1. I am not new to the religious t-shirts that bear slogans like “Jesus is my homeboy” or “Everyone loves a Christian girl.” I see them at the stores I shop at, and I’ve seen several people wearing the hats or carrying the tote bags with the same slogans. Even after reading both arguments by Paul Mitchell and Ruth La Ferla, I remain indifferent to these t-shirts. I have never had the desire to wear them, but I never cared if I saw someone walking down the street with the t-shirt on. When comparing the two shirts above, I feel myself gravitating more towards the black and white one. The shirt itself physically evokes a more powerful message by portraying Jesus as larger and more intimidating than the Jesus in the first shirt. On a pure fashion standpoint, the black and white one is more appealing. Still, when looking at the first shirt, it feels more friendly and modern compared to the second one. Regardless, I do not find the shirts to be a parody. There is nothing necessarily mocking about them, since they portray a religious figure in a way that teens can understand. It seems smart to have religion branch out to a younger generation so that everyone can experience it in their way. Also, the shirt is a result of a movie, not a direct parody. The movie, Saved, didn’t threaten Christianity (at least, there have been no reports about it), so the t-shirts are just a pop-culture reference that some people like to explore. Either way, my religious affiliation is not as strong as others. It would explain why I don’t have much of an opinion about the shirts and why they do not feel like a parody to me.
2. “Spoof Christian t-shirts give the same message to Christendom that spoof advertising t-shirts give to big companies: we see through your propaganda, and your slogans have become meaningless and even offensive to us.” (qtd. in Mitchell)
a. I understand Mitchell’s point completely; no one can perfectly deny that some t-shirts might be a complete spoof and satire of modern day Christianity. However, it seems that Mitchell might be biased. For one, the first few spoof t-shirts were not a jab at the religion, but a result of a popular indie movie. When movies come out, a lot of merchandise is made to promote the movie before and after its release. The “Jesus is my Homeboy” t-shirt is not a direct attract to Christianity, but merchandise for people who loved the movie or certain aspects of it. The other religious t-shirts that came out could be a result of the popularity of the “Jesus is my Homeboy” t-shirt. Also, no one can really say that a modern teenager will be attracted to a religious shirt that he or she cannot connect to. The artwork and the text is an example of kairos and pathos; the more the message fits the people the message is marketed too, the higher the chances that people will respond to it. I cannot say this is the truth, but if a teen cannot connect to a message completely, then the slogan becomes meaningless over time. While to some, the “Jesus is my Homeboy” maybe a parody of the religion, the message is a modern reconnect to religion that could have been lost over time.
3. If the t-shirts only contained text, I would view them as more of a pop-culture reference (the movie Saved) than religious fashion marketing. Although, my opinions toward the shirt would not drastically. Since I wouldn’t view the shirt in a strictly religious way, I might be more prone to wear it. Yet, some people might not be as attracted to the t-shirts because it’d be difficult to connect to the message. The image of Jesus, I think, made it easier for some people to connect their religion to a very modern t-shirt. On the other hand, it might be easier for some people to represent their views with the t-shirt since it’s just text. To a younger generation, the message is easily understood.
4. The first colored t-shirt feels more friendly and open to everyone. The image of Jesus is small and wearing clothes that are more similar to the clothes we wear today. Also, he is giving a peace sign, which wouldn’t necessarily have to mean peace, but the slang that many teenagers use today. The shirt portrays Jesus as someone who can be friend and identify with modern society, thus making the t-shirt more appealing since Jesus’ status is less intimidating than the figure we have all grown up with; also, if makes the religious figure as someone who everyone can connect with. The t-shirt almost says “Jesus is not only your savior and God’s son; he is always your best friend and the guy who you usually hang out with at school.” The second t-shirt gives off a different feeling. The t-shirt is in black and white, and the image of Jesus is bigger than the figure on the first shirt. Not only is Jesus bigger, but he also appears more powerful. Jesus’ body appears more athletic and buff, giving off that sense of power. He is the focal point of the t-shirt, and he takes up most of it, also adding to that sense of power that Jesus has. The t-shirt says “Jesus is still the powerful figure that he is. He is your friend, but do not forget who He is as well.” The second t-shirt is almost intimidating since Jesus does not appear like someone who can connect to everyone, especially teenagers. The lack of color adds to that intimating feel since it makes the t-shirt very static and serious.
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