Why I’m Not Outraged by Saturday Night Lives’ Blasphemous Skit on “Djesus”

Not that I’m turning cartwheels over it, or anything. Now, I didn’t catch it live last night, but I’ve seen the skit that portrays the risen Lord as a revenge killer in the sanguine style of Quentin Tarentinos’ take on justice.

I’m not going to embed it here, but I’ll supply you the link from Mashable, which is where I ran across it.

So why am I not outraged by it? Because to me, whether they intended it to be the case (or not), it shows more of what’s wrong with popular culture than what is wrong with the redemptive mission of Jesus. In a head turned upside down way, it shows how ludicrous the Messiah’s mission would have been if he rose again only to kill, and kill again. And in a way, as jesters are wont to be from time to time, SNL plays the prophet pointing out the madness of our solution to all problems.

Dealing death to all that cross us the wrong way. Some solution.

Ridding all of Judea of the scourge of the Romans is what many hoped for, and longed for when Jesus came into the world.  But Gods’ ways are not our ways.

SNL may not realize it, but their skit points to the reason why the first century Israelites didn’t get their temporal deliverer. And they ingeniously point out why we don’t either. The world will not be redeemed through killing, though it is redeemed through the death of the Christ.

Jesus the Christ, the Suffering Servant Himself, tells us clearly why he came.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

And so as Satan attempts to enrage us during our penitential season, and like a thief who wishes to steal, kill, and destroy our joy (as he seems to always try to do around this time of year), I’m not going to give him the pleasure.

For it is the Lord I serve, and the Christ whom I seek to imitate. He is no weak, bloodthirsty, fallen creature bent on killing his way to heavenly glory. You must have Him confused with Lt. Commander Gary Mitchell, or some other stock character.

It’s like il Papa said in his interview with Peter Seewald,

The truth comes to rule, not through violence, but rather through its own power; this is the central theme of John’s Gospel: When brought before Pilate, Jesus professes that he himself is The Truth and the witness to the truth. He does not defend the truth with legions but rather makes it visible through his Passion and thereby also implements it.

Viewer Discretion is advised: ‘SNL’ Debuts New Tarantino Movie, ‘DJesus Uncrossed’