What kind of a breakpoint, a daily look and an ever-changing culture through the lens of

unchanging truth?

For the Colson Center, I'm John Stone Street.

While the Christians can use the term satanic too often, it is appropriate in some cases. Some of us

remember, for example, back masking a Christian youth group phenomenon from the

80s when vinyl records were said to deliver satanic messages when played backward.

If this were indeed a device of the enemy, the messages were nearly impossible to understand, and

the whole plot was quickly foiled by the innovation of cassette tapes.

And of course, the lyrics of plenty of those

songs were bad enough when played forward.

Satanic however is an accurate word for the opening ceremonies of the 2024 Olympics

staged as a journey through French history and culture down the river. of the appropriate word for what the performance celebrated. In fact, celebrating

transgression and perversion was the point. Even more, this was a celebration

of desecration, which included mocking the sacred. It was an example of what sociologist Philip Reef has called a death work,

only this one was broadcast across the entire world.

Of course the mockery and the derision was aimed specifically at Christianity and not any other religion. the

most derision was aimed specifically at Christianity and not any other religion,

certainly not Islam.

After all, even the most secular French artist is aware that if their artistic license

had taken up the topic of the Quran or the prophet Muhammad,

Paris would already be in flames.

Still, there's more to the visual choices made by Thomas Jolly,

...