Jesus Tattoo Billboard Campaign: Is It Offensive Or Effective?

A billboard campaign In Texas named the “Jesus Tattoo,” features 59 of the images throughout Lubbock, Texas. The picture depicts Jesus Christ covered in tattoos on his body, with words like addicted and depressed, as well as some other negative adjectives.

So what is the point of the Jesus Tattoo campaign and who is behind it?

Well, all that is known at the moment is that the group behind the campaign are anonymous but that they want to spread the message of God’s love through the Jesus Tattoo billboard campaign.

The thinking behind it is that people should be encouraged to love Jesus and to follow in his ways however they look. Ashleigh Sawyer, the media relations coordinator for Jesus Tattoo explained the message:
“The message is a simple one, Jesus’ love is transformative. He loves us unconditionally, and no matter what you’ve been marked with, faith in Him and love for others will transform us.”

Sawyer continued that the group itself is not affiliated directly with any denomination. Rather, that they are simply a group of people who have been “humbled by Jesus’ love” and who simply want to reach out to people who might be open to their message.

The organization’s website, jesustattoo.org, shows a video in which a man dressed as Jesus pretends to be a tattoo artist. In the clip, people who seem to be depressed and a bit down and out go to have their tattoos removed. Words like Desperate are replaced with words like accepted, brave or hope.

As the video proceeds the Jesus character can be seen getting up and removing his shirt to reveal all the tattoos he just removed from the customers. The message obviously being that Jesus takes away people’s burdens and replaces them with love.

Not everyone though is thrilled by the new billboard campaign. Some are horrified to see Jesus presented in such a way, covered in tattoos and the like.

Sawyer said that the campaign’s message was not intended to offend anyone: “We simply want to share the story with as many people as possible in a way that’s relevant and appealing to both the churched and unchurched,” she said. watch the video after the cut...

Here is the video from the jesustattoo.org website: