Jesus Kickin' it in India w/Cigarettes and Beer

[3113]

...and in children's textbooks no less!

The government in the Indian state of Meghalaya has confiscated textbooks showing pictures of Jesus Christ holding a cigarette and a can of beer. The book has been used for primary classes and has caused a furore in the north-eastern state, where more than 70% of the population are Christians. State Education Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh said legal action against the publishers was being contemplated. The company, based in Delhi, has so far not responded to the complaints.

Full story here.

And the infamous picture:

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/47333000/jpg/_47333487_textbook_meghalayajesus1bbc1.jpg

All I can think is that someone in Delhi decided to play one hell of a practical joke....

 

[voluptuary_manque]

This in a country where any intimation of disrespect for Krishna leads to riots and firebombs. But I kinda agree, 3. Some young wise-guy at Skyline probably thought it was the height of sophisticated humor.

 

[Freefall_mc]

ok...i was bored

Interesting…that this book made it past scrutiny and into a private school in the capital city. I’m finding it difficult to narrow down the author and illustrator, let alone his/her affiliation. Bummer.

http://www.cbcisite.com/cbcinews4126.htm uhhhh...carbon copy of below?

http://news.oneindia.in/2009/11/24/sangh-parivar-is-behind-kandhamal-riot-cm.html wow, that's a short full story
News concerning a fairly recent riot (Nov.), from “OneIndia” and “C.B.C.I .(Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India)”.

Sangh Parivar, a Hindu nationalist (nationalist referred to by the “Constitutional History of India” as using persuasion for non-violent political, social, and economical reform) social movement comprised of numerous organizations having diverse policies, seems to get the predominant finger. Just saying it behooves us always to research, consider objective of source, and think for ourselves.

Interesting considering this groups’ volunteer work with the impoverished, not to mention their general philosophy.

{Sangh ideologue M S Golwalkar articulated the Sangh’s vision on diversity and pluralism, as follows, “Individuals and nations in all parts of the globe have distinctive traits and features, each of them having its own place in the scheme of the universe. The different human groups are marching forward, all towards the same goal, each in its own way and in keeping with its own characteristic genius. The destruction of the special characteristics, whether of an individual, or of a group, will therefore not only destroy the natural beauty of harmony but also its joy of self-expression. Evolution of human life also, which is a multifaced one, is retarded thereby.” -M S Golwalkar, Bunch of Thoughts, Publishers: Sahitya Sindhu Prakashana}
verses-
{Political opponents of the BJP maintain that the party's moderate face merely serves to cover the Sangh Parivar's "hidden agenda" of undiluted Hindutva, detectable by the BJP's efforts to change the content of history textbooks and syllabi as well as other aspects of the education system . -Thakurta & Raghuraman, 2004:64}
---------
Back to the issue, from several articles, it appears several urban incidents have been started by non-nationals; with the impoverished Dalits (outcastes) retaliating.

No matter what form it takes; violence used in political and social power struggles, is such a universal common denominator, it makes me ill.
I am now curious to understand more about these situations.

 

[3113]

This in a country where any intimation of disrespect for Krishna leads to riots and firebombs. But I kinda agree, 3. Some young wise-guy at Skyline probably thought it was the height of sophisticated humor.

Actually, I've begun to re-think that. Of course there are hard-liners ready to riot and firebomb those who disrespect for Krishna--especially if it's an excuse to maintain their bigotry against whatever other religion they happen to hate. But the vast majority of Hindus (and there are something like 330 million of them, so that's quite a majority!) have a very different view of their religious figures than we do. Consider this Ganesha:

http://greatganesha.files.wordpress.com/2007/05/spiderman_ganesha.jpg

Imagine if someone dressed up Jesus as Spiderman! Yet this is featured in a mainstream parade and quite acceptable. The Hindus view the gods more flexibly. Which makes me wonder whether any Hindu gods are shown drinking or smoking? If so, then maybe those who put this Jesus in the textbooks were actually (misguidedly) trying to sell beer/cigarettes...and they really didn't know that it wouldn't go over with Christians and an image of Jesus like it would with, perhaps, Hindus and one or another of those gods?

 

[Boxlicker101]

Have you ever seen "South Park?" Jesus is a fairly regular chartacter there, and is portrayed as an ineffectual skinny man with a beard, a halo around his head and wearing a white robe. I am not offended by that, but some might be.

 

[Freefall_mc]

dont make me go back and pull the various comparisons surrounding western influence...and it DOES vary depending on which issue discussed among which faction

i cant see Spidey's ass from that angle

 

[Freefall_mc]

for pete's sake, dont we have any cow superheroes!! back to search

 

[3113]

Have you ever seen "South Park?" Jesus is a fairly regular chartacter there, and is portrayed as an ineffectual skinny man with a beard, a halo around his head and wearing a white robe. I am not offended by that, but some might be.

Yes, but I rather doubt that image of Jesus would appear in a school textbook (though, yes, a lot of kids watch that show whether their parents approve or not--or stupidly think that it's "just a cartoon!" )

Context, folks, context!

 

[Boxlicker101]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Boxlicker101
Have you ever seen "South Park?" Jesus is a fairly regular character there, and is portrayed as an ineffectual skinny man with a beard, a halo around his head and wearing a white robe. I am not offended by that, but some might be.

Yes, but I rather doubt that image of Jesus would appear in a school textbook (though, yes, a lot of kids watch that show whether their parents approve or not--or stupidly think that it's "just a cartoon!" )

Context, folks, context!

All I am saying is that the US is known for its irreverence toward icons. Some are offended by such portrayals but most are not. Compare that to the reactions of Muslims toward irreverent portrayals of Mohammed.

ETA: Images of Jesus should never appear in a public school textbook, except maybe in some kind of art appreciation class.

 

[3113]

All I am saying is that the US is known for its irreverence toward icons. Some are offended by such portrayals but most are not. Compare that to the reactions of Muslims toward irreverent portrayals of Mohammed.

I recall vividly the uproar over the Last Temptation of Christ. Seemed equal to the uproar from Muslims toward disrespectful portrayals of Mohammed. if those Christians protesting that movie COULD have put out a death warrant on the author of the book, the director, etc, they would have, I assure you. All that makes the difference between Jesus fanatics here, and Mohammad fanatics in Islamic countries is that the Jesus fanatics are not running the country and so can't legally issue death warrants.

So I don't think we should be so smug about religious fundamentalist in our country somehow being more tolerant or civilized than those in Islamic countries. If were were a Christian theocracy, you bet your life that'd be the end of tolerance for disrespectful depictions of Jesus. And you'd never see another South Park episode again.

ETA: Images of Jesus should never appear in a public school textbook.

ETA: Images of Jesus could easily appear in U.S. private school textbooks, which I believe this school in India was.

 

[WRJames]

I suppose the cigaratte is shocking --- but why the beer? Maybe to a Hindu or a Moslem.

Better yet he should have been biting into a bacon double cheeseburger.

 

[Boxlicker101]

I recall vividly the uproar over the Last Temptation of Christ. Seemed equal to the uproar from Muslims toward disrespectful portrayals of Mohammed. if those Christians protesting that movie COULD have put out a death warrant on the author of the book, the director, etc, they would have, I assure you. All that makes the difference between Jesus fanatics here, and Mohammad fanatics in Islamic countries is that the Jesus fanatics are not running the country and so can't legally issue death warrants.

So I don't think we should be so smug about religious fundamentalist in our country somehow being more tolerant or civilized than those in Islamic countries. If were were a Christian theocracy, you bet your life that'd be the end of tolerance for disrespectful depictions of Jesus. And you'd never see another South Park episode again.


ETA: Images of Jesus could easily appear in U.S. private school textbooks, which I believe this school in India was.

Religious fundamentalists are always intolerant, and that would go for Christian as much as Muslim.

I remember the uproar you cite. There were small demonstrations in front of theaters where it was shown, and denunciations from the pulpits but not much more than that. I don't believe any buildings were burned over it nor were any people killed, but these things did happen over the M. cartoons. They happened in places such as France and Denmark, where the Islamic rulers have no authority to issue death warrants.

In other words, Islamic fundies committed illegal acts of murder and arson over the cartoons while Christian fundies just objected vocally over the movie. Not much of a comparison.

BTW, I am not defending anybody, just jpointing out that Muslim fanatics are more fanatical than Christian fanatics. Either way, a pox on both their houses.

I had the impression you were referring to public schools in the US. Parochial schools in the US have many pictures of Jesus and Mary and most other icons.