Column:

Jesus couture makes religion trendy, profitable

By Kim Adams, Columnist

Published April 1, 2005

Perhaps the fact that "The Passion of The Christ" grossed $83 million in its opening weekend, or that Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code" sold more than 25 million copies could be seen as the beginning of a trend. But I would never have believed the next big figure in the entertainment industry would be Jesus.

The pop culture market has been inundated recently with kitschy items bearing the resemblance of the popular religious figure, from T-shirts bearing the phrase "Jesus is my homeboy," to a high-fashion sweater by Dsquared proclaiming, "Jesus loves me." These items are simply where the marketing of religion begins.

A couple from South Dakota began making candles they claim give consumers the authentic experience of being in Jesus' presence. Although the couple claim to see what they are doing as a mission of ministry, from my perspective, it seems a lot closer to capitalism.

Though no one should hesitate to express his or her faith, the new products are not necessarily as tasteful as past products of religious expression, excluding the mostly tasteless "WWJD" trend of the mid-90s. A tastefully worn cross, Star of David, or other small religious symbol is a widely accepted identification of faith. But the new clothing has loud, boisterous expressions of faith. A small cross pendant might not be noticeable unless you are standing in front of the person wearing it, but a "Jesus is my homeboy" T-shirt is visible from quite some distance.

Faith is a personal and highly individualized expression of spirituality. If this were not the case, why would so many different denominations of Christianity exist in the United States, not to mention the dozens of other faiths Americans practice? Though vocalizing our spiritual diversity is certainly representative of an American ideal, "Jesus is my homeboy" does not adequately express the depth and subtlety of anyone's religious experience. A loud T-shirt such as that will likely bother those of other religions and some strong believers in Christianity.

Beyond the potential offensiveness, as that will invariably lead us back to the trite political correctness debate, from my perspective, profit and religion should not mix. Books and movies with religious themes are one matter, because they are both expressive mediums that can handle at least some of the subtleties of religious expression, but clothing and candles are a cheap way to profit from something sacred to many. Of course, this is not a new phenomenon in American capitalism. It's just one that seems a little depressing.

Of course, this is not to say the "religious" trend couldn't have its upside. I'd like to think if we all start boldly claiming our religions that there might be hope for some interesting discourse. Even some of the clothing itself, like a shirt from Intuition in Los Angeles that spells out "co-exist" using the Muslim crescent, the Star of David, and a cross, actually says something about the state of religion.

However, when religion becomes the next fashion fad, everyone involved loses a real, true expression of religious diversity. It alienates those who don't practice a particular faith, or even those who practice a mainstream faith. Even for those whose faith might be encompassed in the trend, it cheapens a real and profound expression of religious individuality.