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Iacobus and Iosephus would like to introduce our readers to a very special online store, Bridge Building Images: Religious Cards and Gifts. And when I say “special”, I mean very special; because only special kinds of folks could come up with the images, cards, and other artistic items for sale there. An example of their work is at left; and be sure to read this explanation. The Bridge Building folks first came to our attention when we discovered something akin to prayer or holy cards in a pamphlet box outside the reception office at Anabel Taylor Hall (the Freemasonry building housing the Catholic Chaplaincy). We found two types of cards there: one was Gandhi (a saint of the Most High God, if there ever was one) and the other was far more blasphemous, something which we subsequently found to be called a Christ-Sophia icon. It looks thus:
The woman thus imaged, her nose pierced in some barbaric fashion, would seem to be holding a fertility goddess in her right hand, while her left is in the posture of blessing. But this must be the blessing of the devil, because no one in his right mind (I use the phrase deliberately and illustratively) would bless with his left or sinistra hand. Either that, or she’s simply pointing at herself. What demon would be edified by such a ghastly representation?
But this isn’t all that Bridge Building has to offer. After Mr. Fiadino gave to Iacobus, as a departing present, a magnet, from the same company, of the Virgin Immaculate, we thought to investigate the company further. And much to our delight, we found that they have a wealth of images encouraging the inculturation or paganization, as it were, of Christian art. Marginalized peoples would be offended to find Christ or His Mother of a pale complexion. Accordingly, Mr. Fiadino recently had also made good use of this Madonna and Child to encourage Cornell’s Catholic students to reach out to the marginalized, native inhabitants of our own region:
Okay, so it’s an Apache Virgin and Child, and I do believe that the Apache lived many moons’ travel from here, but whose counting? The important thing is that the skin color doesn’t convey ideas of exclusion and imperial oppression. Finally, we found a wonderful suggestion for St. Michael’s (in Scranton) new altar piece - if only we had gotten it to Fr. Gismondi in time. Isn’t he majestic?
Gah! Someone needs to inform these (non-)artistic nitwits that Our Lady actually modelled for the image of Our Lady of Guadelupe on Blessed Juan Diego’s tilma and that they should follow that outline if they wish to call their icons by that name. Also, why do they need to make the image more sensitive to the Indians, mestizos, and Creoles who already use the image, as it is, for every thing from T-shirts to (cringe) tattoos? These “artists” are just engaging in dangerous witchcraft stuff (witness the “sophia” icon with the cruciform halo proper to Our Lord) and are trying to use a cover. Some other great icons of theirs: Our Lady of Zion (?), which is Our Lady holding Our Lord, wearing the Star of David sash and locked up in a Nazi concentration camp; and something about gay “victims” of AIDS.
that hagia sofia/pantocrator icon is hideous and blasphemous. it looks like she’s holding a turd. i’ve seen stuff like this before in regards to Mary and Child paintings. I guess we need to accept some inculturization. most of the images of Jesus and Mary i’m accustomed to have blue eyes. even during apparitions, people see Mary with familiar characteristics. but i don’t like when Mary looks too ethinic or dark. but that’s my opinion.
the least offensive one to me is the icon of st. micheal. since he’s an angel, he’s immaterial and his image is always a subjective matter, as long as he’s a man and looks tough. personally, i picture st. micheal with the physique and attitude of hulk hogan. that would be cool, a icon of st. micheal in the image of the hulkster.
Well I don’t have a problem with Our Lady or Jesus being depicted in various ethnicities - I don’t think that REALLY matters since we don’t actually know what they looked like. As long as Mary is a woman, Jesus is a man and they are depicted in a respectful and holy manner it is ok.
All this sophia stuff though? Man, I can’t believe there are people still into that stuff! It is so INSULTING to suggest that women have to go this route just to feel “comfortable” in the Church - please! This is just so awful and it has nothing to do with the colour of the eyes of Jesus or Mary.
Bec
I’m just happy it was a fertility goddess if you know what I mean? LOL
Looks like something the Daughters of St. Paul will be stocking in their shelves.