Jesus Covered by Ants at the Smithsonian? What Would Muhammad Do?

A recent art exhibit at the Smithsonian Museum entitled Hide/Seek: Difference and Desire in American Portraiture has been causing a furor not only because it contains homoerotic art such as genitals, men kissing, and Ellen DeGeneres grabbing her breasts, but most especially because it has a video that features an ant-covered Jesus.

The Huffington Post insists the outrage is manufactured by nitpicking right wing nutjobs.

Media Matters is incensed because Glenn Beck suggested that tax dollars were used to pay for this which is true of the Smithsonian in general, but not of the actual exhibit itself which is privately funded.

The Powers That Be at the Smithsonian say they didn’t mean to offend anyone. They’re implying they had no idea this kind of outrage would be the response.

Who are they kidding?

Since they can’t summon up a modicum of common sense when it comes to what is appropriate for the general American public, perhaps they should start using the WHAT WOULD MUHAMMAD DO (WWMD) method of deciding what to green-light when it comes to art that deals with religion. Would you cover Muhammad with ants and then display it in your show? No? Then don’t do it to Jesus (or by extension Buddha or Krishna or any other religious figure.)

They already use the WWMD litmus test when it comes to depicting Islamic topics even when they shouldn’t. They self-censor with the best of them, while congratulating themselves on how noble they are for their sensitivity to Islam even as they continue living in a left-wing bubble where sacrilegious anti-Christian ‘art’ passes for hip and cutting edge. They’re cushioned by the media and their own elitism thus ensuring they have no contact with average, everyday Americans.

They insist Christians should be tolerant of treatment they would never force followers of Islam to undergo. It’s high time for Christians and other fair-minded people who are still the majority in this country to get their outrage off the back burner and turn it up to high. We need to care enough to be offended for everyone’s sake and let others know this kind of disrespect will not stand. The tactic has already had some effect, since the Smithsonian has at least removed the ant-covered Jesus, if not the rest of the offending material.

There’s nothing wrong with a little righteous indignation every now and again, not when there are important principles at work. Thankfully as Americans we don’t resort to the kind of violence that erupts around the world when radical Islam takes offense over a perceived insult to their prophet. So why not draw a similar line in the sand? It’s what Muhammad would do.