WorldNetDaily joined the Media Research Center in melting down over a certain scene in the Paris Olympics’ opening ceremony. Bob Unruh raged in a July 26 article:
The Olympic Games in Paris appear to be on an agenda to return to the games’ original pagan roots, where blood ceremonies highlighted the days and allegiances were sworn to various pagan gods.
Just take a look at the videos that feature a blasphemous portrayal of the Last Supper, featuring an obese woman and drag queens, a blue Smurf-type character and a decapitated head – singing no less.
Actually, there was a recent report from ABC.net.au that explained the games, from about 776 B.C., drew naked men to compete in a range of events, where women were not welcome.
Actually, that scene did not depict the Last Supper (well, da Vinci’s interpretation of it, ,at least) — its creator pointed out it was a nod to Greek mythology. And, no, Bob, nobody’s advocating an Olympic return to “naked men,” as much as that might secretly excite you.
Joe Kovacs used a July 29 article to petulant reject an apology for the display by Olympic officials:
Officials with 2024 Olympic Games in Paris are offering an apology of sorts in connection with their intentional pagan reimagining of Jesus’ Last Supper featuring an obese woman and drag queens, but many Christians are not accepting their sentiment.
“Clearly there was never intention to show disrespect to any religious group. On the contrary, we intended to show tolerance and community. If people have taken any offense we are, of course, really, really sorry,” Paris 2024 spokesperson Anne Descamps told reporters.
But some online reaction to the statement is far from “apology accepted:”
Kovacs offered no evidence that the random anonymous outrage he uncritically quoted was representative of anyone outside of his right-wing bubble. WND also stole an article from Fox Business about a company nobody had heard of dropping its Olympic advertising because of the controversy.
A July 31 article by Unruh implied that threats of death and violence against one performer in that scene were justified and were merely “criticism”:
Barbara Butch, a radical LGBT activist who was part of a stunt at the Paris Olympics opening ceremonies that mocked Christianity, now is threatening to sue those who are criticizing her.
And an American legal expert, constitutional scholar Jonathan Turley, is explaining the anti-free speech laws and conditions in France create a much more conducive atmosphere to that agenda than would be present in the United States for such an attack.
There, he said, “free speech is in a free fall with the left pushing for the censorship and criminalization of an ever-expanding range of political and religious speech.”
It wasn’t until the 14th paragraph of his article that Unruh admitted that the performer. a French DJ, “has been threatened with death, torture and rape, and has also been the target of numerous anti-Semitic, homophobic, sexist and grossophobic insults” — but that was followed by Turley whining that “opinion” actually can result in criminal charges (though he did admit that threats of violence can be prosecuted). Unruh also offered no evidence to back up hjis claim that Butch is a “radical LGBT activist,” and he made sure to put the word “grossophobic” apparently to highlight the fact that Butch is a plus-size woman (and, presumably, to further justify threats against her).
Chuck Norris got on the outrage bandwagon in his Aug. 5 column:
The first came in the Olympic’s opening ceremony which showcased DJ and producer Barbara Butch – an LGBTQ+ icon – flanked by drag artists and dancers in a scene that clearly mimicked and mocked Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper,” not the feast of Dionysus. (Butch even initially posted on her Instagram – but then removed it – a collage of the Last Supper alongside her performance with the exclamation, “Oh yes! Oh yes! The New Gay Testament!”). This scene was taken from the Bible in which Jesus was surrounded by His 12 Apostles and instituted the first Communion the night before His suffering and Crucifixion.
Immediate responses of disgust, disdain and condemnation (followed by a call to boycott the Olympics) came from millions on every social media platform followed by ecclesiastical and other leaders – including the French Catholic Church – and athletic champions and Olympic lovers all around the globe. The mockery and sacrilege were obvious.
Was it really necessary to use one of the most sacred rites and depictions in Christendom to demonstrate and even “push” LGBTQ+ diversity? Obviously not. And “we didn’t intend that” doesn’t justify such clear offensive oversight.
If the secular world can refrain from displaying images of Mohammed because Islam condemns them, can it not offer respect without defaming Jesus and offending Christians around the world?
Norris’ evidence that the display was “not the feast of Dionysus” was an article in which no Dionysus artwork was used.