As the Paris Olympics came to an end, many Christians were hoping that the closing celebrations did not repeat the controversies of the opening ceremony. During the opening, a tableau vivant (living picture) was presented based on da Vinci’s The Last Supper, but with Christ and the twelve disciples replaced by a woman surrounded by drag queens, and instead of the bread and wine, the participants were being invited to feast on a blue-skinned man apparently meant to represent the Greek god, Dionysius, though probably also referencing the Hindu god, Vishnu.
Christians around the world were rightly shocked at a display that appeared to mock their religion.(1) Since then, there have been various denials (it was, we are told, actually a celebration of “community and tolerance”), along with a “soft” apology from the official spokesperson (“If people have taken any offence we are, of course, really, really sorry”). This was then followed by the prompt removal of all traces of the opening ceremony from the official Olympic social media platforms.
How should Christians respond to things like this? Should they be demonstrating outside French Embassies as did controversial social influencer and recent Muslim convert, Andrew Tate? He posted on X: “I am protesting outside of the French embassy for mocking Jesus during the Olympic ceremony… I do this as a Muslim. WHERE ARE THE CHRISTIANS?”(2) Elon Musk, a self-identifying cultural Christian, posted: “Unless there is more bravery to stand up for what is fair and right, Christianity will perish.”(3)
To a certain extent, I agree that Christians do need more courage and clarity when they speak, particularly when they speak of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. But whether Christians need to rise up and defend their honour, let alone the honour of their crucified Saviour, is another matter again. To my mind, I suspect that Musk and Tate have not fully grasped what it means to follow Jesus, who declares his followers “blessed” when others revile and persecute them (Matt.5:11), and who calls upon them to “turn the other cheek” when insulted (Matt.5:39). As Christians we have already embraced the shame and ridicule of the Cross. The mockery of this world no longer has any power to shame us. Instead, the 2024 Opening Ceremony tells us more about the chaos and confusion wrought by the gods of this age, and points again to the desperate need of our modern world to still hear of a Saviour’s love(4).
1 https://cruxnow.com/church-in-europe/2024/07/paris-olympic-committee-makes-soft-apology-for-last-supper-drag-parody
2 https://www.news.com.au/sport/olympics/mocking-jesus-tate-brothers-and-protesters-storm-french-embassy-after-controversial-olympic-ceremony-move/news-story/1593b97fa62265ebf54b403c0fb56a32
3 https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1817273263761817710?lang=en&lang=en
4 https://au.thegospelcoalition.org/article/a-short-history-of-linking-jesus-and-dionysus/
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