Calvary Altarpiece

For the most part, we had a lot of fun hearing from our readers about their altarpieces for the “What’s on Your Shelf?” collection, which goes up on the site today. But one submission was nothing of the sort. In the guise of Christian compassion, we got an ill-informed attack on something no less sacred than the imagination and, with it, a picture of grotesque suffering. “Grace” wrote:

I found your website by accident and wish I had not. Your questions about Christianity, the broad assumptions and generalizations you make prove that you know nothing about real faith. Real faith does not involve losing any part of yourself and has nothing to do with one’s Americanness (whatever that is)—real faith is freedom beyond all imagination. I leave feeling sad and sickened.

Here was the “altarpiece” image attached:

Lord have mercy.