The 2024 Olympics in Paris drew criticism for its heavily antireligious messaging. The opening ceremony featured a choral performance, with the singers appearing alongside the golden head of a bull. The statue was created in 1937 alongside a gold deer for the Paris World Fair. Many felt it symbolized the Biblical golden calf the Hebrews made after the Exodus from Egypt.
Many Christians took offense to images of a metal horse floating down the Seine because it resembled the pale horse from the Book of Revelations.
Perhaps the most controversial aspect of the opening ceremony was the performance that parodied Leonardo Da Vinci’s “The Last Supper,” a painting depicting Jesus and his apostles the night before his crucifixion. The performance featured LGBTQ activist, DJ Barbara Butch, as Jesus. The disciples were portrayed by cross-dressed men.
In front of the performers was an enormous silver serving tray bearing a scantily dressed man, who was painted head to toe in sparkling blue representing the Greek pagan God Dionysus, the god of wine, pleasure, festivity, madness and wild frenzy.
“This was extremely disrespectful to Christians,” Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk wrote.
French politician Marion Maréchal said, “To all the Christians of the world who are watching the #Paris2024 ceremony and felt insulted by this drag queen parody of the Last Supper, know that it is not France that is speaking but a left-wing minority ready for any provocation. #notinmyname”
Some social media users have also criticized the performance over the involvement of a child in the drag show.
House Speaker Mike Johnson criticized the display, tweeting, “Last night’s mockery of the Last Supper was shocking and insulting to Christian people around the world who watched the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games. The war on our faith and traditional values knows no bounds today. But we know that truth and virtue will always prevail.”
He then cited the New Testament; “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:5).
Elon Musk, the head of Twitter and CEO of SpaceX and automotive company Tesla, tweeted simply, “This was extremely disrespectful to Christians.”
