“Jesus and the Angry Babies”: Brian Kershisnik

[Okrahomer]

This painting makes me laugh…and cry.

 

“The idea started as a visual joke…and became a visual metaphor that shares the reality of misbehaving humans trying to reconcile a relationship with perfect—and patient—heavenly beings.”

Edited March 1, 2025 by Okrahomer

[Pyreaux]

Reminds me of a story my mom told me, a woman was at the pulpit and giving an unappreciated talk which found its way to talking about how poorly parents managed their children in the chapel. My mom, the wife of the branch president was down in the pews by herself in the midst of everyone else holding my oldest sister, who as a baby clearly was not aware of what was being said, nonetheless, as if to illustrate the point or objecting to it, she launched her bottle up on the stage. My mom slightly mortified, the congregation seemingly bemused, as the talk was not being received well by those with children.

[The Nehor]

I have to admit I find the metaphor really weird. One of the first things I was taught about parenting is that if the consequences aren’t immediate they usually don’t work at correcting behavior but God doesn’t operate that way. Also God lets us go WAY beyond what a minimally decent parent would tolerate and then often still does not intervene.

[Okrahomer]

21 minutes ago, The Nehor said:

I have to admit I find the metaphor really weird. One of the first things I was taught about parenting is that if the consequences aren’t immediate they usually don’t work at correcting behavior but God doesn’t operate that way. Also God lets us go WAY beyond what a minimally decent parent would tolerate and then often still does not intervene.

I think the Nehor probably shares a lot of Kershisnik’s sense of humor.  Of his original idea, Kershisnik says:  “I was just making him [an artist friend] laugh, because in all of the pictures of Jesus with children, they are incredibly, beautifully well behaved and glad to be there.  [But] “this was the mom’s idea, and the kid doesn’t know who this Man is.”

[Emily]

Found a YouTube video of an interview about the painting. https://youtu.be/3SMshkChw38?si=QJbCEQDNh5I_ds5c

[Okrahomer]

18 hours ago, Emily said:

Found a YouTube video of an interview about the painting. https://youtu.be/3SMshkChw38?si=QJbCEQDNh5I_ds5c

Thank you for finding this!  I love hearing and understanding more about the creative and spiritual process at work here.

[Stargazer]

On 3/1/2025 at 10:52 PM, The Nehor said:

I have to admit I find the metaphor really weird. One of the first things I was taught about parenting is that if the consequences aren’t immediate they usually don’t work at correcting behavior but God doesn’t operate that way. Also God lets us go WAY beyond what a minimally decent parent would tolerate and then often still does not intervene.

Yes, but God isn't really trying to "raise" us. He already "raised" us in the pre-existence, and has now set us loose to give us the opportunity to show who we really are when out of His sight.

[Calm]

8 hours ago, Stargazer said:

Yes, but God isn't really trying to "raise" us. He already "raised" us in the pre-existence, and has now set us loose to give us the opportunity to show who we really are when out of His sight.

Or at least we think we are.

[The Nehor]

On 3/4/2025 at 6:55 AM, Stargazer said:

Yes, but God isn't really trying to "raise" us. He already "raised" us in the pre-existence, and has now set us loose to give us the opportunity to show who we really are when out of His sight.

Then based on the results I don’t think we were raised very well and who we are is a bunch of selfish jerks seasoned with some narcissists and sociopaths.

Edited March 20, 2025 by The Nehor