When we were last in San Francisco, there were tons of people handing out flyers and pamphlets, especially in Chinatown since it was the week of the Chinese New Year Celebration. One of the most interesting ones was a trifold entitled, "I Love Chocolate" (with a cartoon girl drinking a double mocha espresso). The cartoons are kinda dumpy, but amusing.
The inside goes on to read:
"Surveys show that more people prefer chocolate to any other comfort food. (kids eating chocolate) Chocolate can give you energy when you're feeling burned out... (boss encouraging worker) Chocolate can keep you company when you're feeling lonely... (girl eating cake and crying and saying she doesn't need friends) Chocolate can make just about anything seem better than it really is... (guy sells girl a chocolate-colored car) But the 'comfort' we get from chocolate doesn't last. Thing seem better for a little while, but then we inevitably crash! (boss fires the worker from before; kid with bag over head holding Clearasil is called on the phone about a party he missed; brown car breaks down with girl driving) Pretty discouraging, huh? Well, cheer up - there's a comfort far better than chocolate... ...and it's found in Jesus - the one and only, no caffeine, zero calorie source of comfort! He has promised us, 'come to me all you who are weary... (guy holds classifieds, girl holds steering wheel) ...and burdened, and I will give you rest' (Mathew 11:28). Jesus won't let you down like some chocolate sugar high. He fed the hungry, he healed the sick, he died for your sins and he'll 'Be with you always, until the end of time' (Matthew 28:20). That's more than Mr. Goodbar every did for you! Try the ultimate comfort food (the Bible) and see for yourself: with Jesus 'You will rejoice and no one will take away your joy' (John 16:22).
it's a Jews for Jesus pamphlet, with a "please don't litter" message at the bottom of the back fold.
Really? Comparing Jesus to chocolate. that's new. and weird. and I really don't think it's a good metaphor.
Oh, and if you don't know what Jews for Jesus is... there are branches of them throughout the world, and San Francisco is the homebase. They are more about being Jews by birth, not by faith. They're really into being evangelical and converting other Jews to Christianity. They're rejected by all sects of Judaism, from what I know.
The real question they ought to be asking here is, if you leave Jesus in the car on a summer day, will he melt?
ReplyDeleteGotta love those Jews for Jesus! I was handed one of their pamphlets on campus at FSU a few years back; I wasn't sure how that belief system panned out, but I wasn't too interested because it seemed so obviously self-contradictory--not to mention, the pamphlets were hand-made (crudely) and the guy passing them out had kind of a mad-scientist look going on, both of which severely undermined the credibility of the whole thing.
It's interesting to learn, though, that they're not really Jews at all---just Christian converts. Thanks for clearing that up for me!
haha.
ReplyDeleteinteresting. I don't think they ever accosted me at FSU (goodness knows enough other groups did!). There was a guy in my high school who carried a Jews for Jesus canvas bag, which is what first sparked my interest in the name. Admittedly, when I took Jewish Tradition, one of my first questions was "what's Jews for Jesus?" LoL.