Yesterday, Thomas Peters, aka, @americanpapist, posted a link to an advertisement that Pepsi/Doritos posted to youtube and has since removed. I'm not sure if I found it offensive or clever. In it two pastors (both in Roman Collars) discuss how they can better "feed their flock". (while they may appear to be Catholic, to the experienced eye they clearly are not. They call each other "pastor" and use the "shot glass" style communion cups found in non-catholic churches). They decide to use doritos and pepsi max in lieu of traditional communion.
While the ad is certainly controversial it does raise the question, why? Why are we offended when doritos and pepsi are substituted for bread and wine at church?
While conversing with others about communion someone made the comment, in the presence of Flannery O'Connor, that it was a nice symbol. Her reply? "Well, if it’s a symbol, to hell with it."
Indeed.
For those other faiths where bread/wine are just a remembrance or symbolic, I don't think it would be offensive. But if a Roman Catholic priest joked about substituting the Eucharist for anything else, I'd be appalled. There is no replacement for the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of our Lord, present int he Eucharist! I'm glad they removed the ad!
ReplyDeleteThis is not dead - As they go to vote this week, the company posted their official version just tonight: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpniiSFmOeI
ReplyDelete