I’d put this in the “satire” section, but it is true. This appeared this week in my local newspaper, the Star Tribune: Talking Jesus doll sales are on the ascent

Here’s a snippet:

Jesus is selling out.

Out of Wal-Mart and Target, that is. The 12-inch, $20 Jesus Messenger of Faith talking action figure has become a holiday hit of biblical proportions. Online mega-retailers Wal-Mart.com and Amazon.com are sold out. Target.com’s supply is likely to disappear within a few days…

Shoppers at Target.com have rated the Jesus figure “five stars,” as have consumers at Amazon.com. One reviewer at Amazon.com describes the religious figure as “a real-life hero that beats all the other Superman, Spider-Man and other action heroes combined.” Another wrote, “My 10-year-old listens to the Scriptures often, but the voice of Jesus is a little loud.”

Neither the Minneapolis Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America nor the office of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis had heard of the action figure, much less gotten complaints. People in both offices laughed in delight at the idea of such a doll.

Does anyone else have problems with this? Do any of you think these things are a good idea? I’ve also started a conversation in the forums.

About Mark Van Steenwyk

Mark Van Steenwyk is a member of Missio Dei. He is a speaker, writer, educator, and grassroots organizer. With the support of the Central Plains Mennonite Conference, he travels to radical and intentional communities around the country to help network and offer support.