he groaned, 'If only I had spent more time at the office!' said no one, ever."
I am reminded of this little joke as I contemplate the spectacle of this new work of adoration directed to the glory and praise of the miraculous healing and redemptive power of our Dear Leader:
Synopsis
In the beginning of the 21st century, no one ever thought that an African-American would become the first President of the United States. But it happened, and an entire country celebrated the exceptional efforts pulled off by citizens ready for sweeping change. But this change didn't come without effort. It required a unification of all people from all races and nationalities, which is what "The Obama Effect" is about. This film centers around a middle-aged man (Charles S. Dutton) who is faced with some difficult life questions after having a heart attack. Attempting to get back on track with his life, he takes on the Obama campaign with full force in an effort to fight for something he believes in. In the end, he not only learns that putting effort into something can yield unexpected results, but that fighting for something you believe in, including yourself, is what life is all about.
One could focus on the grammattcal ineptitude of hailing Obama as the First President. (That job was filled by George Washington in the 18th Century). One could note the stunning lack of imagination to say that "no one ever thought" that a black person could be President. (Really? No one? I've assumed that a black person, a Chinese person, a woman, a Latino, and every other flavor or ethnicity will be President since, like, forever. So has everybody I know. This is America dude. We go from "Irish need not apply" to JFK in less than a century).
But what really amazes me--and not in a good way--is that a human being can face death and conclude, "What really matters is not getting right with God, or telling my wife I love her, or reconciling with my kids, or stopping and smelling the roses, or planting a tree, or writing a book, or savoring time with my granddaughter. No, what really matters is throwing my energies into helping a Caesaroligarchic tool of giant corporations win a power struggle and claim the right to indefinitely detain and murder anyone he chooses, as well as smash religious conscience and compel the worship of Divus Caesar. That is 'what life is all about.'"
Secular messianism is as American as apple pie. We love to hail our party leaders as semi-divine figures with anointing from above. Obama worship is a particularly acute manifestation of this blasphemous national tendency, but conservatives have done it too, of course, as in this identification of W with the Transfiguration...
or, reaching much further back, this hagiography of the Apotheosis of George Washington, in which our first President literally becomes a god:
So what obscure midwest whacked-out Mormon college library has this grotesque thing adorning it? None. It's on the dome of the United States Capitol building in Washington DC and has been since 1865. It says, in artistic form, what the Federal government was trying to say to all of us after the Triumph of the State in the Recent Unpleasantness: Caesar still claims divinity and lots of allegedly free Americans are quite ready to offer their pinch of incense to him.
The moral of the story is that if we are going to get concerned (as we should be) about the blasphemous secular messianism of Obama worship, we should also be concerned about the blasphemous secular messianism of America worship. The way to avoid secular messianism is to test everything America, Americans, and American politicians want to do against the teaching of the gospel and the Magisterium, instead of trying to figure out ways to make the gospel fit what America, Americans, and American politicians and oligarchs (but I repeat myself) want to do.
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Finally it has been said. Thank you mark.
I don’t think that image of W quite compares with the Transfiguration, but it IS very offensive in applying the cross-halo, which in iconography is used ONLY for Jesus Christ, to W.
Was the phrase “grammattcal ineptitude” intentional, or unintentionally ironic?
As for the future of US presidents, I don’t think this republic will last long enough for every demographic to fill the office.
Mark,
Usually you are spot on in your criticisms of the “right.” But here you just conflate the issue. There is clearly a difference between hagiography and messianism. Does that picture of George Bush really indicate that he is messianic? His face is bowed alongside two former presidents with a cross in the background. This may represent a kind of political crucifixion, but it is hardly the Transfiguration. What image of the transfiguration depicts Jesus with his face to the ground? It seems to me the artist is presenting Bush as a humble Christian in the tradition of our forefathers. It may be inaccurate and misplaced hagiography, but it is hardly blasphemous messianism. Obama worship is entirely different. This worship has grown out of a new ‘reign of terror’ of sorts. Obama is the god of reason whose efforts have redeemed the masses from their bondage to Christian mores. He is the “one” who has saved us from the tyranny of corporate oligarchy. I don’t like Americanism any more than you do. But let’s not pretend that the Bush fanatics we meet are anywhere near the same as the Obamamaniacs. And, being from an Eastern tradition, I have no problem with the Apotheosis of George Washington. How is that any different than the Theosis we all hope to achieve as Christians? Again, it may be inaccurate and misplaced hagiography. But it is not the same thing as Obamamania messianism. I’m not sure how you are able to confuse the two.
Nothing is more offensive to me as a Catholic than the Americanism which has infected our churches. In large measure this was the attempt to show to the real Americans (i.e. Protestants) that we were worthy of being American citizens. Organizations such as the Knights of Columbus then only served to bolster this worship of America.
I find it interesting that the negative comments posted above are from those who cannot recognize the deification of GWB and you never mentioned the total obsession with Reagan. I am not quite sure how Obama has fit into the pantheon yet, but I am sure it is coming, especially after his pending reelection.
It is time to get the American flags out of our churches, to stop singing America the Beautiful as the recessional hymn (or any other hymn for that matter) and to get down to the business of resisting the empire in its totality.
As long as we worship the idol we are no better than the idol.
Ikiliop, I agree with everything you said except the bit about the Knights of Columbus. There is a role for patriotism in its proper place. You might take a look at “Memory and Identity” by Blessed John Paul II.
Yeah, those KofC guys are really Americanists with their care for widows, pro-life work, care for the mentally disabled, etc. Oh, and they of course worship America and Columbus. I mean, they couldn’t have possibly had any other idea in mind when they named their org. after him. After all, Columbus was the first “American.” Except he wasn’t. Nor was he a citizen of the US. And the lands which he sailed to were claimed by him for Spain. But, why confuse the issue with facts when we have an opportunity to take a cheap shot at people who are clearly not Catholic enough for the rest of us.
It is interesting to observe that almost *nobody* puts Obama bumper stickers on their car. The last election, my liberal community was awash with them. Even the liberals don’t have much HOPE in their peace-prize-messiah, eh? But the thought of W being revered like God is kind of funny. Did that actually happen somewhere? Other than Texas?
I think you’re fighting a war that isn’t being waged. There’s always been some “Americanism” out there, but it’s not everyone. Same for Obama. Same for Bush. Same, same, same.
I borrowed a friend’s picture book of Venice a month ago and it is stunning. The artwork, mainly by very devout Catholics, is impressive to say the least.
One such artwork in the Doge’s Palace is the Apotheosis of Venice, with the figure of a woman representing the city being taken into Heaven.
While I suppose most Catholic apotheoses represent actual saints entering Heaven, clearly the Apotheosis of Venice shouldn’t be taken in quite the same vein since cities cannot go to Heaven. In the same way, a piece of secular art that obviously mimics Catholic art, but for a (slightly) different purpose shouldn’t be taken in the same vein as well.
I agree with John H. above. The secular artworks above are hagiographic in nature.
There’s plenty of new Obama bumper stickers cropping up in my liberal college town environment, and it’s still Dogdays: wait’ll the kiddos and their gurus re-arrive in their Volvos n’ Saabs. The secular iconography and all the other “graphy” that we get too hooked up on is one thing. Perhaps even more offensive is the number of people in neighborhoods (especially the yard gestapos and local Javerts so eager to enforce the ever slightest rule or regulation they could’ve found this side of hell or Mars to pin a public rap on somebody for putting up a sign for Candidate Schmoe ... even if they happened to support Schmoe in their heart of hearts. (Must be buried deep n’ can’t be too big.) These are the “good government” types ... the ever-present “goo goos” who are forever telling us to eat our broccoli and spinach (or green peas) no matter how much they induce insta-vomit at the very smell of them.
Good Lord, the very sight of Schmoe’s sign on a yard (owned by a veteran who put in at least three tours in Baghdad, still sends their blood pressure well over 200.
On a scale of ten for bad taste and judgement in politics, art and all around good citizenship, I’ll give the people plastering their yards and keeping their rustbuckets together with bumperstickers a ten over the ever “good for you” bums who never miss a chance to wring their hands over a the likelihood of that ten percent of a rainshower after hearing the weathermen predict a 90 pct chance of wonderful clear sunshine all day.
Even Mike Dukakis couldn’t stand this bunch of goody goodies. I don’t believe for a moment Mark ‘s one of ‘em. He’s just brought our attention to them as a reminder . . . Beware of the Sign Snatchers and Politics Spikers. Bewaaaaaaaarrrrrrre
The President is not my God, America is not my religion and the supreme court is not my magisterium.
I thought this was a joke at first - a graphic created to spoof the hype about Obama. I can’t believe this is for real.
re : “what really matters is throwing my energies into helping a Caesaroligarchic tool of giant corporations win a power struggle and claim the right to indefinitely detain and murder anyone he chooses, as well as smash religious conscience and compel the worship of Divus Caesar. That is ‘what life is all about” Wow, when you get going like that, you’re good!But sadly, you’re also RIGHT.
The future is not going to judge Obama as his current supporters do. I think the future will judge that he was the president who gave the statist tendencies of late 20th/early 21st century US government a giant push forward, and took the first steps leading to the first real persecution of Christians on American soil.
@Howard- think of Washington and Lincoln as Moses and Elijah, and you’ll get the reference
Or, as a man actually said on his deathbed: “If I had served God half as well as I served my king, God would not leave me to die in such a place.”
@Ted Seeber
Oh, I noticed it was 3 men standing together. I’m just not buying that whenever 3 men stand together, it’s meant to be an ersatz Transfiguration.
I might just as well say that you don’t “get it” that “clearly” W is meant to be Jesus on the Cross, with Washington as the Good Thief and Lincoln as the Bad Thief. That’s because I am not playing that kind of nonsense game.
However, as I mentioned before, W’s “halo” is very disturbingly similar to the halo in Eastern Christian tradition (both Catholic and Orthodox) which is used ONLY FOR JESUS. I think this was done out of stupidity, though, not by someone who knew and understood the symbolism.
P.S. The captcha for this submission is “anyone43”, which might be a commentary on W’s presidency. Right now, though, I’d be willing to take just about anyone else for 45.
@Howard- not just any three, but in American Politics, Washington and Lincoln are mythologically important
@Ted
Which is why one of them was the Bad Thief.
Well said. I love America with a passion, but it is not God. Neither is any President of the United States. Obamessianism is scary, though—it’s reached levels that are surely unprecedented, and that’s probably despite his policies, not because of them. It’s frightening.
I thought the Bush thing - much as I don’t like Bush - is a kind of protestant prayer-y sort of thing. Washington and Lincoln are praying over Bush. Weird and mad enough in its way, but not a transfiguration. It does illustrate Americanism/State-Church conflation though. The Apotheosis, though it is in bad taste and worse execution, is simply the repetition of a rococo theme (e.g. Tiepolo’s Apotheosis of the Pisani or of the Spanish Monarchy, Bacicio’s Apotheoses of St. Ignatius and of the Franciscans) by a hack.
Honestly, I don’t think that image of Bush is diefying him. Living in protestant country I’ve seen people stand around and pray like that. It looks like any other bad religious art out there. I’m sure the thinking went, “we want to show Bush praying in line with the great presidents, so we’ll have them as ghosts standing on either side. We want to know that they are praying to Jesus so throw a cross in the background, but we want this to be about his job as president so stick it all into a presidential seal. GREAT!”
Posted by Lady Cygnus on Tuesday, Aug 14, 2012 10:25 AM (EST):Honestly, I don’t think that image of Bush is diefying him. Living in protestant country I’ve seen people stand around and pray like that. It looks like any other bad religious art out there.”
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I agree & I’ve seen some Catholics pray that way, too….
It might even relate to the Communion of Saints concept.I don’t think it’s so unlikely that former presidents might be praying for our current leaders & nation.
But true, not great art.How much great modern religious art is there, though?
The picture of W, George Washington and Lincoln is 2/3rd’s bogus to begin with. Lincoln was hardly one to wear his faith on his sleeve, much less have any firm religious beliefs until around the Battle of Fredericksburg, or perhaps closer to the other Union debacle at Chancellorsville. As for “George Ist”, the “First W,” he was extremely averse to even been witnessed receiving Communion in whatever Anglican parish he worshipped at. He was tolerant of nearly all faiths, but he had some very peculiar means of openly sharing his faith. As to the popular iconic image of Washington praying on his knees, (at least one) that’s as bogus as the cherry tree and toss of the silver coin across the Rappahannock.
On the other hand, let’s compare the records of the three. Lincoln saved the country notwithstanding his late-coming to Christianity. Washington practically willed it into independence from Britain while fighting a brilliant war strategy of battle, strategic retreat, battle and so for till he had help from those people today’s chest-thumpin’ Freedom Fry despisin’ seldom fair and almost usually unbalanced folks at Fox can never seem to resist taking cheap shots at.
W, aka Bush 43, George, Jr., He’s living proof that packaging piety won’t wash down all the other things he’ll be most remembered, if not reviled for, in the decades to come. Who paid for that iconographer, Karl Rove?
Steven Barrett ,
Two thirds of the individuals in the image are dead, therefore we do not know if their actions in the picture are “bogus” or not.The artist assumed the best.You might assume otherwise.And I’m assuming Pres.Bush prayed on numerous occasions.My guess is three out of three of them prayed-in this world or after.
Still, it’s pretty tacky art.
“The way to avoid secular messianism is to test everything America, Americans, and American politicians want to do against the teaching of the gospel”
In other words, a Christian theocracy.
But exactly which sect gets to interpret the “gospel”? Mormons?
“the first real persecution of Christians on American soil”
First repeal all real estate tax exemptions for church property.
Then remove the charitable contribution itemized deduction for contributions to a religious institution.
Wait, that’s still not actually “persecution”, it’s simply removing undeserved privilege.
Spare us all a return to the “good old days” of Cromwell, Charles I, James II, and “Bonnie Prince Charlie.” The Framers of our Constitution not only knew their English history well, they APPLIED their lessons from the carnage of the “Mother Country’s” religiously “inspired” civil wars.
“The way to avoid secular messianism is to test everything America, Americans, and American politicians want to do against the teaching of the gospel”
In other words, a Christian theocracy.
Theocracy? Seriously?
Consider the possibility of using instead of worshipping your intellect, Edward. Your irrational rage is causing you to imagine things.
Kathleen, it’s well BELOW tacky! LOL And for a bigger belly laugh, just sub Will Ferrell on it instead of the actor he played.
“test everything ... against the teaching of the gospel”
Who gets to perform this “test”? Catholics? Protestants? Mormons?
They all accept the gospel.
“using instead of worshipping your intellect”
My intellect tells me that I would not accept the results of your testing as worth anything at all.
@Edward: I think that I shall never see, an example of Mark’s complaint as perfect as thee.
With apologies to Calvin Coolidge, “Mammon is the religion of America.” And even Silent Cal’s (thankfully long departed) namesake would be appalled at the extent to which this nation prostrates itself to its sleazy god in the canyons of Manhattan’s Financial District, aka Wall Street.
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