News & Views

What do 7-year-old Honey Boo Boo of Georgia and 81-year-old Cecilia Gimenez of Borja, Spain, have in common? They both want mo' money, mo' money, mo' money! That's right! You remember Gimenez, right? She's the amateur artist who infamously decided to restore a 120-year-old fresco of Jesus at her local church, transforming the painting from Ecce Homo ("Behold the Man") to Ecce Mono ("Behold the Monkey"). Also known as "Beast Jesus" and/or "Planet of the Apes Jesus," the restoration (for lack of a better word) initially irked the pastor at Sanctuary of Mercy church, who claims the work was unsolicited.

But wouldn't you know it? The story went viral, turning Gimenez into a sort of folk art heroine. Before long, Beast Jesus was bigger than ... um, Jesus. Crowds of curious visitors descended upon the town (you'd think that church was turning water into wine or something!).

So naturally, the Sanctuary of Mercy started charging admission. Hey, waaaaait a second ...

Wasn't it Jesus who freaked out on the money changers in the temple and flipped over their tables and drove them out with a whip and all that? Also, I'm pretty sure he used to say stuff like, "If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven, and come and follow me."

Anywho, when Gimenez heard the church was making a profit on HER masterpiece (2,000 euros in just the first four days!), she got mad. (Just like you-know-who in the temple!) She demanded royalties. (Which Jesus has never done, just for the record.)

And you know what I think? I think she deserves royalties! I think Jesus would GIVE TO THE POOR (old lady). Cause this other time, I'm pretty sure he said something like, "Let no man seek his own, but every man another's wealth."

Yup, the Messiah didn't mince words when it came to this stuff. Another example: "Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten. Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days."

Hmmm. Blessed are the 47 percent, apparently. And little old ladies with questionable eyesight, of course.

Do you think Cecelia Gimenez deserves royalties for her "Beast Jesus" painting?

Image via itnnews/YouTube