Buddy Christ is a parody religious icon created by filmmaker Kevin Smith, which first appeared in Smith's 1999 film Dogma.
In the film, Buddy is part of a campaign (" Catholicism Wow!") to renew the image of (and interest in) the Catholic Church. Viewing the crucifix image as "wholly depressing", the Church of 1869, led by Cardinal Glick ( George Carlin), decides to retire it, and creates Buddy Christ as a more uplifting image of Jesus Christ. [1] The icon consists of a statue of Jesus, smiling and winking while pointing at onlookers with one hand and giving the thumbs-up sign with the other hand. Buddy Christ was later produced as an action figure and a bobblehead. [2] The image has since been turned into a popular Internet meme.
In addition to its unveiling in the film Dogma, Buddy Christ appears several other times in the View Askewniverse.
Buddy Christ was featured in a Phones4U advert, where a cartoon graphic depicting him was featured alongside a range of Android phones with the message "Miraculous deals on Samsung Galaxy Android phones". The United Kingdom Advertising Standards Authority later issued a rebuke regarding the advert, saying "We considered that, although the ads were intended to be light-hearted and humorous, their depiction of Jesus winking and holding a thumbs-up sign, with the text "miraculous" deals during Easter, the Christian Holy Week which celebrated Christ's resurrection, gave the impression that they were mocking and belittling core Christian beliefs." [3] [4]
The prop was used as a decoration in Smith's Red Bank, New Jersey, comics shop, Jay and Silent Bob's Secret Stash. [5]
Buddy Christ is a parody religious icon created by filmmaker Kevin Smith, which first appeared in Smith's 1999 film Dogma.
In the film, Buddy is part of a campaign (" Catholicism Wow!") to renew the image of (and interest in) the Catholic Church. Viewing the crucifix image as "wholly depressing", the Church of 1869, led by Cardinal Glick ( George Carlin), decides to retire it, and creates Buddy Christ as a more uplifting image of Jesus Christ. [1] The icon consists of a statue of Jesus, smiling and winking while pointing at onlookers with one hand and giving the thumbs-up sign with the other hand. Buddy Christ was later produced as an action figure and a bobblehead. [2] The image has since been turned into a popular Internet meme.
In addition to its unveiling in the film Dogma, Buddy Christ appears several other times in the View Askewniverse.
Buddy Christ was featured in a Phones4U advert, where a cartoon graphic depicting him was featured alongside a range of Android phones with the message "Miraculous deals on Samsung Galaxy Android phones". The United Kingdom Advertising Standards Authority later issued a rebuke regarding the advert, saying "We considered that, although the ads were intended to be light-hearted and humorous, their depiction of Jesus winking and holding a thumbs-up sign, with the text "miraculous" deals during Easter, the Christian Holy Week which celebrated Christ's resurrection, gave the impression that they were mocking and belittling core Christian beliefs." [3] [4]
The prop was used as a decoration in Smith's Red Bank, New Jersey, comics shop, Jay and Silent Bob's Secret Stash. [5]