'Swonk' cartoon lacks literary value and religous sensitivity

I am incredibly offended by the cartoon "Swonk" appearing in Sohcahtoa on March 27. For someone to portray my savior, the Lord Jesus Christ in the manner done so in this cartoon is simply unacceptable. I will not be silent about that.

One can criticize this cartoon purely on a literary level; there are glaring errors in the whole "premise" of the cartoon.

For instance, the introductory panel states that "long-suppressed documents" reveal the "truths" of statements presented in the rest of the panels. Yet the rest of the panels use as "proof" parts of the New Testament.

Hmm, last time I checked, the New Testament has been anything but "long suppressed"...Moreover, the verses cited are less than taken out of context, they don't even 'support' the 'assertions' made! The first panel about Jesus destroying the marketplace cites Luke 19:45-46, in which Jesus said, "My house will be a house of prayer'; but you have made it a den of robbers.'"

Christians and Jews should be offended at the insinuation that temple prostitution occurred in the temple of the God of Abraham.

The middle panel is worse.

The picture has no relevance to the cited verses. Matthew 28:1-8 does refer to Christ's resurrection. However, further reading of any scriptures related to Christ after his resurrection tells of his appearing to his apostles and encouraging them. (Check out Acts chapters 1 and 2!) The only retribution shown to one of Jesus' "former flunkies" is in Matthew 27:5 or Acts 1:18-19 which notes that Judas died by hanging himself.

The above paragraphs show what a crummy cartoon this was, all religious views aside: if a cartoonist wants to satirize a work of literature, the passages being satirized should remain recognizable in the new, satirized version ...

On an entirely different level, I am sickened at the blatant insensitivity these cartoonists show not only towards the Bible, which Christians feel is God's holy word, but to mock the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ himself is reprehensible.

Respect is utterly lacking.

The actions of Jesus have long been dishonored (Luke 22:63-65); the amazing thing is that his death and resurrection makes it possible for people like the cartoonists who clearly do not love him now to still be able to have the possibility of one day living eternally with him (Romans 2:4, 3:23-26, I John 1:9).

By Brent Butts (letter)
Arizona Daily Wildcat
April 8, 1997