Jesus the Superstar

Without a doubt, the greatest superstar to have ever graced the face of the earth is Mr. Jesus Christ. No man has been quite able to leave behind the legacy that he did. A world religion (with countless denominations) is named after him, A large section of the Bible is devoted to his teachings, large numbers of people carry crosses around with them, and many still recite his most famous prayer: "Our father..." Of course, there is some question whether the ancient messiah was more than a man, but I'll save such a discussion for a later date. The point is, no one before or since Jesus has been able to match up to his position as a lasting influence on society.

Would it be wrong to suggest that he, or He, is the most marketable person in history? Absolutely not. Christianity has admirably tried to follow in his footsteps and used (in sometimes very questionable ways) his name to rake in impressive amounts of donations. I'm also certain various non-religious ventures have capitalized on his name.

One industry that has done so is show-business. Yet, for all the talent and ability in Hollywood and Broadway, it would be difficult to call any one of the movies or plays depicting Jesus as a main character an accurate and convincing affair. In some cases, like 1965's The Greatest Story Ever Told directed by the great George Stevens, everybody's favorite Son turns out to be a cardboard caricature of humanity's greatest ideals. To put it plainly, he's an absolute bore; completely uninteresting.

That's a shame because Jesus was anything but boring. He had a mission to accomplish and he didn't hold anything back. When he thought people were doing wrong, he simply told them. Unlike politicians, who would have backtracked and beat around the bush to avoid offending anyone, he went up to the nice, respectable people and said, "prostitutes will get into the kingdom of God before you" (Matthew 21:31). How is this boring?

However, there's more to the character of Jesus than forthrightness. He's a man who spoke in symbols and images shrouded in mystery. In this manner, he gave away very little, as he knew it was not yet time for him to speak "plainly of the father" (John 16:25). Since when has mysterious symbolism been boring?

Hollywood clearly dropped the ball there.

Then there's the other side of Jesus depictions. Common belief is that Mr. Christ had long hair reaching down to his upper back and a beard to go with it. Also, the version of him people like most can be called the "Prince of Peace." Wait a minute...guy with long hair, a beard, and is a big fan of world peace. Hippy!

I want peace...like now, man.

With portrayals like this one, how can you blame anyone for calling Jesus an ancient hippy? I don't know about you, but last I checked hippies don't (or didn't) go around telling people that prostitutes have a better chance of reaching heaven than your upstanding members of society. They are generally a bit softer in their approach. It must be said, though, that Andrew Lloyd Webber's rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar makes use of this image of Jesus in an interesting fashion (whether you think it blasphemous or not). 

Maybe the people behind the 1925 and 1959 versions of Ben-Hur got it right when they decided only to show the hands of Christ as he gave water those in great need of hydration. The upcoming re-make (2016) does not appear to be following this mold, as Jesus is listed as a major character and has an actor set to play him. 

In any case, the question must be asked. Can a group of sinful (we're talking show-business, peeps, so that's polite for sometimes very loose and scandalous) people put together an excellent and authentic portrayal of sinless Jesus?

A Two Edged, Dangerous Sword

ESPN FC reported yesterday that, like the mighty Ajax in The Iliad, Miguel Herrera "[fell] on his own sword." The fiery personality, who is often seen yelling his head off at the referees or his Mexican national team players, allowed his famous tenacity to get the better of him. The weapon that he wielded to vault the Mexicans back to the top of CONCACAF and a victory in the recent Gold Cup (albeit not without a heavily warranted amount of controversy) led to his downfall. He overstepped his bounds and hit a Mexican journalist. Ah, if only he refreshed himself with the story of the heroic Ajax, the inspiration for the name of Dutch giants and talent factory Ajax Amsterdam FC, then he might have avoided this troublesome situation. Also, he might still have his job.

That's another matter to consider. Should Herrera have been fired? Admittedly, his position as a public figure and ambassador for Mexican football (soccer) does not provide him with any slack for the occasional need to attack an insolent journalist. Regardless, the question still carries some weight. Herrera led Mexico to an impressive World Cup performance last summer and claimed the 2015 Gold Cup just a few days ago. Compared to the recent failings at the Mexican helm, such a CV does not carry a "Please Fire" stamp with it. On top of that, reporters have mentioned how the players love playing for Herrera. I, for one, am a believer that the players should be consulted before a crucial decision like this is made. Sure, there might be criticism from the media outlets, but the player-coach relationship is very important in sports. At the minimum level, the players should at least be asked about their opinions.

While I am very well aware of the changing situation in the Mexican Football Federation (FMF) and how they desire to establish a new level of order and stability within the national team, they need to consider the results. One especially important result coming up on October 9th at the Rose Bowl--the play-off showdown with US national team (who I will be rooting for). Their decision to fire Herrera could potentially destroy the team's confidence and might negatively carry into their 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign. The FMF and its new president, Decio de Maria, better be wary of tripping and falling on their own sword.

A Simple Creed

There has been some quandary, strictly internal mind you, as to how I should begin my foray into the world of blogging. Whether 'tis nobler at the start to joke, to mock and make light of (sometimes) outrageous fortune or to take arms against a sea of clowning and by opposing provoke wonderful serious thoughts? I believe I have found my answer in a simple credo from one of my favorite TV shows:

                   "A little song, a little dance, a little seltzer down your pants".

Sometimes, folks, that's what it's all about. Most of the time it isn't, but still there's a place for it...somewhere.

Incidentally, in case you're wondering, the TV show is The Mary Tyler Moore Show--a staple of the 1970s. The episode in which the credo is most beautifully used is "Chuckles Bites the Dust".