Used Toilet Paper Roll Jesus

Toilet paper. Is a strange thing. On the one hand side people have this embarrassment about it, hiding it at the bottom of their grocery bag. On the other side, people print cute things on it. I often wonder why. I'm at someone's place and there are cute adorable puppies printed on this person's toilet paper, you just wonder if they don't see any innate contradiction there. It's such a base material, I don't see why you would want to decorate it. It sort of reminds me of these clown printed sausage slices we have here in the Netherlands, it's about just as messed up. But anyway, now I wonder who, as he pulled the last bit of paper from a roll thought oh hey you know what would be great? To make a Jesus out of this thing dangling there!

Laughing Jesus

There is just something scary about this, just like clowns are scary.

Guestpost: I Am Coming Soon

My friend Hidde brought this to my attention and I love it! Thanks Hidde!

Highway to Heaven

Another chapter in the Michael Landon book. This time he's an angel trying to get his creds. From Wiki: "The series stars Michael Landon as Jonathan Smith, an angel sent down to earth "on probation", and his human companion Mark Gordon, played by Victor French, Landon's co-star from Little House on the Prairie. Jonathan and Mark are given "assignments" by "The Boss" (God) where they are required to use their humanity (and sometimes a little bit of "The Stuff") in order to help various troubled souls to overcome their problems." (wiki). I thought Landon had to do with this, the intro very much reminds me of Father Murphy, in which he had a hand as well, although he didn't star in that one.

John Wesley Busts

John Wesley (1703-1791) was a revivalist (and let's not forget Methodist) preacher from Britain who I know because of his fervent preaching in the United States, mobilizing people religiously and stirring up enthousiasm amongst the slack believers. Fire and brimstone in one hand, glory and personal experience in the other. Very theatrical man, I would give to see him spit fire from his lips. Unfortunately I'm a bit too late for that, but no fear, there are these great busts that remind me of him. Even one where he's doing his thing at the pulpit! Some of the busts where they put rouge on his cheeks and where he's sporting eyebrows the size even Tammy Faye Bakker would be jealous of do make me wonder if Mr. Wesley had a side job as a drag queen. He was already in show business, he might as well have!

8-Bit Jesus Christmas Album

So when I ran into all the Jesus pixel art, I did also find this album. The music it contains, is pretty cool. It's the gospel stuff in an 8-Bit swing. The artist, Doctor Octoroc, describes himself as "a Philadelphia based Artist, Designer, Animator, Musician and Classic Video Game Enthusiast." Give the tunes a listen, within or outside religious context.

You can listen to the 8-Bit Jesus album here.

Christian Art: Gary Lessord

There is something about this style that reminds me of the drawings you find people making on the popular square in your city. The material perhaps, the colors... probably it's the horsies meet dolphins meet outer space... and with a pinch of Jesus added in this case!

Website: http://www.garylessord.com/

Holy Cards

Say it with me: I love holy cards!

Noetic Sciences

The Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS) was co-founded by ex-astronaut Edgar Mitchell in 1973. It's a typical New Age thing with traditional elements such as exploring the self, a search for an overarching truth present in all religions, a flirt with space travel and extra-terrestrial intelligence and of course tax fraud. They've got some nice artwork. If you find yourself bored, try playing "spot the religious symbols," seems like they turned it into a sport to cram as many in there as they could.

Dr. Tax-Fraud himself Mr. Edgar Mitchell

Website: http://noetic.org/

Precious Moments

So, the day has finally come on which I talk about Precious Moments. I think I read about this phenomenon first in the book Good Taste, Bad Taste and Christian Taste by Frank Burch Brown where he looks into this while contemplating kitsch. Gee I wonder why! There is more to say about this phenomenon than just showing a few figurines. There supposedly is a whole chapel decorated in the same "cute" style that applies to these figurines. Now there is also more than figurines to the Precious Moments enterprise but I still consider it to be the core of their business. I include the names of the figurines, they give it that extra mile. Oh come and worship!

 Come Let Us Adore Him

 Come Let Us Adore Him

 Footprints in the Sand

 I Bring You Good News of Great Joy

 Immersed In God's Love

 Praise Him With the Sound of the Trumpet

Uphold His Name

Website: http://www.preciousmoments.com

Moral Decay

This is a video game, ultraviolent, starring none other than. In a description I found: "MORAL DECAY. Chris T. [get it?] has risen from the grave to stop a terrorist plot, restoring peace and justice to the world. Guide Chris T. as he battles Yakuza goons, wild animals, aliens, and the Dark Lord himself!" Sounds quite interesting alright. After some more digging, I found out that in fact Apple (it is for iPhone/iPad) rejected the game a few times before it could live with a watered-down (wine jokes, anyone?) enough machine-gun-wielding Messiah. I wonder if the original game is still out there.

The development company is Infinite Lives. There is a nice little article here on the short history of the game.

Dinosaurs Are Jesus' Ponies

So sometimes you come across religious expressions that are just too good to be true. My initial reaction is usually one of disbelief. No I don't mean that in a theological way. I usually think that it is a hoax, a spoof, satire. Sometimes, however, it isn't and reality indeed turns out to be stranger than fiction. Now sure, perhaps there are creationists who in their struggle to deal with evolution come up with stories about Jesus being buddy buddy with the dinos and make some pictures to illustrate their ideas. I still find this hard to believe. But oh how I want to believe! While I only keep finding pictures of this on the Internet and won't find a dinoriding Jesus children's book at my local Christian book store I'm keeping my doubts. However, authentic or fake, I do absolutely love the pictures!

Spank Me Jesus

Post #150. Some say things start to get interesting only after so many. We'll see. I'll at least try to make this post interesting. Been a naughty boy or girl? Then what you need is a good ol' spankin' by Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews himself!