Jesus nails--Hot new fashion statement

[Champion Jack]

http://www.nypost.com/seven/02192004/news/regionalnews/18338.htm

February 19, 2004 -- Replicas of the nails used to hang Jesus
on the cross have become the red-hot official merchandise
linked to Mel Gibson's controversial new
movie, "The Passion of the Christ."

Pendants made from the pewter, 2 1/2-inch nails
- selling for $16.99 - all but flew out of the
Christian Publications Bookstore on West
43rd Street as soon as they were put on display.
Hundreds of stores across the country will be
selling licensed items tied to the movie, a graphically
violent depiction of the last 12 hours of Christ's
life, which opens next week on Ash Wednesday.

The souvenirs include a book, pins, key
chains, coffee mugs and T-shirts.
But the most unusual collectibles are the
nails, each of which hangs on a leather cord.

The Family Christian Store in Newark, Del.,
received a large shipment of merchandise
to sell at a preview screening of the film on Monday.
"The response so far has been overwhelming . . .
They want to buy this product," the store's
manager, Tina Weldon, said of the nail pendants.
"It's very symbolic for a lot of people."

A California company is manufacturing the
pendants and other merchandise under a
licensing agreement with Gibson.
Neither Gibson nor the manufacturer
returned calls yesterday.

[Dookus]

1. nice

I expect they'll be handing them out with Happy Meals soon.

I'm tired of this blood cult. It's time for something new.

I propose the First Church of Dookus. Of course, it'll have to be a suicide cult, cuz anybody dumb enough to follow me will get on my nerves.

[salinen]

6. Dook

Sounds like you understand that a truely enlightened person would be horrified at being worshipped.

[VOX]

13. Terrific variant of Groucho's "I wouldn't want to belong to any club...

that would have me as a member!"

Funny post, Dookus -- :toast:

[ajacobson]

2. I was going to write something smarmy

but this is so fucking stupid and sad I can't even think of anything clever.

[Nevernose]

3. My, how tasteful.

I saw a bit of this on CNN this morning.

Suggestion for Christians: If you have to be this tasteless, please use a regular nail from out of your garage, and give the twenty bucks to the poor. I would appreciate it, the poor would appreciate it, and I'm pretty sure the Messiah would appreciate it, too.

[Carni]

4. This crap, I swear will turn me into a Druid...

Or something (someone) like that...I was just agnostic but this Mel Gibson marketing BS may push me right over the edge.

[youngred]

5. why do they do this to my religion

This is ridiculous :grr:

[EstimatedProphet]

7. Didn't Christ throw the moneylenders out of the temple?

How did they get back in? Did someone leave the door open?

[VelmaD]

16. My thoughts exactly

Then again I guess it's a lot to expect that these people have actually READ the bible. :eyes:

Ya know, for people who claim to believe the bible is the literal word of god and who say they believe in EVERY WORD, they sure do pick and choose which parts they actually follow. *sigh*

[JohnyCanuck]

8. Maybe the next movie Mel makes will be about

how Jesus horsewhips the money changers in the temple for defiling that which was supposed to be sacred with their greedy, money grubbing ways.

[KamaAina]

9. I thought for a second it meant fake fingernails

as it turns out, it is even tackier!

Reminds me of back when Imus was actually funny (a long, LONG time ago). His character Rev. Billie Sol Hargis used to hawk the "Shoes of the Fisherman Jogging Shoes" and suchlike crap.

Of course, back then it was parody...

[PVnRT]

10. Jesus wept....

n/t

[ClintonTyree]

11. Marketing religion...................

has always been a big business. Look at all of those evangelical preachers in their $5,000 suits sitting in their golden chairs.
This shit is what turns me off about Christianity. The Falwells, the Robertsons..............they're mentally deranged morons incapable of any independent thought.........that is until there's a little money to be made by appealing to the masses stupidity for crap like this.
If there is a God, he's got to be pissed. And not just at the "sinners", many of his followers I imagine are at the top of the list as well.

[Sentath]

15. Is VERY old

http://www.smith.edu/hsc/museum/ancient_inventions/hsc18b.htm

Offers a recreation of an early vending machine for holy water.

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

12. "Stigmata: The Musical"

I bought a nail fer Jesus
And I hung it round my neck
Cuz I'm really into Jesus
And I love collecting dreck

And lo, the next morning
My hands and feet they bled
Cuz I didn't take the damn thing off
Before I went to bed

Stigmata! Stigmata!
I'm bleeding for my Lord
Stigmata! Stigmata!
Buy all you can afford

I wish my nail had diamonds
Like my 14 carat cross
Wish it was imprinted
"God's Da Man" and "He's the Boss"

Cuz for proving I'm a Christer
A symbol's all I need
My shiny nail speaks louder
Than any real deed

Stigmata! Stigmata!
I'm bleeding more than you
Stigmata! Stigmata!
It proves I'm not a Jew

[Liberal Christian]

14. This is nothing new

Time to relax, folks. Crosses with the crossbars made in the shape of nails have been around for a very long time. I have one a friend gave me years ago made of horseshoe nails. They all have their place.

Now, whether it's appropriate to wear a cross at all is often a subject for debate. Some Christians choose to do so as a reminder to remain faithful; others choose not to because they believe that to wear the cross as ornament cheapens the symbolism.

From time to time, wearing a cross becomes fashionable. I'm not big on "cross as fashion accessory." I guess when I see people wearing a religious symbol, I want it to mean something to them, whether it's a cross, a star of David, a yin-yang, a dream catcher, or whatever has meaning in that person's belief system.

However, for those who wish to wear it as a reminder for them of who they are and what they believe, I don't see anything wrong with a cross in the shape of nails. I'd rather see that than one encrusted with gemstones, which ends up "prettying-up" an instrument of torture and death.

[Zomby Woof]

17. time for a Dylan quote

They make everything from
Toy guns that spark
To flesh-colored Christs
That glow in the dark
It's easy to see
Without looking too far
That not much is really sacred.

--- It's Alright Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)

For myself, even this atheist knows what a spiritual assault this marketing campaign is on the faithful.

[Deja Q]

18. Commercializing the murder of Christ...

Yup, seems American to me.

I wonder what Christ would say.

Who knows, maybe He will return on Ash Wednesday?