Guerrilla Prophecy

You may have seen this picture circulating social media – the top image is a picture from the Olympic ceremony and the bottom picture is Da Vinci’s masterpiece ‘The Last Supper’ – 12 disciples sitting around the central figure of Christ. The post suggests that the opening ceremony was trying to recreate this famous image using all sorts of characters, most notably drag queens standing around the central figure of a DJ. This has ignited an almighty reaction from Christian evangelicals, with many Christian leaders from across the world pouring condemnation on the Paris ceremony, saying it was offensive and mocking, some going so far as to say it was full of blasphemy, demonic and satanic.

The Christian world has really been shook by this comparison. In fact you could suggest it has gone nuts over it. But did the ceremony really contain blasphemy?

Whether or not it was an intentional jibe at Christianity remains to be seen. Many watched the full ceremony live and did not think that there was any clear reference toward Christianity or a last supper, that this was not made obvious. The ‘table’ was in fact a cat walk and while drag queens were present, there was well over 12 people there.

Two possibilities remain – the comparison was not intentional and wow, what an overreaction to a made up nonsense the Christian world has created if so. This has publicly highlighted (again) the vitriol that exists towards members of the LGBTQ community. Many Chritians sharing the image above did not even watch the ceremony and yet jumped on the band wagon of offense.

If the comparison was intentional then Christians have reacted exactly how the world would expect it to – judgemental, offended, angry and full of hatred.

What a perfect opportunity this was to use something designed to offend to show that Jesus would have indeed been present with the drag queen, would have invited Himself to their house for supper. And in doing so, would not leave them hurting, but would release healing, restoration, salvation and kindness.

It is grieving to see the full circle that Christianity has come. Christ, the God man invited himself to sinners’ homes, was criticised, judged by the religious for showing compassion and love to those rejected by society, people who were broken and needing healing. He sat and ate supper with the hated. It seems His followers today – rather than being criticised for being with the marginalised, the broken, the sinners, are the religious ones standing pointing fingers of criticism towards them.

Was the ceremony ‘blasphemous’? Well many have suggested that God will not be mocked. However God was mocked and we see His response. Jesus was scorned and beaten, rejected then crucified. Jesus was mocked and He retaliated in the Way of the Gospel by uttering ‘Father forgive them…’. Many are showing that the Western Church just doesn’t handle persecution very graciously.

Was the use of drag queens blasphemy? The Evangelical Christian Church have forgotten that Jesus’ table was open to everyone; to the weird, to the wonderful. And not only that but the Gospel declares that Jesus Himself in his human nature took on sin and embraced its corruption unto death so that we could rise with him in Glory and be with Him in Paradise.

Was Jesus offended? Would He have tried to stop the ceremony? I would like to suggest that He would have been dancing on table, releasing salvation in the rain, surrounded by drag queens to the soundtrack of the DJ as the world looked on in wonder.