We know there’s no dearth of tacky Christian merchandise with which one can profess one’s faith in the tackiest way possible. We have chocolate crosses,Jesus sports figurines, and the infamous rhinestone Christ with a ruby loincloth. But in the interests of equal time (and my own personal amusement), I’m asking you to report your encounters with tacky merchandise related to religions other than Christianity.
For example, a couple of weeks ago I was out shopping at a kitschy toy store in Spokane, Washington. The moment I walked in the door, I got an eyeful of–I kid you not–hot pink velour Buddhas. There was a shelf full of 10-inch “happy Buddha” statues covered with bright pink fuzz. I was sorely tempted to purchase one just so that I could prove to people that such a thing existed.
So that’s my story of non-Christian religious kitsch. Anyone else care to contribute?
There is some crazy-ass Hindu religious tack out there. I swear, although nobody believes me, I saw a piece of Hindu religious art that was labeled scratch n’ sniff. No idea what smell it was, it was a while ago.
Maybe not tacky as far as the actual object, but in the manner it was used. In the eschewing of Western Civilization (Including Christianity) by my sperm donor and his plastic wife (what, me bitter?), procured a Buddha statue that was placed in their livingroom. I was asked to guess how much it cost. I’m Southern Californian, I know what is in style, and it is Feng Shui, and I said it probably set him back $140 (I was right.) What is worse, is that every wednesday and saturday, a quick pick lottery ticket was laid in the Buddha’s lap, so they could get rich (SD was making 6 figures a year at the time - for a defense contractor working on fighter planes :rolleyes:.)
Uh, yeah. And let’s pray to Jesus for some hot porn and capital punishment.
I rate this as religious kitsch with an American twist. Sadly this is the state of most spirtual pursuits in the LA area.
And I once went to the dollar store in the mall here and they had $.99 happy Buddhas. Not in pink velour, though!
i’ll see your pinky fuzzy Buddha and raise you a plasma-ball Buddha. i’m rummaging around trying to find a picture… i saw it when i was in Spencer Gifts earlier this week. nutz, not getting any cooperation on line.
basically, it’s a plastic happy Buddha statue that has a miniature plasma ball in place of his normal rotund tummy. one of those things where i just shake my head and pass on by.