"Violence Erupts Over Israeli Museum’s Sculpture of a Crucified Ronald McDonald"

[Valjean]

Did they explain the meaning behind this crucifixion? I'm trying to have an open mind but considering the religious position regarding Jesus I'm thinking this was to mock the Christian faith.

Perhaps it was more a criticism of Corporatism than religious mockery.

 

[Firemorphic]

The same can be said of Jesus. He is depicted as some Nordic type guy.
In fact he was Jewish, and according to the Old Testament, would not be
particularly appealing to behold.

Yes, I would agree. Although the Cross is an almost universally recognized symbol associated with Jesus and Christianity, which means by association one would gather far easier on hint alone that an image (for instance) may be attempting to satirize Jesus (thorn on the head too).
But beside symbols, Jesus is always depicted as a bearded american white man, begs the question. But at the same time conforms to modern stereotypes that fail in any accuracy.

Either way, there are limited ways you can satirize them (in the case of Muhammad, there are none) visually without having to vocally say to the person looking at the image directly "this image is this person who died 2000 years ago". It's kind of funny in it's own way really. In this post-camera era, memes and the like are best represented by actual photos (awkward and photoshopped stuff) rather than flimsy drawings and taglines that reads "just so you're not confused, this is the guy we're satirizing".

Try Jesus without the cross or thorns, aside an image of a robed guy from walking on water, how are you to insinuate that a drawing is really a drawing of Jesus? doesn't make sense aside from the specific subjective ideals of the said subjective expression (ie, one man's imagination vs another's)

 

[PruePhillip]

We have to look at depictions of a man crucified on a cross all the time, why?, because some people think it means something. Well it gets really old and tiresome if you really want to know, so something comes along with a little twist to an old story, nothing to dramatize over, we don't see it everywhere, and if we did it would get tiresome too.

There's a whiff of moral equivalency in this. The problem for our society today is
that nothing is sacred. So politics becomes the new religion, the narcissistic and
nihilistic self becomes the new sacred. And people can appeal to nothing greater
than themselves.

 

[Sunstone]

Like so much art, McJesus is ambiguous. What people think it means probably says more about them than it says about the sculpture.

 

[Subduction Zone]

Like so much art, McJesus is ambiguous. What people think it means probably says more about them than it says about the sculpture.

Which is why it justly earns the title "art" even if one does not like it.

 

[Epic Beard Man]

Perhaps it was more a criticism of Corporatism than religious mockery.

Perhaps but this is conjecture. We don't know the meaning.

 

[JJ50]

I think the sculpture is highly offensive. It makes light of the people who were executed in that way, many of whom probably hadn't done anything which deserved a death sentence.

 

[LuisDantas]

Do you feel this is offensive?
Why?
Why not?

Definitely not.

Sure, it is blasphemous towards Christianity.

But so what? Literally everyone is blasphemous towards billions of other people's beliefs. There is no exageration whatsoever in that statement.

Is that even supposed to have any consequence? I don't think so. Blasphemy is nothing more than a message that is not respectful of someone's beliefs.

It is not proper to curtain it. That would be an attempt at imposing someone's beliefs over everyone else's for no reason whatsoever.

If this happened in the USA what would you feel should be done about it?

1. Nothing,
2. Take it down.
3. Other.​

WHY?​

.

Nothing, anywhere.

Blasphemy, if it is even to be perceived as a problem (and that is a very big if), should be countered by appealling to the feelings and attitudes of people, not by hostile confrontation with laws or other means.

 

[Sunstone]

I think the sculpture is highly offensive. It makes light of the people who were executed in that way, many of whom probably hadn't done anything which deserved a death sentence.

Can you also see the sculpture as perhaps making light of people who are professed Christians but who nevertheless make light of Jesus' sacrifice by not following all or most of his admonitions? Just curious.

 

[Flankerl]

Perhaps but this is conjecture. We don't know the meaning.

But we can guess it after a brief look at the artists wikipedia page.


"Jani Leinonen (born 22 March 1978 in Hyvinkää[1]) is a Finnish artist and political activist. Leinonen is known of his public artworks criticising capitalism by using the imaginary and icons of corporate brands.[2][3] He graduated from the Helsinki Academy of Fine Arts in 2002.[1]"

 

[JJ50]

Definitely not.

Sure, it is blasphemous towards Christianity.

But so what? Literally everyone is blasphemous towards billions of other people's beliefs. There is no exageration whatsoever in that statement.

Is that even supposed to have any consequence? I don't think so. Blasphemy is nothing more than a message that is not respectful of someone's beliefs.

It is not proper to curtain it. That would be an attempt at imposing someone's beliefs over everyone else's for no reason whatsoever.



Nothing, anywhere.

Blasphemy, if it is even to be perceived as a problem (and that is a very big if), should be countered by appealling to the feelings and attitudes of people, not by hostile confrontation with laws or other means.

Blasphemy is not a crime. The sculpture is wrong because it makes fun of all those who have this form of execution. That guy, Jesus, was only one of many.

 

[Jumi]

There are some avant garde "artists" in the West who do this
kind of stuff. In Australia we had the infamous "P.i.s.s. Christ"
exhibit - a Christ on the cross, housed in a glass container of
urine.

I think his criticism isn't actually of religion, but consumerism and how these companies logos and such become like religious symbols and raised to the status of being a savior.

You can see the theme in his works:
Jani Leinonen

 

[Jumi]

Blasphemy is not a crime. The sculpture is wrong because it makes fun of all those who have this form of execution. That guy, Jesus, was only one of many.

Having looked into the artist, I don't think that was his intention. Though artists tend not to think about all angles when making a piece.

 

[Jumi]

Did they explain the meaning behind this crucifixion? I'm trying to have an open mind but considering the religious position regarding Jesus I'm thinking this was to mock the Christian faith.

The artist is criticizing consumerism, it's quite unfortunate that he chose the crucifixion theme. It's not very blasphemous to do such things with Christian theology these days so he wasn't thinking what reaction it would cause. There aren't many seriously religious people where he comes from.

 

[Jumi]

Jani Leinonen, ‘McJesus’ creator, says Haifa exhibit not his choice after Arab Christians protest

 

[blü 2]

"A 2015 sculpture of a crucified Ronald McDonald — called “McJesus” by artist Jani Leinonen — created a stir over the weekend at Israel’s Haifa Museum of Art. On Friday, hundreds of Arab Christians clashed with police over what they claimed was an offensive piece of art that mocked their faith.
.

Reminds me of the fuss about the crucified Santa in the Japanese department store some years back ─ I was never sure if it was factual or not, but the fuss was real.

And of course the ending of Spartacus ─ I am Ronald McDonald. No I am Ronald McDonald. No I am Ronald McDonald. No I am Ronald McDonald. No I am Ronald McDonald ...

 

[Cooky]

The problem is it stirs feelings of mockery. To you, you may not care but to others it mocks their faith. There is nothing funny about mocking a man who suffered a Roman execution.

Of course it was not my initial reaction. It took effort to reach the knowledge that this is Gods problem and not mine -this is new!

Allowing it to stir up frustration is archaic. And upon further contemplation, human intelligence and faith in God has ALWAYS been about controlling our natural feelings.

 

[Cooky]

But this is horrible. I could understand if there was a meaning behind the McDonalds chain but if this is something to **** people off this is not a good thing.

And the Christian's who clashed with police act like monkeys. This whole thing is a monkey fight just like the one I saw last night on BBC.

Self control of our nature. That is coming loser to God -our true destiny.

 

[Cooky]

Perhaps but this is conjecture. We don't know the meaning.

We don't need to know it. We don't own Jesus.

 

[Cooky]

The artist is criticizing consumerism, it's quite unfortunate that he chose the crucifixion theme. It's not very blasphemous to do such things with Christian theology these days so he wasn't thinking what reaction it would cause. There aren't many seriously religious people where he comes from.

Remember the draw Mohammed competition in Texas? And some Muslims pulled up with guns because "blasphemy"..?

...Christian's "clashing with police" is only a few notches above as cheap.

Christians and humanity are constantly growing -reaching closer to God. Even just a couple hundred years ago, our ancestors faught over slavery, and people died -- That was a double-stupid.

But we ARE growing spiritually..!