In Theory: Is a zombie Nativity art or blasphemy?

A Nativity scene in Cincinnati, Ohio has caused a stir in the community and led to objections from religious groups.

Jasen and Amanda Dixon built a display featuring a stable of zombies — undead Mary, Joseph, wise men and a sharp-toothed baby Jesus with glowing eyes.

A spooky rendition of “Silent Night” plays in the background and the scene is lit up at night for all to see.

Opponents of the nontraditional Nativity have taken to social media to declare the scene blasphemous.

This year is the second time the Dixons have put up the scene in their frontyard and say it has nothing to do with religion, but is merely “a wonderful piece of artwork,” adding that they are not atheists.

“God frowns upon this manger scene,” read a pamphlet left in the manger of the zombie newborn by a local religious group. “Jesus has supreme power over death and evil; he is not a zombie.”

Q: Is the zombie Nativity scene a creative work of art or a blasphemous representation of a major part of the Christian faith?

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The LDS church hasn’t taken a position on this issue, but more generally, the church urges us to respect the religious beliefs of others. In my view, the Dixon’s refusal to do this is the real issue.

For them, the popularity of Nativity displays during the Christmas season is fodder for a joke. To millions of Christians, the Nativity is a sacred symbol of their faith. It is unfortunate that the Dixons are unable to see this.

A public atmosphere of mutual respect and courtesy wouldn’t resolve all of our social and cultural differences, but it would make them easier to negotiate. I believe the Dixons have a legal right to display their zombie Nativity, but that doesn’t mean it is a good thing to do, any more than it is a good thing to mock Muhammad or tell racial or ethnic jokes.

The Dixons’ defense — that the Nativity is an artistic expression — is undermined by their admission that it was created to promote a haunted house. On the other hand, I don’t think that Christians accomplish much by complaining. If promotion was the Dixons’ purpose, the public controversy has certainly given them what they wanted.

Michael White
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
La Crescenta

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I’m a big fan of “The Walking Dead.” My son got me into watching this zombie-infested TV series a while back, and now we can’t wait for new episodes. In the show, people turn into zombies by being bitten by other people who’ve already turned, and the whole is caused by an unknown pathogen that keeps the infected ambulatory.

It’s weirdly fascinating, but the idea of something beyond our control running rampant after our destruction, and how we might survive it, has us all intrigued. But the show also makes Earth look more like hell, as people exist in perpetual fear and the horribly decomposing “walkers” are always vexing them.

Now, as this award-winner grows in viewership, zombies get further into our cultural awareness and tasteless stuff like the zombie Nativity are inevitable. Google “zombie Jesus,” on your computer and myriad entries will appear. One depicts a crimson Christ with outstretched arms, captioned, “Jesus loves you, and wants to eat you.” C’mon!

Nobody thinks that zombies are good. They may be fictional, but they’re fictional evil, and all they do is murder people and cannibalize them.

There’s nothing redeemable about them, so depicting our good Redeemer, the incarnate God, in the most iconic scene of America’s dearest holy day as a murderous, fanged, demon-baby, is assuredly blasphemous.

I get the art and creativity of it, but some things are better left considered than carried out. I dare the Dixons to create something similar featuring Mohammed. As is, their Christian neighbors are mortified, and they don’t care, because the most we’ll do is stamp our feet. The Dixons might not be atheists, but that’s not the same as being God’s people, and Christians would unlikely denigrate their Lord in such a way.

In reality, the zombie legend was born in superstitious Africa. There, they were thought to be caused by spirits rather than germs. Some have likened Jesus to a zombie because he rose from the dead. But he wasn’t stumbling about noshing on shepherd brains, he was fully alive by the Holy Spirit, proving himself to be God, having power over death, and deserving our respectful allegiance.

Christmas is about life, not death. Death is an enemy, Christ is its remedy. Jason and Amanda, love your neighbors enough to kindly nix the crass crèche.

Rev. Bryan A. Griem
Tujunga

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A zombie baby Jesus says lack of reverence to me, but then I have never gotten the whole living-dead craze — maybe it is a compliment — and anyway blasphemy is no crime in our secular system.

The Dixons say they are aiming for art and that they are not anti-Christian. Huffingtonpost.com quotes Mr. Dixon thusly: “My wife Amanda is a hardcore Catholic and we do have a son in Catholic school.”

To me it seems more commerce than art. Mr. Dixon owns (or perhaps works at; the reporting is unclear) a neighboring haunted house during Halloween season. In 2014 he first put up the zombie nativity, to promote the haunt enterprise, according to one news source. Or could it be the practical matter that zombies are what he has available?

Their T-shirts, which I assume are another Dixon revenue stream, say “Zombie lives matter,” so the gentle mockery extends beyond Christianity.

Without Facebook and so many online “news” outlets needing content, this story probably wouldn’t have spread beyond Cincinnati. Now thanks to the local township’s code enforcement on the Dixons, supporters of free expression are rallying around the cause. Donations are said to be going toward the couple’s expenses, including legal fees, and being shared with a local nonprofit along with being saved for next year’s display.

Oy. Glad I’m not a neighbor to the bright lights and creepy music accompanying the scene.

Roberta Medford
Atheist
Montrose

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How about if I come down in the middle on this one? First of all, it sure as hell isn’t art! It’s schlock or even crap! However, I also wouldn’t go so far as to say it’s “blasphemous” either.

A few years back one of the Supreme Court justices, in speaking about pornography, said that he couldn’t define it, but he knew what it was when he saw it. I think the same can be said about blasphemy, but it’s even harder to define. What is blasphemous to me may not be blasphemous to you, and vice versa. The people in Cincinnati with the whatever-it-is display on their own property I think are tremendously insensitive, but I personally don’t think they are being blasphemous.

I think they’re trying to make a statement, but I’m not sure what that statement is, nor do I think they know what that statement is! And I think they’re just trying to be offensive, and they have really succeeded!

Now, in all seriousness, what is truly blasphemous is killing in the name of God, whether you refer to the deity as Allah, the Holy One of Israel (Isaiah, the prophet’s term), or the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

That’s true blasphemy, not some ugly zombie creche in one’s front yard!

And there are other things that are truly blasphemous in this Christmas season: how about hungry children or homeless veterans? How about the level of want in this most prosperous country? You know what? It might even be blasphemous to wish some poor soul “Merry Christmas” if we do nothing to help him or her.

Again, you want blasphemy? Just look around, and think of all you haven’t done and all you could have done — and I’ll be right there with you.

The Rev. Skip Lindeman
La Cañada Congregational Church
La Cañada Flintridge

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The building of a Nativity scene, no matter what the participants resemble, is a work of ... work. So at the level of time spent and effort, etc., it could be considered a work of art. It may not be at the level of Dali’s Lincoln, but even Dali’s Lincoln, a world-renowned work of art, to a southern Christian who believes Abraham Lincoln was a warmonger, the blasphemy may be there, as well.

Still, the meaning, or for that matter, the definition of Nativity, is new life for the world. According to Christianity, it means redemption from sin and the ultimate victory of the forces of good over evil. Zombies to my understanding represent the ‘undead’ returning to their neighborhood to destroy the living, or at least co-opt them into subservience. Forgive me, zombie fans, but they are a poor person’s vampires. At this level, they and their imitation of positive religious images are blasphemy.

Now, being that the zombie Nativity is placed on private land, the creators cannot be compelled to remove it. As our prayer book says, “God creates Light and Darkness,” so perhaps the neighbors of the Z.N. could build a classical Nativity scene that on all levels would outshine the other. In this way people would really see creations that were “Night and Day” and “that it was Good” (Both from Genesis 1). May there be peace on Earth and good will toward all.

Rabbi Mark H. Sobel
Temple Beth Emet
Burbank