a veritable sheafstorm

Today's soundtrack
"I Believe in a Thing Called Love" by The Darkness

It's been an odd week at the U of S. Click here for the now infamous cartoon that appeared in the Sheaf the other week. There is also comprehensive coverage on Dave's blog (see link in appropriately named "Links" section). I've been reading the blogs, and more interestingly, the comments sections, and have become increasingly disgusted. Here, in short, is my own reaction to the whole, as it has now been dubbed by someone more clever than me, Sheafstorm.

I received McKinnon's email and, instantly, my curiousity was piqued. You see, I've been rather neglectful in my Sheaf reading as of late. So naturally, I went looking for these apparently inflamatory cartoons. When I found them, I admit I was pretty shocked. My Edwardian sensibilities were rather shocked, but not for the same reasons as others. See, I saw the Capitalist Piglet itself as being a typical anti-Semetic stereotype. The monocle, the whole "Kosher" thing, and the capitalist angle made me think of those propaganda posters that found there way onto the streets of Germany during the run-up to the Second World War. Yes, the whole idea of Jesus giving - sexual favours, shall we say? - to a pig was rather strange, but I saw the criticism of various consumer and political agencies using Christianity for profit (both financial and political) very clearly. I was still more bothered by what I perceived as some underlying anti-Semetic statement (after all, why not publish the infamous Mohammed cartoons?).

That being said, I had a rather enlightening conversation with various procrastinating English types and came to understand that there is really nothing going on but a comment on the nature of various consumer enterprises using Christianity for monetary gain (I will resist all temptations to go after the Vatican at this point). In this way, I can see how Christianity is in the same position as Islam at this point - at the mercy of various extremists who use religion for their own gains.

In this way, I find it difficult to understand the position of the various Christians out there in the blogosphere. Yes, depictions of religous figures engaged in sexual acts is disturbing. Yes, the cartoons are offensive. Offensive in the same way that depictions of the Prophet Mohammed are. I saw numerous comments calling for the publishing of the Danish cartoons, while at the same time demonizing the Sheaf and the cartoonist. I see no difference between the two, and I have a suspicion that the end goal of both the Danish and Sheaf cartoonists was for a greater dialogue on the dangers facing religions from those who would seek to exploit it for their own means.

As a final point, I personally thought the cartoon could have been different. Maybe a bit more tasteful, a little less shocking... but then all the bloggers out there wouldn't be writing about this, would they?

Were I still a Christian (lo siento Salva), I'd be more offended by the use of Christianity for profit than by the depiction of Jesus in this cartoon. But I make no claim to speak for all Christians, former Christians, angry Christians, et al. I can only speak for myself. If nothing else, we shouldn't let this opportunity for a rational discussion pass.