And I sure like my tax-free clergy housing allowance. I’ve spent decades laying up treasures in my 403b church pension plan and Roth IRA. Preach it, Jesus! However, I’m not nearly as enamored with Jesus when he warns against laying up treasures on earth.
And I love it even more when Jesus condemns the religious-right fundamentalists of his day, calling them vipers and hypocrites. For example, I love it when Jesus teaches about grace, love, mercy, justice, feeding the hungry, caring for the sick, and welcoming the stranger. I can easily find that version and then feel self-righteous about following Jesus.
I want a centrist Democrat Jesus with progressive theology. We can always find a biblical text, a faith perspective, or even a church to confirm whatever politics or worldview we already believe in: left, right, center, or even QAnon crazy.Īnd I’m certainly not immune from this. Our God language simply reinforces and gives cover to what we want to believe. Rather, we use religion to baptize and bless whatever positions we already hold. I’m coming to the sad opinion that religion rarely changes people’s values, worldview, politics, or behavior. You want a conservative GOP Jesus? No problem. You want a liberal Democrat Jesus? No problem. You want an anti-LBGTQ Jesus? No problem. You want a 1960’s hippie flower child Jesus? No problem. You want a Black Lives Matter social-justice Jesus? No problem. You want a white nationalist Jesus? No problem. You want a Trump-loving MAGA Jesus? No problem. You want a flag-carrying, second-amendment, God and America patriot Jesus? No problem. You want a militant masculine John Wayne Jesus? No problem. You want a benign, nonthreatening, Ricky Bobby Christmas baby Jesus? No problem. It dawned on me (again) this week that whatever Jesus you want, you can find or create, even if you have to twist the Christian faith into an unrecognizable pretzel. Among the many competing options, which version of Jesus is accurate?Ī few days after watching Talladega Nights, researching Jesus and John Wayne, and listening to DC capitol police officers share their testimony about the January 6 domestic terrorist attack on the capitol, I wrote the following entry in my journal: That scene in Talladega Nights, irreverent as it is, raises a major theological question.
He concludes grace by saying, “Thank you for all your power and grace dear baby God, Amen.” Immediately after the prayer, Cal says, “That was a hell of a grace, man! You nailed that like a split hog!”Ĭount on Hollywood to deal with important religious issues in such an irreverent yet hilarious way. Ricky Bobby returns to his prayer, saying, “Dear eight-pound, six-ounce, newborn infant Jesus, who doesn’t even know a word yet-little infant, so cuddly but still omnipotent.” He then thanks baby Jesus for all his NASCAR victories and the millions in prize money he has won. It says like, I want to be formal, but I’m here to party too.” One of Ricky Bobby’s sons says, “I like to picture Jesus as a Ninja, fighting off the evil samurai.” Cal then adds, “I like to think of Jesus with giant eagle wings and singing lead vocals for Leonard Skinner with an angel band.” He had a beard!” Ricky Bobby snaps back, “Listen, I’m saying grace, and I like the Christmas version best!” Ignoring the conflict between the two men, Ricky Bobby’s best friend Cal says, “I like to picture Jesus in a tuxedo T-shirt.
Ricky Bobby continues his prayer, “Dear tiny Jesus, in your golden fleece diapers, with your tiny balled-up fists.” His father-in-law angrily interrupts, “He was a man. When you say grace, you can say it to grown-up Jesus, or teenage Jesus, or bearded Jesus, or whoever you want.” You don’t always have to call him baby.” Ricky Bobby replies, “I like the Christmas Jesus best, and I’m saying grace. He begins his prayer, “Dear Lord Baby Jesus.” He then proceeds to thank baby Jesus for various blessings, including his “red hot smoking wife Carly.” As he prays, he continues to repeat the phrase, “Dear Lord Baby Jesus.” His wife Carly interrupts him and says, “You know sweetie, Jesus did grow up. In the funniest scene of the movie, NASCAR racer Ricky Bobby, along with his family and best friend Cal, gather for a dinner of Domino’s Pizza, KFC, and Taco Bell. However, Talladega Nights: the Ballad of Ricky Bobby does exactly that. You don’t expect a crude comedy about NASCAR racing starring Will Ferrell to raise issues about the identity of Jesus Christ.
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