How Should Believers Respond to Christian Mockery at the Olympics?

The Olympic Games have a long and interesting history. Semantics aside, it stands to reason the Olympics exist to showcase athletes — specifically, the best of the best. Watching these athletes compete and execute skills most people could only ever dream of doing is riveting, joyous, and fun. Over the years, the opening ceremonies to this worldwide spectacle have proved in most cases to be nothing short of impressive. And, of course, entertaining.

The ceremonies that kicked off the two-week Olympic Games have in many ways served to bring people together, all the while ramping up excitement for the upcoming events. That said, the 2024 Olympic opening ceremony seemed to have had the opposite effect. At least, this is undoubtedly true for the countless individuals who have decided to boycott the games and discourage others from watching. Several world leaders and public figures have denounced what occurred, and the tech company, C Spire, even withdrew its support from the games.

So, what exactly happened during the 2024 Paris Olympics opening ceremony that caused such a reaction? Let’s analyze a few concerning aspects.

1. Blatant Mockery of Christianity

Despite those who’ve tried to argue otherwise, there was blatant mockery of Christianity during Friday’s opening ceremony. Perhaps most infamous was what some have described as an LGBT parody of the Last Supper in which Jesus and the 12 disciples shared one final meal before the Lord was crucified the next day. Visually captured in Leonardo da Vinci 1490s mural, this scene was depicted by a fleet of drag queens during the opening ceremony.

In addition to this were two other biblical references, namely, the Golden Calf idol and the Pale Horse of the Antichrist in the book of Revelation. Journalist Kyle Becker described the scenes as “full woke dystopian” and an example of how “Christian viewers aren’t welcome” at the Olympics. But here’s where the debate comes in.

Some argue the mockery was obvious, others say it was unintentional. Some say it was misinterpreted while proponents make the case that the acts had nothing to do with Christianity at all. But as National Review’s Luther Ray Abel emphasized, “Apologists for the drag supper claim that it was merely a reference to ‘The Feast of the Gods’ by Jan Hermansz van Bijlert.” But such a claim, he stated, is “rubbish.” Especially when considering Bijlert’s “work is itself drawn from Leonardo da Vinci’s ‘The Last Supper.’” And the same applies to those who claimed the act was only about Dionysus, the Greek god of fertility, wine, and revelry. It just doesn’t add up when, visually, it clearly appeared as “The Last Supper.”

Joseph Backholm, Family Research Council’s senior fellow for Biblical Worldview and Strategic Engagement, shared with The Washington Stand, “Because we aren’t in someone else’s mind, it’s always dangerous to claim knowledge about motives.” However, “it’s difficult to interpret what we saw [on Friday] as something other than an attempt to mock Christianity.” Not to mention, he added, “In the West, mockery of Christianity is socially acceptable in a way mockery of other religions are not. It goes without saying they would never even get close to the line of mocking Islam.”

Grappling with the mockery that did take place, Backholm noted that “the French have a long history of disdain for the concept of authority.” He pointed to 18th century French philosopher, Denis Diderot, who supposedly said, “Man will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest.” According to Backholm, this is “a good summary of Enlightenment era French thought and a decent summary of modern progressivism.”

Ultimately, he continued, “When all you want is to please yourself, you hate God and any government that suggests you shouldn’t be able to do whatever you want … and the opening ceremony at the Olympics appears to reflect that sentiment.” Thankfully, even when all chaos and blasphemy breaks out, we know that Christ not only remains seated on the throne, but as Chief’s kicker Harrison Butker reminded us, citing Galatians 6:7-8, “Be not deceived, God is not mocked. For what things a man shall sow, those also shall he reap. For he that soweth in his flesh, of the flesh also shall reap corruption. But he that soweth in the spirit, of the spirit shall reap life everlasting.”

2. An Overall Blatant Push for LGBT Ideology

Another point worth discussing is the obvious push for LGBT ideology. Long before the opening ceremony began, conversation erupted over the three drag queens that were a part of the pre-ceremony torch relay. This alone sparked controversy and almost seems minute compared to what followed. But at the same time, this was the first time drag queens were included in this way, and it begs the question: What do drag queens have to do with the Olympics in the first place? At least, that’s what FRC President Tony Perkins asked during an interview with Newsmax.

It’s becoming increasingly obvious how “everything is politicized with this really blasphemous agenda,” he observed. “But more than being angered,” Perkins sighed, “I’m really saddened by this.” In the end, “this is nothing more than a blatant demonstration of the demonic influence behind the LGBTQ movement.” Adding to this, David Closson, director of FRC’s Center for Biblical Worldview, said in comments to TWS, “The very inclusion of drag queens at the opening ceremony of the Olympics, an event that is supposed to showcase the spirit of sport that brings the nations of the world together, demonstrates that we are increasingly in a post-Christian world.”

As Backholm added, this “episode” represents a “clash of civilizations.” When analyzing these circumstances, we should be reminded “of Satan’s constant effort to mock, ridicule, and pervert everything God said is good.” Which, as we know well, is the heart of the Pride movement. “It shouldn’t be surprising,” Backholm emphasized, “but it should be concerning because if the people who created the opening ceremonies at the Olympics become the primary shapers of culture, lots of people get hurt.”

3. A Wake-Up Call for Christians

Over all, Closson highlighted that “Christians should not be surprised” because, as Jesus said in John 15:20, “If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you.” Additionally, Closson said, “[W]e shouldn’t be surprised that the images and pictures and symbols that represent our faith are … marginalized by a culture that rejects the underlining gospel.” Of course, “This doesn’t mean that we should be okay with something like this, but … we as faithful Christians shouldn’t be surprised when a pagan culture glorifies pagan ideology.”

However, Christians should see this as a wake-up call, “realizing that the Christian heritage of Europe, in France specifically, has been hollowed out and replaced by godless secular ideologies that are intent on stamping out the vestiges of Christianity that still remain,” Closson warned. As such, “Christians should respond to what they saw during the opening ceremonies with lament.”

But in addition to lament, “we also respond with love.” Closson went on to say how we ought to “pray for those who belittle us and even persecute us.” It’s more than “appropriate for Christians to speak out and communicate … why we’re offended by obvious, blatant disrespect towards our faith.” But we strive to do that “with love for those who are persecuting us” as we “take a stand [against] … the cultural elites that are hellbent on forcing us into silence.” And in taking this stand, Perkins encouraged us to ask “what gave rise to this” in the first place.

As he stated, we need to ask ourselves: “What have we not been doing in our culture that would allow this to be center stage internationally?” According to Perkins, we do carry responsibility in this fight. What we do — or don’t do — affects what occurs around us, and we are called to proclaim the truth in all areas of life. Christianity, in the final analysis, is no call to complacency.

So, as we speak up and proclaim the truth, Perkins insisted that the church also needs to be praying. “[W]e need to pray for those who are being used as puppets by a demonic play of the demonic forces that are at work in this world, mocking God.” But again, he contended, “God will not be mocked, and that includes all … who reject His truth.” As Perkins articulated, “We need to find hope and peace that comes through … relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. [E]veryone, no matter where you’ve been [or] what you’ve done, can find that forgiveness and peace in Him.”

And in an ironic twist among the craziness and controversy, Paris experienced a city-wide power outage a day after the opening ceremony, which left the entire metropolis dark with one exception: the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, a Catholic church located at the highest point in Paris, which was still shining brightly. Interpret as you will, but maybe, just maybe, it can be a subtle reminder that our God is a God that prevails. For as John 1:5 states, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

Let’s walk away from this mockery and slander with a heart more geared toward evangelism and prayer. After all, Perkins concluded, “[T]his is a time we all need to be praying, not just for our nation, but for the world.”