I must preface this by saying that I am Christian. I go to an Assemblies of God church.
My daughter and I were shopping last week, and in the hip, urban shoe/fashion store saw a t-shirt that I thought was really cool. Here’s a picture of it. My daughter wanted one and I told her I’d think about it. (I wanted one too.)
Later, we were talking about it, and I said I hesitated because I thought maybe the shirt would offend some Christians. Now, although my life isn’t spent in efforts not to offend, I do want to avoid even the appearance of “blasphemy” in any form. That would include images of Jesus that might offend other Christians. My daughter and I both felt that the t-shirt was not personally offensive to either one of us. We decided to see what the SDMB had to say about the subject.
Okay, Christian Dopers, what would you think of such a garment? Offensive or not, and why? Thanks in advance.
Technically I could be considered a Christian I guess, but what’s offensive about that T-shirt isn’t the message. It’s just one God-awful ugly T-shirt.
If you are thinking of the shirt as in any way humorous or ironic, I would find it more racially offensive than religiously offensive–I don’t know what your race is, but if I saw that shirt on a WASPy looking sort, I would imagene that the thought process behind buying it went something like this: “Oh look at this shirt! It’s like something a black person would think! How quaint! How funny!”
Now then, if you run with a group that uses homeboy with a straight face and it’s an honest expression of a sentiment you honestly hold, then it’s fine. But don’t wear it because you find the idea of “Jesus” and “homeboy” being in the same sentence so bizarre and incongruous that it is funny.
It’s ugly as all hell, but it’s more annoying than offensive (Look at me! I am Down with Jesus! See, I have this t-shirt saying so!). Offensive would be “Are you Saved?” with some offensive picture of a ‘typical’ sinner burning in Hell.
I was going to say something similar, but probably in about four or five sentences, using a lot of fifty cent college words, but I think you did a better job, so I’ll just say
Jesus was a prophet, he is not my lord. He’s dead.
But;
I see nothing wrong with a picture of a kinky-headed, mellow-looking ol’ Jesus.
The price, though, is offensive.
Peace,
mangeorge.
If there was a figure I admired as much as Christians are supposed to admire Christ I would not place his image in such a mocking form.
Some may say there is nothing necessarily wrong with the term “homeboy”. That it means friend, and someone who looks out for you. But it is pretty plain, IMHO, that there is an element of mockery in it.
Are you serious? Because people that would wear a shirt mocking Stalin or Hitler are probably not people that worship these people. I believe this shirt was intended for Christians. As the OP stated, s/he is a Christian.
Christain doper here, and I am a jr high sponser at my church. I think the shirt is fine. This is not a racially exclusive term of enderment. It it declars The Lord to be a close friend, then that’s good.
