When I was thinking about what I wanted to do for my Jesus Then and Now presentation I didn’t really know where to start. The ones I had thought about doing were already used in class, so I felt I was kind of in a bind. Then, after some research, I stumbled across a news story out of Nipomo, California.
To most people Christmas has two main ideas. For all the religious people, it signifies the birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ. He is portrayed as and angelic child lying down surrounded by his parents, and many others. To other people, like the kids, it means that it’s time for Santa Clause will come down the chimney and leave presents under the tree if you’ve been a good boy/girl. People around Christmas time also like to decorate their houses with festive lights and lawn displays portraying these two figures of the Christmas holiday. However, instead of choosing one of these figures to use in your lawn decorations, what not just use both?
This last Christmas, Ron Lake of Nipomo, California did just that. On his lawn, he put a life size Jesus figure standing over what is supposed to be the body of a dead Santa Clause. I forgot to mention, Jesus is holding a two barrel shot gun in his hands. The piece of “art” is supposed to represent the United States idea of commercialism during the Christmas Holidays. “You can tell your kids and make it as if there’s a Santa Claus,” said Lake, “and let them believe all that, but you can’t explain these things or ignore this thing. I don’t get it.”
Susan Cruz, a neighbor of Lakes said, “I know it’s freedom of speech, but it’s pretty disturbing and there are lots of children, that’s our main concern.” After it was put up, multiple complaints were filed with the police. Others are concerned about the children because the display is located right next to bus stop. The concern is that the kids will get the wrong idea about the holiday and it will there for make it a negative experience for them.
“Christmas is not about Santa,” said Lake, “it’s about Jesus, not the Jesus as the killer with the shotgun, but come on there’s a little humor here, a little tragedy here.”
Lake also said, “It’s an expression of my repressed creativity.”
When looking at this image I don’t know what to think. I personally am a semi-religious individual. Seeing Jesus with a shotgun in his hand is the last thing I think about when I think of Christmas. I feel like Santa is a way for children to enjoy this holiday. I feel that this man is trying to portray how our country represents this holiday. Christmas is ultimately a holiday to celebrate the life of Jesus, but our society uses it to sell and make our consumerist run society eager for more.
I am also kind of offended because this guy is portraying Jesus as a killer. A quote he gave before said differently, but when you put a gun in his hands and dead body of Santa portrayed on the ground it’s hard not to be a little upset by it. Jesus was never portrayed this way in the bible, and especially on a holiday like this, this is the last image I’d want to see.
Questions
Do you find this picture disturbing? Do you think this is appropriate?
Does the fact that this is a freedom of speech issue make it any more ok?
Do you think this picture properly portrays U.S. commercialism?
Do we focus too much at material goods during this time of year, and not enough on Jesus’ story?
Do you think he has a point behind his argument?
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