Jesus As a Toy
November 3rd, 2007 by Sonja

Hmmm … not certain what I think about that.

This just in … my e-mail box from LightHusband:

Talking Jesus Doll Stirs Debate … yes … that’s what it is … a talking Jesus action figure. He quotes Bible verses and tells the story of the loaves and fishes. There’s a lot of concern spouted about how children will become desensitized to these … perhaps even mix and match his robes for Bratz clothing.

My concern is not so much for that, Jesus can wear any clothes the kids want and well, He’ll still just be a plastic action figure. I have a larger concern. This doll is, you got it … Made In China.

Does anyone else catch the irony? An action figure which is arguably an icon of religious freedom being manufactured in one of the least free nations on earth. By people who would be put to death if they worshipped Him. That’s beyond ironic and moving toward cruel.

I don’t even want to get into the whichever commandment … Thou shalt not make any graven images. We broke that one a long, long time ago.

I have a real problem with a Jesus doll being made by slaves, sold by a company (Wal-Mart) which condones slave like conditions in its stores … Jesus was about justice, mercy and freedom. He explicitly said in Luke 4, “I have come to set the captives free.” There is no captivity like economic slavery (read The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck sometime if you doubt me). There is no hope, no light and no freedom there; the bondage is eternal. So manufacturing and selling a Jesus action figure in that environment … well, it just makes my skin crawl.

How much is the salvation of little Western souls worth? Apparently more than the lives of Chinese men and women.


4 Responses  
  • Makeesha Fisher writes:
    November 3rd, 200710:18 amat

    Shayel actually has a playset that use to be sold by Group. When they stopped selling it they were literally giving them away at Group to employees – so David grabbed one. There is a huge stage with backgrounds and a set of modern people and biblical era people, including a baby Jesus and an adult Jesus. They were made to be used by sunday schools to help the kids participate in the story telling time.

    It never bothered me that my child had a Jesus doll.

    but you bring up a very valid point that would definitely be more of a concern to me…although, in interest of full disclosure, I buy things that are made in China.

  • Sonja writes:
    November 3rd, 200710:24 amat

    Yeah … I pretty much don’t have any problem with having Jesus toy for kids to play with.

    It just galls me that it’s made in China by people who are forbidden to worship Him … that’s just wrong on so many levels. We should be willing to pay something; actually alot of somethings; for the freedom to worship.

  • K.W. Leslie writes:
    November 4th, 20077:11 pmat

    I’m somewhere between amused and annoyed about the irony.

    Where I usually gripe about artistic depictions of Jesus — even among action figures — is how historically inaccurate they are. He’s always portrayed as blond and blue-eyed despite being a first-century Palestinian Jew, and every time I see a portrait of Albino Jesus it reminds me of how much we’re making Him in our image instead of allowing Him to remake us in His.

    As for the Jesus action figures, I used to have one. Had Him fight Darth Vader. The action figure Jesus was incapable of holding a light saber, so sometimes Vader would win. I have no idea how severely this experience has damaged my theology… probably not as much as everyone is worried about.

  • Patrick writes:
    November 5th, 200712:48 amat

    Seems like Jesus has been an action figure for quite a few centuries, put into all sorts of poses for people playing their own make believe.

    That’s pretty much how I explain much of church history.

    Pull the string, Jesus says just the exact thing that keeps some folks in power and keeps other folks bowing to those in power.

    My guess is this Jesus here says a lot less dangerous things than those figures.


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