In The Name Of The Gun

Someone told me about a nightmare about a Nazi Jesus terrorizing everybody. I hope it has not been because of this blog that this dream was dreamt. On the flip-side of that coin of course I do hope that it was. Oh the sweet ambivalence. Whatever its source though, the concept of a Nazi Jesus got me thinking. I googled it and yes sure enough there are quite a lot of people out there with a lot of time and a lack of talent that took this concept and ran with it. But one phenomenon in particular stood out: the comic In The Name Of The Gun. I can't find much info on the comic or its creators but really, a comic in which Jesus Christ goes around shooting Nazis with a machine gun, what more is there to say?

Website: http://www.jesuschriststory.com/

Chocolate Cross

So tonight, here in the Netherlands, we have a celebration thing, the night of Sinterklaas, comparable to Christmas eve. Saint Nicholas sends his black slaves down the chimneys to give presents to the children who have been good. It's racist and it instills fear in the hearts of many children. True tradition! So as part of this we have these chocolate letters (letters as in the letters of the alphabet). Usually you get the first letter of your name at the night of Sinterklaas. More than one letter if you're rich, no letters at all if you're poor, crappy faux-chocolate carob letters if your parents are spiritual and oblivious, in which case it can be doubted if you're getting anything during this Catholic festivity night, leaving you be the laughing stock the next day at school when everybody got an abundance of goodies and you got zilch. Again, true Dutch tradition, that brings out the best in our nation. Anyway, I saw a chocolate character sign (the '&') fly by and I never really thought of any chocolate symbolic renditions beyond the 26 letters of the Latin alphabet. But then what symbol did come to my mind? Why the cross of course. Could there be? Of course there was!

Yumi Sugai Angelic Fine Art

Perhaps I should put in a word of warning for all you artists out there. If I like your work, you have a problem. Consider my appreciation a kiss of death. Lets talk about the work of Yumi Sugai here for instance. I love it. The dead look in the angels eyes. The nervous ornaments all over the images, masking in total the awkwardness of each in turn. The pale colors like someone's finger slipped while working on the brightness and hue settings. The slightly off proportions that are just unsettling. I love these works but I highly doubt if this artistic genius would share my aesthetic judgments.

From My Own Backyard: Nativity Scene Pop-Up Cards

Among the loveliness we sell are some great nativity scene pop-up cards. Ever wondered about the many layers of meaning of the Gospel? Well I've got three lovely layers for you right here! They are from a production company called Hollyoak Publishing and they seem to get the sentimentality with a hint of Catholicism just right. Surprisingly, though, I can't find their website.

Dance Praise

If you like to stomp your feet more than plastic guitars, then consider Dance Praise. I say it's a missed opportunity that the dance pad hasn't been turned into a crucifix!

The manufacturing company is the same as that of Guitar Praise, http://www.digitalpraise.com/flash.php

Guitar Praise

So I wanted to cut down on posts on music, musical instruments and all of that. But the Cornerstone newsletter is a gift that just keeps on giving. Just when I had come to terms with the Golfdfish guitars and the Jesus guitars, I am confronted with Guitar Praise. Was Guitar Hero too heathen for you but you still secretly kinda enjoyed it? Then Guitar Praise is the Christmas present for you!

Interesting choice of disclaimer there. I wonder what the aim is.
Manufacturer's website: http://store.digitalpraise.com/guitarpraise.aspx

Jesus Guitars

When I showed these to someone prior to this post, the reaction I got was "dude this is so ugly it's beautyful!" This is, of course, about the ultimate praise anyone can bestow on anything at all. And I do quite agree. Down to the very tear dripping from Christ's wooden eye. Perfection! Forget about the Goldfish guitars, this is the real deal!

Whohoow, I now actually see the thorn-ornaments (thornaments?) on the fretboard! My hat to the designer. My hat to you sir!

Stick With Jesus

Yes one thing led to another. Want to prove your love for Christ through the use of printed musical instruments but you're a drummer and not a guitarist? Have no fear! The Stick With Jesus drumsticks are here! And, as with the Pick Jesus picks, there are T-shirts in turn made of the Stick With Jesus drumsticks. Why-o-why? And more importantly: Why don't I have a pair yet! Or the shirt for that matter!

Black... Sticks... of Jesus!

Call me blasphemous (and by all means do!) but I can't help but imagine Jesus behind a drumset in a white robe with a pair of expensive sunglasses beating out the fill of a lifetime with His very own sticks, rocking away those cool long locks of hair of his and with a big smile on his face. You go Jesus!

Pick Jesus

Yesterday I wrote about the Goldfish guitars. They came with Fishpicks and that made me wonder if there are actually guitar picks out there with Jesus on them. Small wonder that turned out to be. You have this whole line of Jesus picks or, I should say, pick Jesus. Yes what a delightful play of words there. I think I came across them before, when writing about God's Girlz toy dolls, where one of the dolls is wearing a pick Jesus shirt. This is another thing, this Jesus pick has been turned itself into a symbol. People wear it around their neck or wear pick Jesus shirts with the pick on it. What does that mean? What do these people want to express with that? That they like the word play? That they love Jesus but also love rock 'n' roll? This still puzzles me.

Goldfish Guitars

Oh what joy when I opened my mail and read the news letter from the Cornerstone annual Christian rock festival in Illinois. They were giving away free Goldfish guitars. I had no idea these existed. Really folks, it's an Ichthus guitar, but I suppose they called it Goldfish guitar to give it more broad appeal. Even though Ichthus sounds cooler to me than Goldfish. Christians once again underestimating the worth of the symbolic goods they have in their own treasure chest. Anyway, to know that these Ichthus Goldfish guitars exist is great and now I want one! :)

Oooh they even come with Fishpicks! Kickass!
Website: http://goldfishguitars.com

Vocation Dolls

And if it's Catholic love you're after, why not get yourself one of these Vocation Dolls! Father Juan Pablo will... teach you all about... the rich tradition of warm love of the Catholics... in all it's facets... let your children be touched by the tender care of the Roman church... Oh folks it's so hard not to make any politically incorrect jokes about this but I'm trying! I'm trying!!!

By the way I love that they stitched a pair of glasses on his head.

From My Own Backyard

So, to keep myself afloat during studies, I work at this kitschy postcard store in Amsterdam. Probably hardly a surprise and perhaps even more of an explanation of where I get some of my inspiration for this blog. Luckily, we also sell some reli-kitsch, be it not all that much (never enough!) and even more luckily, the owners of this store have a Catholic background! Enough said, I'd think. Currently however we don't have too many items bearing the seal of Christ, but we do have some nice notebooks. I'll leave it at that for this time but I'll probably display some of the wonderful fruits from my own garden some more sometime. They come and go. By the way, dear reader, I beg your forgiveness for the so-so quality of my pictures. They were hastily shot using a smartphone.

Since selling this stuff also pays my rent, whenever you find yourself in Amsterdam, do pop by!

Van de Kaart Shop
Leidsestraat 57
Amsterdam, the Netherlands
http://www.vandekaartshop.nl

Buddha Buddha Life

So after yesterday, I realized I had hardly anything on Buddhism. So let's continue this trend. There is so much Buddhist beauty out there! I knew of great Buddhist statues because I spotted one at someone's house once. I searched for that one but found far better ones. These Buddha piggy (no disrespect there Buddha, it's just what they're called) banks!

They sort of remind me of the Chibi Jesus art, but then Buddha style. Website: http://buddhabuddhalife.com

Huggable Buddha

Have you followed the eightfold path? Have you severed all ties with family? Have you not spoken in years? Have you given up all your belongings? You've reached Nirvana and it sucks big time? Then have no fear for the Huggy Buddha is here, to give you a great big hug!

Order yours today! http://www.bigbuddha.nl/

Christian Art: Del Parson

Oh man I love this good stuff! I keep telling you, it's the Mormons that truly excel at this type of ultra-hyper-sentimental art. And it's the (other) Protestants that fall for it, condemning LDS with one tongue, yet praising this art with another. Whatever, I'm getting political already, who want's to dispute when one can marvel? Classic stuff on here too, like the one of Christ holding a lamb (guess it wasn't a dinolizard after all) and the one of Christ emanating from his grave. I like the one where Christ seems to be smiling apologetically after having let one rip.

Website: http://delparson.com/