibition somehow violated the sanctity of the human body by deforming most of them and arranging them in poses that are very unnatural for a cadaver. One was sliced in half showing the internal organs coming out of the other side. And one was posed as if he was kicking a soccer ball with all the muscles and bones torn apart from its natural alignment. It is not only the deformity of the items in exhibit that are disturbing, but also the process of acquiring it. Most of the relatives of the human artifacts were not informed nor do they know that one of their dead relatives is already gaining limelight across the globe.
In Thailand however, another controversy is making its wave. A bakery shop has included in their bread line some gruesome concoctions. The bread are kneaded and baked in the traditional way but are designed in a very eerie manner. A human head, a slashed arm, bloodied feet, chopped torso: you name it, they all have it. It was not inspired by Jack the ripper though, it is loosely based on a Buddhist philosophy of “not believing in what you see as what you see”. But then again I can’t imagine that my Faith as a Catholic would somehow be literally obliged by these bread: “Take this bread, This is my body”.
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Needless to say, the eerie art of creating something are getting weirder and weirder each day. These ungodly creations maybe cool to some but not for me. I still prefer to eat my Chocolates wrapped in a “Cadbury and Hershey’s wrapper”, my bread in the traditional French or Pinoy presentation and my body be buried and laid six feet under, and not be exhibited in some museum thousands of miles from my homeland.
The Grotesque shown on these creations somehow reflects the moral and ethical decline of our current society. These are just representations of the human race’s failure to abide in the human rights, violated all over the world: Fetal stem research, Extrajudicial killings, Massacres, Mass Graves, Blasphemy and lack of faith, Religious hate, Racial Cleansing, Abortion and so many things that we are not created to do. It is possible that years from now, we will go back to the ways of old civilizations’ eating our neighbors body parts and wearing bones and skulls as fashion accessories.
My stand is not about conservatism, for truly, one liberal or another can claim that these are form of arts. But it’s all about sanity and the love for beauty and peace which what we truly are in the eyes of God, when we were created on that sixth day of the world’s existence.
The only Body and Blood that I intend to eat and drink for the rest of my life is that of Jesus Christ, not the chocolate, but the one offered in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass!
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bluepanjeet: I am an ex-capuchin seminarian who dream. I dream of becoming someone of service to my fellowmen. Though limited and often held by my own whims and caprices, humanness, flaws, warts and all, I’m striving to make my journey a meaningful and fruitful one. I try to make my dream inside and not outside of the world I am living in. My dream is simple, insignificant to others and trivial to some, but I dare take the leap against the flow the society’s standards. I dream big, but I start from small steps. I look at the big picture, but begin with the tiniest of all details. I do extraordinary things in the ordinariness of all events. Like Francis of Assisi before me, I have a dream, a simple and small dream. This blog is the start of a much bigger dream, a realization, an effort to make a difference in the world and its inhabitants. Join me as I journey in the secular world, blogging about my daily traversals which are often times accompanied by the moral lessons of life's humor and irony, the integration of the human and the Divine, my search for my proper place in the greater scheme of things and my never ending flight towards my aspirations, yearnings and goals On The Wings Of My Dream.
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Hi sir.
I wouldn’t say ALL christians protested against it. In fact, a lot of people found the furor around the chocolate christ to be a bit misplaced. I’ll raise the questions I raised on my blog.
Does a 6-foot statue of Jesus Christ offend your christian sensibilities?
Does it bother you that the statue is made of chocolate? If yes, what material wouldn’t offend you other than the usual marble, plaster and stone – butter, margarine, ice?
Does the fact that the statue is naked insult you? Why?
Does the fact that it’s being displayed during Lent scream of hatred and bigotry (note: the artist is a christian)?
Do you think there should’ve been a matching chocolate cross?
A lot of christians who visited my blog found it weird, but not utterly revolting.
There. Thank you. Have a nice day.
Benj
hello benj, thanks for dropping by!
Well I respect your opinion benj, but as what I’ve said “not for me”.
Matter and form does not constitute any blasphemy nor does it offend rather, but what was disturbing is its presentation and the motive of the creator.
when I said that “widespread criticism and protest from all Christians around the world” i’m speaking in general. I do not deduce any numerical value because its a mathematical impossiblity to even count those who and who did not protest.
My stand is purely subjective because this is a “personal blog”, hence I should have created a philosophical blog instead if I will focus more on the logic and philosophical issues. Though your question is a valid philosophical inquiry yet I choose to write my blog in a reflective approach, far fetched from the bowels of reason. but more on faith and insight.
my answer to all your questions are NO!
but let’s put in the other way around.
What if your father or mother is portrayed naked on a crucifix and is made of chocolates for the world to see?
does that offend your sensibilities as a human person and as a son of your parents?
Reason serves faith and not the other way around!
nice questions by the way. I haven’t had this discussion for a long time now.
God Bless!
I get where you’re coming from. But during the news coverages, this sort of explanation was never well discussed.
I appreciate that you’re explaining it better than they ever did.
There’s a bit of KSP-hood in the part of the artist, but I think having a religious figure naked is ok. After all, it is believed that people who were crucified were crucified in the nude. I think the chocolate part was described by the artist as something sweet – ergo like Jesus. Haha. Hardly Pulitzer Prize winning, but it seems clean enough to me in the not-so-offensive kind of way.
Well at least we had a nice discussion here. I’ll be looking forward to reading more of your posts here. And oh, I’m also studying to be in the field you’re in so we may have a lot more things to talk about – other than these things. hehe
Take Care.
You’re right about that. I see no malice in Christ being naked. because he really was when he was crucified on the cross. but then again not all Christians and Catholics for that matter share these views. I mean can we ever pray to an image whose “tingy” is hanging? we on the other hand do not put pictures or photos of our loved ones on our office desk naked diba? It boils down to respect and dignity. Even mummies were dressed/covered during their burial and they are not even Christians.
yes and thank you for those questions that you raised. It somehow triggered my rusty gray matter.
You’re always welcome here bro. And feel free to raise any questions especially when it pertains to “Nursing”. Good Luck on your studies.
btw, I was kinda blog hopping when I bumped into yours. as soon as I finished tons of my backlogs, I would be able to visit yours.
Greetings from the depths of my dreams (nightmares)
Keep Well and God Bless!
Does it offend me, or does it offend God?
Anyhow, I personally hate at Easter, when I see the chocolate crosses that they seel in the grocery, but it doesn’t really shake my faith.
The “naked” aspect, is another topic, as that is how He was on the cross, granted, if we really want a realistic portrayal, than He would also have to resemble hamburger, because that is how bad he was beaten.
Peace
naku, actually hindi ko gusto na made of chocolate ang ginawang material sa statue ni Jesus noh… kasi ang iisipin ko agad eh paano ko kakainin yun eh parang cannibal na ako nyan? hahaha..basta sana ang ginamit na lang na material ay plastic- or rubber- or leaves- or string- or metal- kahit na ano basta wag lang tsokolate–eh ang hilig hilig ko pa naman sa tsokolate–parang naisip ko lang ay sa halip na nag salivate ako ay parang feeling ko babaliktad sikmura ko— parang kasi sacrilegious na yan, -alam mo na, yun bang treating a holy matte about God without respect and the violation, desecration of God who is considered holy or sacred…
at maaring blasphemy na rin-at disrespect ba eh kasi naman God is worthy of respect or reverence..kung siya ay igagawa mo ng rebulto na gawa sa tsokolate ay asan na ang rfeverence diyan?… ay naku-ayaw kong makipag debate ha? basta yan ang aking personal na opinyon that does not reflect the opinion of anybody- …hulin hirit na lang ha?….
at parang di ni desecrate na talaga ang ating mahal na Kristo pag ganyan …buti sana kung i pi preserve at hindi ipapakain afterwards eh kahit na nga hindi ito ipapakain at fro the purpose of display only , still eh-the point na ang ginamit na material ay tsokolate eh parang hindi talaga maganda ang ganyang diskate…hahahaha…ewan…
basta hindi ko ma imagine na the actual body of jesus gets eaten up…buti sana kung host na gawa sa tinapay na consecrated -mas ok pa yun…yun lang ang masasabi ko po!….hindi po ako nakikipag debate hahahah–at wag kayong mag react sa sinabi kong ito dahil ito ay produktolang po ng aking sariling pananaw at pag iisip… at imahinasyon hahahahahaha.
church leaders and puritans back in the day had the same sentiment against paintings of the sistine chapel.
@Michael,
lol that was hilarious brother. but kidding aside its true. he was indeed a living hamburger–> juices flowing, ripped skin and all.
@Dom,
lol, point well taken bro. Everybody’s opinion is welcome here though I discourage debates in my blog, but a good discussion like this from time to time isn’t bad. actually its healthy, getting the view of others is also a learning experience may they be Christians or non-christians, theist or atheist alike.
this is an exercise on how well we tolerate other people’s opinion even though it may sound contradictory to our own beliefs but then again, the assurance is that, you said what you stand for and you believe in what you believe in, without stepping on other’s sensibilities, that’s good enough for me.
@Max,
yeah I agree, those were the days indeed, but we don’t see any chocolates in the premises of the sistine chapel right? otherwise, Might as well ask the witch of Hansel and gretel to build a ginger bread cross and a marshmallow version of Dimas and Hestas to go with it if we use this Jesus Choco for veneration and for exhibition.
merci de la chute près, Max!
I don’t think we’re debating. I think what’s happening is a very educational exchange of ideas between people who are both with strong convictions and open minds.
The key thing here is that we’re not convincing each other to believe what the other other is believing in – because that’s useless considering the level of conviction for both sides.
I really like your tone as a spiritual writer. You say a lot of things about your religion and belief but never do you claim that it should hold true for everyone. I can sense your pride in your beliefs, but it is not the type that offends. I commend you for doing what you do. :p
Ayun, ingat.
@ benj
thank you so much for that.
I really hope I don’t offend someone in the future. I value friendship as if it is my own life. I want other to feel my acceptance to them without prejudice because as a human, that’s also what i want for myself.
I could bash everyone with my views but on the final analysis, what does it leave me? only enemies, brooding and generating division instead of friendship and understanding.
I guess what I have learned from my mentors in the seminary is try to convert others with my action not by my words. forcing others to believe in my views is like forcing an elephant to enter a keyhole. Let the readers believe on what their conscience says. I’m just here to lay my views and not to force them to accept. Everyone has their own beliefs and you are indeed correct, when you said “we’re not convincing each other to believe what the other is believing in – because that’s useless considering the level of conviction for both sides” I totally agree with this bro.
We in our franciscan Capuchin heritage had this philosophy of “being a brother to all”, whether sinners or saints, believers or not. animate or inanimate objects alike. we embrace everyone as brothers without prejudice and discrimination:
“Not to be consoled but to console
Not to be understood, but to understand,
Not to be loved but to love”
what is important is we have harmony in this world, regardless of beliefs. And you and the rest in the blogosphere are my brothers and sisters in the spirit of camaraderie and human experience.
I am proud to say (and forgive me for this displaced sentimental gibberish) that for the record I already have moslems, buddhists and christians (of other denominations) as my online friends. and your added to my list. I am happy that my mission here in the blogosphere is gradually being realized– e.g. ecumenism and human harmony regardless of beliefs.
to enlighten others is not my responsibility, I’m just an instrument. In my faith as a catholic, it is the Holy Spirit that enlightens. What is good in me then, to mimic the spirit in enlightening people where in fact I don’t posses the power to do so? It’s only God alone who can convert hearts and not me.
but of course with all these tolerance i am giving, I am also obliged to defend my faith if the situation calls for it, that is, if there is an unreflected and direct/hostile attack on my belief as a Catholic. but i think it won’t happen here because I know that most of my friends who visit me here have respect for my faith just like what i’m giving them in their respective blogs. “do unto others what you want others to do unto you”.
actually this religion thing is a sensitive issue. but I am obliged by my faith to propagate it without any force or coercion, or pushing it too far for others to take. I really believe in free will.
In behalf of St. Francis, I welcome you here in my blog as my brother with my utmost respect in all that you believe in and what you stand for.
Cheers and looking forward to your future visits
PS, what year are you now in Nursing? are you reviewing for the boards now?
I’m a med student in UP.
Incoming third year proper.
I recognize that some may find this offensive, but one thing that I contuinually find to be true is that Jesus seems to continue to be culturally relevant. Whether it is chocolate statues, or “Jesus is my homeboy” t-shirts, the bottom line is that Jesus is just as active in culture today as he was 2000 years ago. I believe that as Christians we need to focus mostly on how we can be engaged in this type of activity, and avoid the tempation to have a knee-jerk reaction and come off as negative and confrontational.
Personally, I don’t think that this is the BEST artistic interpretation of who Jesus is, but I respect the right of the “artist” to create it, and look forward to the opportunities to have intelligent conversations with people about how Jesus is and should be characterized in “art”.
Dan
@ Benj
Oh that’s great. I thought you’re in nursing. But yours is better. Goodluck.
@Dan
Thanks for Dropping by!
I think you have a point there Dan. This wouldn’t be controversial at all if Jesus was not that significant. I mean everybody seems hopping on the Jesus train… Hollywood, Writers, and now artists… I just hope we still maintain the respect we owe him regardless of art and form.
yeah- i agree to that…He is alive and active in the hearts of the whole Christendom===mapalagay man siya sa tshirts, or sa kahoy, or sa plastic, or sa pagkain-isa lang ang bottomline nyan: That Jesus is still the greates infuence in the minds and hearts of every christian…. naku ha. english yun ahhh…hahahahahahh
@DOM OSB,
dre, sabi ko nga sayo, di kalaunan gagawan na rin si Jesus ng Gulaman or Tsampoy! But the thing is He is still alive in every Man’s heart. That’s what is important. Ang mahalaga’y importante
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