In April, I posted about a Jesus of Colour and in May, about a Female Jesus. In this Pride month of June though, as promised, it's out of the frying pan and into the fire!
If the Divine reflects all of its creation and all its creation may legitimately see themselves in the Divine, then why not a Gay Jesus? Liberal Christians who have revised their views on homosexuality may be able to accept such imagery (although part of me does wonder), but for sure Conservative Christians would regard this as blasphemous heresy.
Yet, coded imagery of a Gay Jesus has long been part of Christianity, thanks to the Gospel of John. Who hasn't heard of the Beloved Disciple, "the disciple whom Jesus loved," the one who reclined beside Jesus at the Last Supper with his head on Christ's shoulder, chest or even his lap in some versions? This has fueled a lot of homoerotic art over the centuries, enhanced by suggestively-placed scrolls and breadsticks.
And it has resulted in at least one play: Corpus Christi (1997) by gay playwright Terrence McNally. Rarely staged because of threats and protests, the play was also the subject of a 2011 documentary called Corpus Christi: Playing With Redemption. I've read the play and, apart from its gay premise, I thought it was pretty tame and not one of McNally's best. Quite frankly, I could have written a much more incendiary version, LOL! I've never seen the documentary, but would love to.
There are many Christians, of course, who get freaked out at the idea that Jesus even had a heterosexual orientation. Remember the outrage over the movie The Last Temptation of Christ (1998) which portrayed Jesus contemplating a life of marriage and children? No, no, no -- no S-E-X for Jesus!
The deeply puritanical and conflicted nature of such attitudes is too obvious for words. Christianity's sexual hangups have long been its dark shadow side, manifesting themselves in all sorts of twisted and even evil ways.
Anyway, if an historical Jesus did exist, I hope he had a healthy sex life of whatever persuasion.
Oh, and since I'm apparently going to Hell anyway, let me just leave you with one final meme --
32 comments:
This post makes me think of the American version of Shameless. An episode was titled the Church of Gay Jesus since one of the characters was viewed as divine and developed a huge following. It was humorous and brilliant! A liberal church actually let them film on site.
hahahaha....i always wondered if jesus was gay because he was the only guy that loved mary magdalen for her soul.
Fun one, thank you!
Tucked.His.Penis.For.Your.Sins.
Christian heads exploding. Everywhere!
I've always thought John was special to Jesus. Why the heck not? It's more believable than a lot of the Gospels.
Tucking his penis for my sins? Now THAT’s a sacrifice!
Merry Summer Solstice!! Hugs ~
Lol. No problem here, Debra.
"a gay in a manager" - that may stay with me forever! hahahahahaha
Like you, I hope dear Jesus was able to have some healthy sex with whoever he desired. Seriously, after so much suffering a body would need some release.
Ugh. Christians.
There was a gay christian church in my neighborhood. It's now being turned into a pub.
Happy Solstice!
Well nice to know, I'll have a friend in the front row down in hell with me!!!
Here in New Hope, there is a church that welcomes all. Outside they have a Jesus statue the hangs on the front of the church like on the cross, and I call it the Gay Jesus, because it is extraordinary ripped. Jesus with washboard abs.
Only in New Hope.
Any historical Jesus would surely "turn over in his grave" if he could witness what "Christianity" has become! I think he would also be supportive of LGBTQs and liberal theology.
Not just the Gospel of John:
51 And there followed him a certain young man, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body; and the young men laid hold on him:
52 And he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked.
Mark 14:51-52 King James Version
(King James himself is thought by some historians to have been gay.)
I always suspected Jesus was the leader of a gay cult. He's followed by twelve disciples, he asked them to leave their wives, he's got a favourite one and he's kissed by one...
Forevermore, I'll think of Christ as "Drag Queen Jesus".... thanks, Sporty! Oddly enough, it's a far more comforting image than traditional depictions, LOL!
Ha ha ha - I'll see you in hell sister!
I agree 100% with what Frank said!
Why not a gay Jesus! Wouldn't hurt anyone except the conservatives who pick and choose certain verses from the Bible to follow, and they can go to hell.
Love,
Janie
Another good 'un.
Remember that Eve was created from Adam's rib. That makes her a transgender clone.
Excellent and thought provoking post. Happy Monday my friend
Hugs June x
These are great..You had me with "A gay in a manger"....LOL
These made me giggle! I had no idea that there was plays and things about the sexual orientation of Jesus, haha!
Honestly. You people are reading way too much innuendo into those Last Supper paintings. It's just a breadstick, not the Body of Christ.
@ Anonymous -- Oh, you wag! LOL!
Many beliefs get weirder as time goes on. There seems to be plenty of historical Jesus evidence. So he hung out with a very close group of men and Mary Magdalene. He walked on water in their eyes.
Loved this! Someone like Jesus couldn't care less about all the things his followers do.
Bwahahahahahaha! I was not prepared for Drag Queen Jesus, though clearly she's quite a prepared messiah.
I've never once thought of Jesus's sexuality, I think it kinda misses the point about what he was all about.
There are lots of Gay jesuses in Miami
I agree, I hope he did have a healthy sex life!!!! Great post Deb! Big Hugs!
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