The Last Supper mocked in Paris?

[Quagmire]

France is hosting the Olympics.

Host.

That means you're supposed to be taking your guest's sensibilities into account.

 

[Regiomontanus]

People need to chill out and get over themselves, particularly and especially Conservative Christians who get offended over this but don't give a single damn when their crap harms another. Like how they expect us to tolerate them teaching homosexuality is a sin and abomination before their god just because its what thsir so-called holy book says, and they also expect us to honor their sacred cow ****.

Hello. What about pinko-commie lefty Christians like me? May I be offended?

 

[Tomef]

I appreciate your voice on this issue. But, in regard to the bit above, you are wrong.

As just one example of what I mean, where was mass conducted in Latin for the first time?

North Africa.

Where was the term 'Christian' first coined?

Syria.


Peace

Um I’m aware that Christianity doesn’t come from Europe. I think it would be hard to find anyone who doesn’t know that.

Christianity has been the main religion in much of Europe for most of the last 2 millennia. As practised now, it would be unrecognisable to its founders. It is, largely, in most people’s eyes, a ‘western religion’. The initial missionary journeys founded some small groups here and there, but globally, it spread to sub-Saharan Africa, the Americas and across parts of Asia from Europe. The most widely recognised image of Christ is as a white guy.

To say that in Europe ‘we see it as our religion’ does not mean it began in Europe. It means that, according to census data, more people identify as at least nominally Christian than any other single religion, and even those of us who don’t recognise the various influences of Christianity on European cultures. Do you understand what I mean?

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Hello. What about pinko-commie lefty Christians like me? May I be offended?

Over a worldly idol? Over a graven image?
Better to refelct on how Christianity went from highly respected to something people can openly **** on.

 

[We Never Know]

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?

The mocked became the mockers.
Do unto others what you hate being done to you.
Great philosophy.

 

[ChristineM]

Does this look anything like the Last Supper?

 

[Tomef]

Does this look anything like the Last Supper?

View attachment 94871

More flowers, and a blue person.

I appreciate your voice on this issue. But, in regard to the bit above, you are wrong.

As just one example of what I mean, where was mass conducted in Latin for the first time?

North Africa.

Where was the term 'Christian' first coined?

Syria.


Peace

here’s a concise summary of Christian influences on European society, if you’re not familiar with the basics: Role of Christianity in civilization - Wikipedia.

 

[Kathryn]

Didn't France try to outlaw minarets and head scarves?

 

[Regiomontanus]

Over a worldly idol? Over a graven image?
Better to refelct on how Christianity went from highly respected to something people can openly **** on.

The question here is why would a country hosting the Olympics put on a performance that would disrespect so many people? I just don't get it. It seems like an intentional FU. Maybe they were just clueless? I don't know.

 

[LuisDantas]

Which was directly inspired by The Last Supper.

That may well be.

Or maybe it was not.

I don't know about you, but I for one have a hard time seeing a groups of people around a long table with a central figure and not being reminded of "The Last Supper".

The simple fact is that Da Vinci's painting is very well-known yet not particularly unique far as general structure goes. It is marvel, but not for that specific reason.

 

[Kathryn]

That may well be.

Or maybe it was not.

I don't know about you, but I for one have a hard time seeing a groups of people around a long table with a central figure and not being reminded of "The Last Supper".

The simple fact is that Da Vinci's painting is very well-known yet not particularly unique far as general structure goes. It is marvel, but not for that specific reason.

Well, it's known to be modeled after The Last Supper. Oh well.

 

[Tomef]

Didn't France try to outlaw minarets and head scarves?

Face coverings, hijab and other religious symbols in schools and other public spaces.

 

[Kathryn]

Face coverings, hijab and other religious symbols in schools and other public spaces.

Interesting. Can't see that flying in the US of A. And sorry, it was Switzerland who voted to disallow new minarets to be constructed.

 

[SkepticThinker]

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?

It was depicting an Ancient Greek Bacchanalia.
You know, the Greeks who invented the Olympics.
Do Christians think the blue guy was supposed to be Jesus? I'm confused.

 

[Tomef]

Interesting. Can't see that flying in the US of A.

France is v catholic but aggressively secular. Even the atheists think like Catholics, I mean in terms of their style of argument, sometimes.

 

[Tomef]

It does seem like an amalgam aimed at representing various forms of religious thought and practices from European history. Even if it were intended to represent Christ, which it doesn’t seem to be, would it be more or less offensive that this?

 

[ChristineM]

Didn't France try to outlaw minarets and head scarves?

They succeeded in banning face coverings and religious (any religion) symbols in public places.

 

[LuisDantas]

Well, it's known to be modeled after The Last Supper. Oh well.

Sure, there is no shortage of "The Last Supper" parodies, homages and whatnot. I don't doubt that even back in the late 15th century that was already the case. It is entirely possible and perhaps likely that Giovanni Bellini, van Bijlert and who knows how many others took direct inspiration from Da Vinci's work.

Not sure how that would justify some sort of disapproval from any other use of the general motif, accidental or otherwise. And it is a simple enough and general enough disposition to be reinvented time and again. I have not attempted to find previous examples, but I will be very surprised if Da Vinci was the first one.

Are people expected to get approval from some sort of Christian body to use it now? Who would even hold the authority to make the call?

 

[Kathryn]

Sure, there is no shortage of "The Last Supper" parodies, homages and whatnot. I don't doubt that even back in the late 15th century that was already the case. It is entirely possible and perhaps likely that Giovanni Bellini, van Bijlert and who knows how many others took direct inspiration from Da Vinci's work.

Not sure how that would justify some sort of disapproval from any other use of the general motif, accidental or otherwise. And it is a simple enough and general enough disposition to be reinvented time and again. I have not attempted to find previous examples, but I will be very surprised if Da Vinci was the first one.

Are people expected to get approval from some sort of Christian body to use it now? Who would even hold the authority to make the call?

It was meant to shock. That's my take on it.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Good question. No, a natural target for sure. But France is presenting itself to the world as the face of the Olympics. So, why do this?

Maybe to show the world they put people before ancient superstitions?