The 2024 Olympics faced significant backlash after the opening ceremony included a controversial depiction of the Last Supper with drag queens, leading to at least one major sponsor withdrawing support. The incident has sparked a wider debate about respect for religious beliefs and cultural sensitivity.
Why It Matters
This controversy highlights the importance of maintaining respect for religious symbols and traditions, which are integral to the cultural and moral fabric of society.
Who It Impacts
The issue affects religious communities, sponsors, and viewers who expect cultural events like the Olympics to respect diverse beliefs and traditions.
The 2024 Olympics have come under fire after featuring a provocative depiction of the Last Supper with drag queens during the opening ceremony. C Spire, a telecommunications and technology company based in Mississippi, announced on Saturday its decision to pull advertising from the event in response to the controversial display.
In a social media post, C Spire stated, “We were shocked by the mockery of the Last Supper during the opening ceremonies of the Paris Olympics. C Spire will be pulling our advertising from the Olympics.” This move marks a significant withdrawal of support from a major sponsor due to the portrayal of a central Christian event in a manner perceived as disrespectful.
We were shocked by the mockery of the Last Supper during the opening ceremonies of the Paris Olympics. C Spire will be pulling our advertising from the Olympics.
— C Spire (@CSpire) July 27, 2024
Bishop Robert Barron of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester in Minnesota, a prominent Catholic commentator, strongly condemned the display. Barron described it as a “gross mockery” of a sacred moment in Christianity. In a video posted on social media, Barron expressed his dismay, saying, “You know, I love the Olympics, so I turn on the opening ceremony of the Olympics. What do I see now … but this gross mockery of the Last Supper.”
Barron further criticized France’s choice to include such a display, arguing that it was an intentional affront to Christian beliefs. “France felt, evidently, as it’s trying to put its best cultural foot forward, the right thing to do is to mock this very central moment in Christianity where Jesus at his last supper gives His body and blood in anticipation of the cross. And so it’s presented though as this sort of gross, flippant mockery,” Barron said.
The bishop called for Christians to resist and make their voices heard in response to what he sees as a growing secularist and postmodern disregard for religious values. “I think, folks, what’s interesting here is this deeply secularist, postmodern society knows who its enemy is, they’re naming it, and we should believe them,” he continued. “They’re telling us who they are. We should believe them. But, furthermore, we Christians, we Catholics should not be sheepish. We should resist. We should make our voices heard.”
Mississippi’s Republican governor, Tate Reeves, also supported C Spire’s decision to withdraw from the Olympics. “I am proud to see the private sector in Mississippi step up and put their foot down. God will not be mocked. C Spire drew a common-sense, appropriate line,” Reeves said.
This incident underscores a broader debate about the balance between artistic expression and respect for religious beliefs. The backlash against the Olympics opening ceremony highlights the tension between modern secularist tendencies and traditional religious values. As this controversy unfolds, it serves as a reminder of the ongoing need to respect the diverse beliefs that make up the global community.
