Actress and filmmaker Candace Cameron Bure is speaking out about the controversial Opening Ceremony at the Paris Olympics, saying she was both “sad” and “mad” as she watched drag queens portray what appeared to be Jesus and the disciples in a reenactment of Leonardo da Vinci’s painting The Last Supper.
The Opening Ceremony’s designer, Thomas Jolly, said it was not da Vinci’s painting that inspired the scene but instead Dionysus, the Greek god of wine and fertility. But the Opening Ceremony’s producers contradicted Jolly, saying in a statement that The Last Supper did indeed serve as inspiration.
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“For the ‘Festivities’ segment, Thomas Jolly took inspiration from Leonardo da Vinci’s famous painting to create the setting,” the producers said in the statement, according to The Wrap. “Clearly, there was never an intention to show disrespect towards any religious group or belief … [Jolly] is not the first artist to make a reference to what is a world-famous work of art. From Andy Warhol to ‘The Simpsons,’ many have done it before him.”
Bure, on Instagram, said she was initially hesitant to weigh in but believed the controversy was “too important not to.”
“It’s the best of the best athletes in the world competing for the title. So, to watch such an incredible and wonderful event that’s going to take place over the next two weeks and see the Opening Ceremonies completely blaspheme and mock the Christian faith with their interpretation of the Last Supper was disgusting. And it made me so sad. … It [also] makes me mad. But I’m more sad because I’m sad for souls.”
Bure cited Scripture in her six-minute video and also urged fans who are not Christians to come to Jesus.
“I pray for my heart to break over what breaks God’s heart,” she said. “And I just think about all the people that have rejected the Gospel of Jesus Christ or don’t know the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And in the Bible, in Galatians, it says, ‘God is not mocked. For whatever a person sows, He will also reap, because the one who sows to his flesh will reap destruction from the flesh. But the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit.’”
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“... He continues and says, ‘Let us not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don’t give up.”
Bure also addressed Christians who downplayed the significance of the portrayal.
“It’s the ones that are lukewarm about it that may think, like, ‘I don’t want to ruffle any feathers. Live and let live. Let people do what they want. I’m just going to stay in my corner and be quiet about it.’”
She then read from Revelation 3:16: “You’re neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, I’m going to vomit you out of my mouth.”
Addressing what she called “lukewarm Christians,” Bure said, “Don’t be lukewarm.”
Bure encouraged fans who are not Christians to consider the message of the Gospel. She read from Revelation 3:20: “See, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come to him and eat with him, and he with me.”
“God wants your heart so badly,” she said. “God loves you so much. I encourage you to read the Bible. I encourage you to see the lengths that God goes through and the amount of patience that He has in waiting for each and every one of us to just call on His name.”
Meanwhile, Bure said she will continue watching the Olympics.
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“I’m going to watch the Games. I want to support our athletes,” she said. “There are a lot of great Christian athletes competing as well. But I want to cheer them on, I want to see God getting the glory. And I’m gonna watch. ...These athletes have dedicated not just the last four years but their entire lives to compete in these games -- [they] had nothing to do with that opening ceremony. So I want to support them. But if you feel a conviction not to watch, then don’t.”
Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
Hollywood Take Note: Candace Cameron Bure Says There's a Deep Desire for Christian Films from CCM Magazine on GodTube.
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Featured Image Credit: © Instagram/candacecbure
Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.