Fake Jesus’

I’ve been impressed with this blog. I pretty much disagree with it entirely when it comes to religious issues, but it’s original and well thought out. This makes it worth a visit.

Today comes this gem (via this post).

(click picture for larger version)

The author of the post goes on to say that if you don’t like this painting and/or disagree with it, then it shows you’re a “false prophet”. Heh. This is interesting because both the themes in the painting as well as the ‘litmus test’ are not Biblical. Rarely are such things so obviously consistent.

But the term false prophet is a serious charge to level, since there is a major Old Testament smack down for false prophets. So lets look at some real “false prophet litmus tests”, as outlined in the Bible:

Deuteronomy 18:22 when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him.

This is the “proof is in the pudding” test. In other words, if someone speaks in the name of the Lord but it doesn’t happen…he’s no prophet. But earlier passages point to other criteria:

Deuteronomy 13:1 “If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a wonder, 2 and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, ‘Let us go after other gods’–which you have not known–’and let us serve them,’ 3 you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for the Lord your God is testing you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

So if someone actually produces pudding (mmmm…), you still have to look at the brand. If it’s not Jell-O brand, then someone may be tryin’ to sneak a Snak-Pak through and get you to stop listening to Bill Cosby. Which brings us to the painting.

Here is the passage where Jesus washes disciples feet:

John 13:12 So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. 16 Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

Now look again at the painting. Huh?

The painting is so radically different from the scriptural event of Jesus’ washing of His disciples feet that it’s not even really worth going into. This is true both in theology and in the facts of the two scenarios.

Seems like everyone wants to create their own Jesus for their own purposes. This snak-pak is no exception.

The thematic content of this painting is clearly something extra-scriptural, either intentionally or through sheer ignorance by the painter. I think the intent is to point fingers at Christians and say “mmmhmmm…you SAY you follow Christ but would you do THIS?!?!?”. The problem is that this is a completely fictional scene that is not consistent with scripture.

I might as well say “well…if you don’t coach hockey until a little girl wins the Stanley cup, you don’t know Jesus”. I mean…you’re not going to dare to question this figurine are you?

There are plenty of real, scriptural criticisms of Christians today. We should probably stick to those, since that’s kind of the whole point of that “Word of God” aspect.