If I were to ask you, "What is the most persecuted religion in the world?" would you know the correct answer? What if I were to tell you that the answer is Christianity? In an article written by the Jerusalem post, records show that "1 in 12 Christians worldwide are persecuted for their faith."
This organized study bases its argument on the fact that the lives of Christians across the world are constantly threatened merely based on their belief in Jesus Christ. In over fifty countries, most in North Africa and the Middle East, it is either highly discouraged or even illegal to identify as a Christian let alone a Catholic. While some are forced to convert to another religion, others face harsh cruelties in return for their defiances such as imprisonment or even crucifixion.
On another side of the world, such as the United States, we seem to constantly ignore this blatant fact about Christianity. Instead, we ignorantly stereotype Christians as white, upper-class, religious fanatics who enforce strict laws and frantically pray. With this stereotype in mind, many films, music, fashion, and other entertainment industries frequently discriminate Christians by using this inaccurate stereotype as a means of revenue. This is why celebrities often dress up as Popes, nuns, and priests as a mockery of Catholic tradition, and there is not a word of criticism to correct them.
Isn't it hypocritical that the same media sources who are the first to revile a seventeen-year-old girl for wearing a traditional Chinese dress to her senior prom are the last to condemn celebrities who dress up as religious figures for a premiere Hollywood event, such as this year's MET Gala? This Gala used a "Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and Catholic Imagination" theme for its festivities, to which celebrities were quick to wear a bedazzled Papal mitre, a nun's outfit, and dresses with portraits of the Sistine Chapel over them.
How is this not just another form of cultural appropriation? Or is it that cultural appropriation does not apply when the stereotypes suggest that most Christians are white? The definition of cultural appropriation is "a concept in sociology dealing with the adoption of the elements of a minority culture by members of the dominant culture."
So by the rate at which Christians across the world are persecuted for their religion, they are, in fact, a marginalized minority. The definition of the word "appropriate" is "(to) take (something) for one's own use, typically without the owner's permission." While this year's MET Gala received permission from the Vatican and Cardinal Dolan, Archbishop of New York, it certainly did not get the approval from millions of Christians, including the ones persecuted every single day.
Dressing up as Anti-Popes and Jesus is cultural appropriation because the dominant culture, pop-culture, and Hollywood, adopt elements of a minority culture, Christianity, for profit and media attention.
May I remind you that this controversy would not occur if the theme were "Judaism" or "Islam." Never would a celebrity ever consider mockingly walking the red carpet in a Rabbi or Imam outfit, so why is Christianity the exception? What gives Hollywood the right to condescendingly sell my religion as a party theme for their entertainment?
Many were quick to flock to social media to justify the controversial theme. Their remarks ranged from jabs at sexual abuse, pedophilia, and molestation within the Catholic Church to the Crusades and colonization in South America. While I am not here to deny or accept these awful things, I do realize that there are just as many faults within the Catholic religion as there are with any other faith.
The Jews killed the Egyptians thousands of years ago, forcing millions of native tribes to convert to their religion, yet why does no one dress up as a Rabbi or have a Jewish themed fashion show?
Centuries ago, Muslims established their dominance in the Middle East through conversion warfare and jihad. Some Muslim-dominated theocracies in the Middle East still persecute various groups of people, including Christians and homosexuals, yet why wouldn't the MET Gala ever select Islamic culture as a theme for next year?
Is there an element of respect missing when a general audience views Christianity and Catholicism? By stating my examples above, I am not trying to condemn or mock anyone of the Jewish or Muslim faith; I am simply making a point that every religion has a dark history. With that in mind, all I am asking is for equal respect and tolerance. I do not believe that this is an absurd request; all I ask is respect for my faith.
My religion, just like any other, should be respected amongst a general audience despite whether or not the majority believes it. Just as I would never want to disrespect any of my fellow Jewish, Hindu, Muslim, or Buddhist brothers and sisters, I would hope that they would reciprocate those feelings of love that I have towards them. Even though I do not believe in these other religions, I would never use their religious symbols or figures as a costume on Halloween or an outfit on the red carpet.
My faith should not be the theme of your fashion show, the setting for your music video, or on the list of next year's Halloween costumes.
Jared Leto should NEVER dress as Jesus for a fashion statement. Beyonce should NEVER be compared to the Blessed Virgin Mary in the same way that Muhammad Ali should NEVER be compared to Muhammad or anyone for that matter. Religious nuns and sisters should not be costumes on your red carpet. Movie scripts which contain lustful priests having affairs with sexually promiscuous religious sisters should not be the hottest Blockbuster of the week.
Do you not see how intolerant and insensitive that is?
Let the 2018 MET Gala be the last time I have to ask the various entertainment industries to refrain from exploiting my religion for their profit. It is not only rude but also highly offensive to the thousands of Christians who are persecuted every day. I am tired of my voice being silenced simply because I am a Catholic, and I am tired of my opinion being disregarded simply because I am white. Trust me, there are millions of minority Catholics and Christians in the world who back up my sentiments, and that is why I feel compelled to speak up.
After this gets published, I am sure this article will receive mass criticism and hate, claiming that I am wrong, privileged, and ignorant simply because I am Catholic. But, you know, discrediting my opinion only reinforces my argument about Christians being persecuted. And, I believe certain hypocrisies in our society need to be called out for their insensitivity.
Remember the Golden Rule in elementary school: "Treat others as you would want them to treat you"? That's all I am asking here: that every religion should be equally respected and should NEVER be used as the means for entertainment, drama, or "a fashion statement".
