only an idiot like me would leave the following link to the following jesus drawings in his inbox after receiving it from a friend, tormented over whether or not to give it a “jesus junk of the month award”.

in the mean time, i posted a ‘jjotma’ (that’s got a ring to it, huh?) the other day for $75 scripture sports jerseys. and i got ‘called out’ on my qualifications for the jjotma, with the fair question, “is anything that you can buy jesus junk? or is there a certain qualifier needed?”

i thought about it. darn it. hate it when that happens. and answered with this:

i think for it to qualify as “jesus junk” there has to be one or more of these qualifications:
a. a complete tackiness to the item, or
b. a desire, on the part of the makers, for the item to be evangelistic.
c. a rip-off of a regular product (that’s the kind of non-creative church products that just bugs me the most).

these $75 shirts qualify on the second and third points.

yes, i’ve had worse jesus junk win the award — these are, at least, high-quality products!

so why am i hestitant to give the award to these drawings of jesus with various professions and hobbiests? i mean, really, they seem to qualify on both points a and b of my explanation.

but here’s the rub: i have (this will be a shock to you all, i’m sure) a real propensity to snarky sarcastic condescending mean-spirited belittling diminishing dismissive cocky brashness. i know, i know — you would have never guessed. i guess it’s an ok thing when i can keep it in check. but when it gets a bit rampant, i can quickly do destruction to myself and plenty of others.

AND THESE DANG PICTURES (i mean, did you SEE the one with the juggler and jesus????), they were created by some sweet-looking older dude who believes god called him to do this. and art or not, calling or not, I AM CALLED to honor the fact that this sweet-looking older dude believes god called him to do this. and he’s NOT selling them, so i gots to tables to overturn with righteous courtyard bustin’ anger.

sigh.

at the end of the day, i will not be awarding the uncoveted jjotma to the drawing of jesus with the welder, or jesus with the vetrinarian, or jesus with the clown, or jesus with the barber, or even — EVEN — to the (”new!”) drawing of jesus with the bodybuilders.

but did you see the juggler?