Christian Who Doesn’t Understand Addiction Says God Told Him to Paint This

[phands]

Wow...isn't jebus meant to be omnipotent and beyond mortal hurt? Yet more true xtian bullshit....

You’ve probably seen this painting before, and it’s exactly what it looks like: a Christian artist tried (and failed) to show that doing drugs hurts Jesus more than it hurts you.



The painting has gone viral several times since 2006 (I’ve commented on it myself in the past), but now the artist is speaking out about his intentions and claiming God “called him” to create it. He also says the painting has caused people to give up drugs “cold turkey,” showing he doesn’t really understand addiction at all.
Artist Stephen Sawyer told the Christian Broadcasting Network that the “junkie shooting up” shows how “when you hurt yourself, you also hurt God.”

“In a way, when people abuse their bodies… so when we abuse that precious part, and the temple is defiled, to me it wasn’t a long stretch just to think it’s kind of like another crucifixion because we’re hurting the Presence of God in our life,” he explained…
The artist shared with CBN News that the model for the addict in the painting is a former user who is now clean and serving and helping others who have been “damaged” by drugs.
​

To compare drug usage to “another crucifixion” doesn’t make sense at all. For starters, the crucifixion, according to the Christian myth, was a good thing because it was necessary for God to forgive the sins of humanity. Also, a lot of people who turn to drugs will tell you they do it to escape the “evil” that exists in this world, which Christians would also say God created.

Read more at http://friendlyatheist.patheos.com/...understand-addiction-says-god-told-him-to-pai

 

[T.G.G. Moogly]

Anything that helps people past drug abuse is a good thing, even religious stupidity.

 

[Tom Sawyer]

That seems like a nice message in the painting which could help some people out. It's also well drawn. Good for the artist.

 

[ruby sparks]

I agree with the two posts above. Misguided supernatural beliefs, almost certainly, but good intent otherwise, may help others, and yeah great artistic techniques.

Personally, when I first saw it, I read it as Jesus trying to help the guy, take one for him (like a sacrifice) and always being there for him. Sort of somewhat like this but not quite:



Which again, I think is a really lovely idea, apart from almost certainly being unreal.

 

[Lion IRC]

Jesus wept

Wow...isn't jebus meant to be omnipotent and beyond mortal hurt? Yet more true xtian bullshit....

You don't know what you're talking about. Stop pretending to be an expert on Christian theology.
There's nothing heretical about the message of that painting.

 

[Sarpedon]

Like many modern day allegorical paintings, I think it is way too busy. It has its central message, but then the artist tries to cram more things in around the margins. The skull is pretty clear, but what's up with the map of the world on the wall? The hand print on the door? Why are there nunchucks hanging from the latch? What does that symbolize? And the King of Hearts and the Joker? Is that something I'd have to look up in a tarot interpreting book? Sure, there's probably a clever meaning behind everything, but as an artistic composition it is busy and distracting. This is definitely a good example of what I've been calling the general deterioration in quality of Christian Art over the last century or so. It gets so busy you don't know when to stop interpreting. For example, the map on the wall probably indicates Jesus isn't just doing this for just this guy, but for the entire world. Sure, but should I read into the fact that north america is mostly green while europe is red? Or that Asia and Africa aren't shown at all? When do I stop? I don't know, that's the problem with this sort of busy, preachy art.

How much more powerful would it be if you only could see the guy, jesus, (some of) the drug paraphenalia in the light of the candle, with maybe the skull just barely visible at the edge of the light, surrounded by darkness.

 

[Potoooooooo]

 

[Juma]

I agree with the two posts above. Misguided supernatural beliefs, almost certainly, but good intent otherwise, may help others, and yeah great artistic techniques.

Personally, when I first saw it, I read it as Jesus trying to help the guy, take one for him (like a sacrifice) and always being there for him. Sort of somewhat like this but not quite:

View attachment 17218

Which again, I think is a really lovely idea, apart from almost certainly being unreal.

My reaction is rather: so the worst part is to be carried by jesus. Yes, seems right!

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About the painting: jeebus just steals his fix. There is nothing good with that painting. Nothibg that would help a drug addict.

 

[ideologyhunter]

Theologians only: What would a really baked Jesus preach?

 

[Tom Sawyer]

The good thing about getting stoned with Jesus is that if you get the munchies, he can just split all he snack food in half an make it so there's twice as much, so there's less need to head over to the convenience store to buy more chips and stuff. This reduces the incidences of driving while stoned and saves lives.

 

[Opoponax]

Jesus is ripped! It looks like his bench workout is 250, and doesn't forget the forearm curls. He's been trainin', sayin' his prayers, and eatin' his vitamins like a Holy Hulkster should.

As to portrayals of addiction, I hate that painting. Intravenous drug use looks far more mundane, far more sleazy, and users far more tragic. The painting looks like something Jack Chick would create if he had the artistic skills.

 

[steve_bank]

If you actually know something about addiction and have seen it the picture is powerful. What I see is pain and death. It makes me wince at first glance.

If you think addiction is a joke that is your ignorance . Depiction of addiction with religious imagery is no less valid for it.

 

[Sarpedon]

And at second glance, you see all the unnecessary, confusing stuff cluttering the margins.

 

[steve_bank]

Everybody is an art critic.