While a 36-foot promotional poster of Jesus sporting a CD halo and a price tag on his head was meant to remind shopper of the true meaning of Christmas, the commercial additions to the image have sparked protest.
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The managers of an Oslo, Norway, shopping mall say the image, put up on the outside of the downtown shopping center, is supposed to serve as a commentary on what the holiday has become, reports newspaper Aftenposten.
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But the image is being decried as tasteless.
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 Jesus poster outside mall. (Photo: Aftenposten.no) |
"To be honest I didn't react to it so negatively at first glance. It is a reminder to shoppers about what Christmas is really about, namely, that God gave his son Jesus Christ to us all," clergyman Olav Dag Hauge told the paper.
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Hauge later saw a small poster-sized version of the image, however, which included the price tag that reads: "CDs $22."
"I think this is a misuse of Jesus," he said, according to the Norwegian paper. "They are using him to raise money for something he doesn't stand for. Showing the figure helps the church spread its message, but as soon as it is linked to a commercial product it is wrong."
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Local teens were equally unimpressed.
"Oslo City [shopping center] shows a lack of respect, especially to those that are devout Christians. [Jesus] doesn't symbolize shopping. This is a stupid idea, and it won't get us to buy more," 16-year-olds Cathrine Eckbo and Sandra Hansen told the paper.
Oslo City's manager, Sturla Tune, defended the image.
"That we show elements of what Christmas is really about is completely intentional from our side. If people stop and think about what they see, that is completely OK," Tune said, according to the report.
"I think that we show Christmas the way it has become for many people. The picture shows the contrasts between what Christmas is all about and commercialism. If we can contribute to spread cheer and advertise for Oslo City, that's great."
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