Olympics Opening Ceremony and the Real Reason Christians Should Be Offended
Millions of Christians watched the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics, hoping to see an exciting display of art and entertainment that they could watch with their children. Instead, what they saw was an offensive display of hedonistic mockery under the guise of inclusion.
I was hesitant to write concerning this event because I know that writing about offense will cause some who read this to be offended. However, it is not my intention to offend, to seem judgmental or to be accusatory. My intention is only to encourage those who were offended to continue to allow the light of clarity to shine brighter, and to shine not only on others, but also upon ourselves.
On the opening night, in what was termed an attempt to display inclusion, the world was exposed to a blending of the celebration of the Roman festival of Bacchus, the Greco-Roman god of wine, freedom, intoxication and ecstasy, which was based on the Greek god, Dionysus. This display should not have surprised anyone considering the actual history of the Olympics being birthed within Greek culture. However, in the name of inclusivity, the display blended and blurred the festival of Bacchus with a representation of “The Last Supper,” painted by Leonardo da Vinci. It was this purposeful blending of inclusion that offended those Christians watching the opening ceremony.
By the next morning, the media, especially social media, was buzzing with comments, accusations and cries of “blasphemy” and “Christian persecution.” While I understand the reason for offense, I absolutely believe that Bible believers are constantly under attack—in the media and in the world of politics—by those who reject our faith in their attempt for some utopian idea of inclusion, which seems to include everyone except those who hold to biblical beliefs and values. I have to say: This level of outrage by those who call themselves Christians does somewhat surprise me.
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It surprises me first, because the Olympics were never a Christian event; it was from its foundation a hedonistic display of humanity. Second, because da Vinci’s “Last Supper” in fact was a blending of Roman/Italian culture and Jewish culture in the same way the Olympic display was.
Think about the painting. The Last Supper takes place in broad daylight, not at night as the Bible says. The participants, including Yeshua (Jesus), are sitting on chairs, not reclining on the floor during their meal, even though the Bible says to eat it while reclining. If you look on the table, you will see loaves of leavened bread placed prominently upon the table, while Passover is the Feast of Unleavened Bread. I won’t continue to list the many other ways da Vinci blended Catholic/Gentile culture with Jewish culture in his painting.
The very symbol, da Vinci’s painting, which Christians are using to point out the attack on their faith and culture, in fact, did to Jews the very thing that offends them in the Olympic display.
Adding to this truth, most of the things many Christians do to observe or celebrate their own holidays also tend to welcomingly blend Christian culture with things from outside Christianity. Without going into some of the somewhat spurious claims of the history of Christmas and Easter, I believe we can all agree that Christmas trees, Santa Claus and such were not included in the biblical narrative of the birth of Yeshua. Likewise, I think we can all admit freely that the Easter Bunny is found nowhere within the story of the death, burial and Resurrection of Yeshua.
Please understand that I did not write this to condemn or judge anyone’s observances. I am simply pointing out that it seems a little inconsistent for Christians to complain about a display in Paris during an Olympics ceremony when similar displays blending the biblical with the worldly are found in churches and homes around the world.
I think it may be time for all the Christians who were offended by the opening ceremonies to not simply be offended for the sake of offense, but rather allow their eyes to be opened to something that is extremely significant. They should look even further to see if there are other things in their world and their lives that blend the biblical and holy with the nonbiblical and worldly, and as we find them, let us mature in our faith and let the Spirit of G-D cleanse our lives and our hearts.
Just think for a moment: If you were offended when hedonists, who proclaim there is no G-D, purposefully blended the Last Supper with the celebration of Bacchus at the Olympics, the blending of godly and worldly, how much more is G-D offended when we, who proclaim to be His people, do the same things in our homes and houses of worship?
Maybe it isn’t the Olympics we should be offended by.
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