Please see the photo of the bronze statue entitled “Holier Than Thou” which accompanies this article in the October 16 issue of the Tokeka Capitol-Journal. You have to see it to understand the following hullabulloo.
There is a statue that has been traveling the country for over 10 years as part of various art shows. (Just so happens the statue’s artist, Jerry Boyle, 53, lives in Longmont, CO–home to several Waterglass contributors.) The statue is basically a big, bronze, scowling-faced bishop. The trouble is, he’s wearing an awful big hat (or miter, as I believe is the testicle, er, technical term.) It’s this miter that’s causing a tremendous amount of controversy.
After 10 years of unoffensive touring, the statue is now under attack. Many Catholic folks in Kansas are now apparently offended by this statue because they feel the hat is not a hat, but really a big, bronze penis. With that as their interpretation, it’s no wonder they’re a bit offended, especially when you take the statue’s inscription into account: ‘I was brought up Catholic. I remember being 7 and going into the dark confessional booth for the first time. I knelt down, and my face was only inches from the thin screen that separated me and the one who had the power to condemn me for my evil ways. I was scared to death, for on the other side of that screen was the persona you see before you.’ Yes, Jimmy, a big, bronze penis like that would scare me, too.
I just think it’s funny that Catholics all over the country have seen this statue and no one has thought to be offended by it until now. Strange, in this day and age. Usually people LOOK for whatever they can find to offend them.
I personally don’t see the big penis. I think it looks like two big Jesus fish slapped together. How can THAT be offensive to Catholics?
I think it confirms what most of us have known all along: certain higher-ups in the Catholic church are dickheads. I’d slap a new label on it: “Cardinal Law.”
In this country, almost all religions seem to be on the defense these days. It’s not surprising when someone gets upset at what they think is yet another jab at the Catholic church.
However, I don’t see the similarities (not with mine anyway) and I don’t see where they need to get upset about this.
Why don’t they just ask the artist what he meant to do? From some earlier comments by the artist is just appears that he wanted to create a grumpy-looking bishop. Mission accomplished. End of story.
As Sigmund Freud said, “Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.”
It’s a good thing the “bust” didn’t have two big bulbous ears sticking out. And why is face rumpled so? Is the Bishop not excited? If you rub the hat, does the face straighten out?
The quicker the Roman Catholic church, its pedophile clergy, and its moronic supporters are destroyed, the better it will be for democratic society.