LancesWorld.com Journal

Those of you who pay attention to the popular media have probably heard about the 6-foot-tall chocolate Jesus Christ that was meant to be displayed in a hotel in New York City beginning today (Palm Sunday). This life-sized figure of Christ was made out of milk chocolate and is said to be anatomically and proportionally correct. The chocolate Jesus is depicted nude.

Alright, now I'm not saying that I think making a naked choco-Christ is an amazing idea that should be replicated around the world, but I also won't go as far as some quoted in the media who say that this is an assault on Christianity. How is this an assault on Christianity? Because the figure is made out of chocolate? Because the figure is nude? Because it is being shown during Holy Week? I'm really not clear on why people are so insulted by the sculpture, to be honest.

One person, in particular, has spoken out on this issue. His name is William Donohue, and he is the President of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights. Donohue was recently featured on CNN in a video conference with the artist, Cosimo Cavallaro. In the video conference, Donohue accuses the artist of lying about his Christian faith, tells the artist that he should exhibit his art in "some dump down in SoHo," and calls the artist a loser. I have a serious problem with this. Regardless of whether or not the chocolate Jesus is appropriate, Donohue has stepped way out of line with some of the comments he made about this particular artist. Donohue is the President of the Catholic League - an organization that sets out to defend the civil rights of Catholics in the United States. As one who claims to represent "civil rights" as guided by Catholocism, some of the comments that he has made have assaulted my Catholic sensibilities moreso than a nude Jesus would. (Remember, a nude depiction of Christ is the most historically accurate!)

Donohue, in a news release published on the Catholic League website, is quoted as saying, "All those involved are lucky that angry Christians don’t react the way extremist Muslims do when they’re offended—otherwise they may have more than their heads cut off." I'm sorry, but this is one of the most appalling things that I think Donohue could have said. Not only is this an unfair stereotyping of Islam, but it could also be construed as a veiled threat. These people should feel lucky that we can't chop their bodies into pieces? No, Donohue should feel lucky that he hasn't been ousted from his position as President of the League with comments like that.

It shouldn't come as much of a shock to my readers when I say that I am a Catholic, and proudly so. As a strong, active Catholic, I feel that Donohue has insulted Catholocism more than Cavallaro, the artist, has. It is not my place to judge, but I truly think that Donohue needs to take a step back and consider his irrational, childish, closed-minded behavior.