Imagine this: You’re sitting in front of your TV, popcorn in hand, ready to watch the grand kickoff of the Paris Olympics. Only, rather than awe-inspiring displays of athleticism and unity, you’re greeted with a scene that makes your jaw drop for all the wrong reasons. Brace yourselves, because what happened next had even the tech giants reaching for the remote to change the channel.
One of the biggest names in telecommunications, none other than C Spire, couldn’t hit the brakes fast enough. The sixth-largest company in the US took a stand and yanked all its advertisements from NBC’s Olympic coverage. But here’s why they pressed the panic button: the opening ceremony’s controversial portrayal of the Last Supper, complete with drag queens and transgender performers. Now, tell me that didn’t raise a few eyebrows.
Remember Da Vinci’s iconic painting of the Last Supper? Now picture that scene reimagined, but not in a way you’d expect. Instead of serious religious reverence, a group of vibrant performers took to the stage, juxtaposed with children sprinkled among them. It had viewers not just scratching their heads, but many were downright appalled.
But wait, there’s more. The ceremony didn’t stop there. It also gave a nod to the apocalyptic book of Revelation. Imagine a white horseman—symbolizing death—riding across water with pyrotechnic splendor. Dramatic? Yes. Mocking? Many thought so. And for a large swath of viewers, it was like watching a bad remake of their worst religious nightmares.
C Spire didn’t just stew in silence. They took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to make their position crystal clear. “We were shocked by the mockery of the Last Supper during the opening ceremonies of the Paris Olympics. C Spire will be pulling our advertising from the Olympics,” they proclaimed boldly. Talk about hitting ‘send’ with a purpose.
The response? A flood of support. Commenters applauded C Spire’s decision, with sentiments ranging from, “Have never been more proud of a company,” to heartfelt messages of solidarity: “As a Mississippian, I already know what you stand for, and now I know what you value. Together, this is how we win. It’s us vs [them]—good vs evil.” The internet, as they say, was lit.
Not stopping at social media, the conversation spilled over into the sphere of the devout. Bishop Robert Barron of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester didn’t mince words: “This deeply secularist, post-modern society knows who its enemy is. They’re naming it. And we should believe them. But furthermore, we Christians, we Catholics, should not be sheepish. We should resist, we should make our voices heard.”
In a similar vein, French bishops didn’t sit quietly either. They released a statement, not on parchment with a quill but digitally, expressing their
