The Last Supper mocked in Paris?

[Regiomontanus]

Of all of the performances that could have taken place at the opening of the Olympics, why would this choice be made? Artistict freedom? Deliberate disrespect?

Paris Olympics organizers say they meant no disrespect with 'Last Supper' tableau

Paris Olympics organizers have apologized to any people who were offended by a tableau during Friday’s opening ceremony evoking Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper, but defended the concept behind it.

apnews.com

Olympics Organizers Apologize After Drag Queen ‘Last Supper’ Slammed By Conservatives

"The Last Supper" by Leonardo Da Vinci depicts Jesus and the 12 apostles the night before his crucifixion.

www.forbes.com

I wonder what the response would have been if it was Islam or Judaism being targeted?

IMHO, bad taste. Curious what RFers think about this?

 

[Estro Felino]

We are speaking of Macron. We are not speaking of Orban. Imagine if Orban would have allowed such a spectacle.

I don't feel offended as a Christian. I feel offended as an European. That is, that France is about much more than that.

 

[Eddi]

In a society such as contemporary France everyone is free to ridicule Christianity but not so much other faiths

Christianity is a soft and easy target and it has become very docile in comparison to some other faiths

Also, France has a very secular civic tradition so that's also a factor here

 

[Debater Slayer]

I didn't watch the opening ceremony or care about it, so I only knew about this through Google suggestions. I think it was an ill-conceived display that shouldn't have happened. I also realize that France has a history of irreverent expression in various media, though, so this didn't surprise me, as tacky and disrespectful to Christianity as I found it.

That said, I also think any given person's reaction to the display may function as a litmus test for consistency if they defended disrespectful cartoons of Muhammad against criticism but are now outraged about this. If no one has the right not to be offended (and I don't believe anyone has such a right), then that applies to everyone regardless of religion or lack thereof.

 

[Estro Felino]

Carnivalesque shows ridicule the Olympic Games.
In another context that would have been very original. I mean...re-interpreting a work of art by Da Vinci.
But in this context it means to make France more and more fuchsia and less prestigious since Macron Le Bon Bon is in charge.

 

[Debater Slayer]

Carnivalesque shows ridicule the Olympic Games.
In another context that would have been very original. I mean...re-interpreting a work of art by Da Vinci.
But in this context it means to make France more and more fuchsia and less prestigious since Macron Le Bon Bon is in charge.

(Coloring mine.)

Homophobic vitriol only reflects on the people propagating it rather than anyone else. It also adds nothing of value to any serious discussion.

 

[Absolutely Frank]

They

Of all of the performances that could have taken place at the opening of the Olympics, why would this choice be made? Artistict freedom? Deliberate disrespect?

Paris Olympics organizers say they meant no disrespect with 'Last Supper' tableau

Paris Olympics organizers have apologized to any people who were offended by a tableau during Friday’s opening ceremony evoking Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper, but defended the concept behind it.

apnews.com

Olympics Organizers Apologize After Drag Queen ‘Last Supper’ Slammed By Conservatives

"The Last Supper" by Leonardo Da Vinci depicts Jesus and the 12 apostles the night before his crucifixion.

www.forbes.com

I wonder what the response would have been if it was Islam or Judaism being targeted?

IMHO, bad taste. Curious what RFers think about this?

They being typical Parisians. They were trying to being edgy and sophistication subverting the traditional only to find themselves looking ridiculous. I keep telling people that whole thing was just a bunch of opulent capitalist cringe and bull****. But you know people like shiny objects and that turd was shining like it was lit with a thousand lights, if you know what I mean.

 

[Regiomontanus]

Also, France has a very secular civic tradition so that's also a factor here

Yes. Only in France, among the countries in the EU would this have happened, I think.

 

[Estro Felino]

(Coloring mine.)

Homophobic vitriol only reflects on the people making it rather than anyone else. It also adds nothing of value to any serious discussion.

I thought Macron was straight...
why homophobia?

 

[Eddi]

Yes. Only in France, among the countries in the EU would this have happened, I think.

Definitely

 

[England my lionheart]

I would say it was tacky at best and choreographed with the finess of a market butcher,I doubt it was intensional to offend so I think it was just really crap.

 

[Altfish]

It is typical that snowflakes are so easily offended

 

[SalixIncendium]

Much ado about nothing.

 

[Debater Slayer]

I thought Macron was straight...
why homophobia?

Because the denigration you posted had these subtexts:

But in this context it means to make France more and more fuchsia and less prestigious since Macron Le Bon Bon is in charge.

What did you mean by "make France more and more fuchsia" and "Macron Le Bon Bon"? How is that relevant to the OP?

 

[Regiomontanus]

I didn't watch the opening ceremony or care about it, so I only knew about this through Google suggestions.

Me too

.

That said, I also think any given person's reaction to the display may function as a litmus test for consistency if they defended disrespectful cartoons of Muhammad against criticism but are now outraged about this. If no one has the right not to be offended (and I don't believe anyone has such a right), then that applies to everyone regardless of religion or lack thereof.

Great point. IMHO, those cartoons were intentionally offensive. Should violence result? No, of course not.

Can't we all agree that we should mot go out of our way to provke and insult?

 

[Debater Slayer]

Much ado about nothing.

It doesn't offend me, especially since I'm a non-Christian, but can we say that it's nothing to, say, a practicing Christian?

I think perceptions of it will vary and that it's not for me to decide whether a Christian should be offended by it or not, as long as they don't try to legally or physically prohibit such displays.

 

[Debater Slayer]

Great point. IMHO, those cartoons were intentionally offensive. Should violence result? No, of course not.

Agreed. Violence and legal prohibition (e.g., via blasphemy laws) are completely unacceptable and should never be on the table.

Can't we all agree that we should mot go out of our way to provke and insult?

I agree in most contexts, the reason I say "most" being that sometimes a subset of people will feel provoked or insulted, whether understandably or not, due to inherent conflict between their beliefs and others'. For instance, many non-Catholics or non-Muslims may be offended by being depicted as corrupt, hellbound, immoral, etc., in some sermons, but of course people who believe such things won't stop expressing their views during religious speeches. On the flip side, many religious minorities have historically and recently been persecuted because others have considered the minorities' beliefs offensive by default because of diverging from mainstream beliefs.

So, I think it's often best not to go out of one's way to engage in expression intended to insult someone else's views, but the topic seems to me more nuanced than a blanket rule could make room for.

 

[Debater Slayer]

It is typical that snowflakes are so easily offended

If someone was offended by that display, does that necessarily mean they're a "snowflake"?

 

[Regiomontanus]

Carnivalesque shows ridicule the Olympic Games.
In another context that would have been very original. I mean...re-interpreting a work of art by Da Vinci.
But in this context it means to make France more and more fuchsia and less prestigious since Macron Le Bon Bon is in charge.

The sooner he is gone the better IMHO!

 

[Regiomontanus]

It is typical that snowflakes are so easily offended

So, if one feels their faith has been insulted / ridiculed, that makes them snow flakes?