Body of Christ, Snack Chip, Same Same...

This ad is getting a lot of play on line right now, and it seems to have come at an interesting time for me.  I got into a really heavy conversation about my Catholic faith last week, and the ad touches on concepts that were raised - e.g. how little the Church has changed and how it is hemorrhaging attendees because it is out of touch.  Hence, perhaps some Doritos instead of the body of Christ would end the slide in church attendance.  After all, we're there for us, not God. 

So am I outraged by this?  No, wrong word.  This is yet another example of how Christians in general, and Catholics in particular, are free game in the secular mass media and arts.  Be it something as vile as Piss Christ or something as tongue-in-cheek as this ad, it all does the same thing.  Of anything, I feel hurt and sadness - like watching someone say something horrible to your mom or dad. 

Two final points:

• I find it interesting that nobody has the guts to do anything like this with the Muslim religion.  It seems that the precious freedom of speech can only be practiced when it is offending those that won't ultimately seek you out and decapitate you. 
• As an usher at church for 15 years, I had the honor of occasionally serving communion to some elderly folks in the back of church that weren't able to queue up and go themselves.  Those moments remain my episodes in church where I felt closest to God. And when I handed off the Host to these elderly folks, at the end of their lives, stating "The body of Christ," the eyes that met mine weren't upset that what I was handing them was not Doritos.