Some people have no sense of humor. Graphic designer Scott Ritcher has stirred up some self-righteous indignation after creating a tongue-in-cheek painting of former President Bill Clinton titled Saint Clinton which he is selling on t-shirts and lunch boxes from his similarly named website. The folks over at WingNut Daily have an article up about the controversy which reprints some of the comments angry Christians have sent Scott. Scott recently responded to his critics with the following:

When I made the piece, I felt like some people wouldn’t like it, but I really had no idea of the outrageous ways that people would respond to it. I have been more than a little surprised by the some of the commentary I’ve heard and read, and many of the e-mails I’ve received from people who call themselves Christians, and yet behave in such a very un-Christian manner.

The basis of this work and most of the other work I’ve done on the saintclinton.com site, including the “I love abortion” items is intended to be humorous and ironic. I feel silly that I even have to say that. People are so defensive over everything these days, and so eager to fight at the smallest suggestion of conflicting ideals. Honestly, I cannot imagine that anyone actually loves abortion. Seriously, people. I would be shocked if even a single abortion practitioner loves what he does for a living.

So much of American domestic and foreign policy is created from a Christian morality-based standpoint, and that is what offends so many people who are not Christian. Furthermore, Christians continually fill the airwaves and other media with their endless fundraising and recruitment of new members ("saving" and “converting"), and that is also offensive to people who are not Christian.

The vast majority of people who do not share Catholic or other Christian beliefs must constantly sit by quietly and absorb – or try to ignore – the unending stream of preaching and endure the everyday skewing of public policy, and be led by a president who mentions his religious values in each speech. A complete separation of church and state clearly do not exist in this country, and for those who do not share the beliefs of the Church, that is offensive.

There is definitely nothing inherently Christian about invading countries who have not attacked us. Nor is there anything Christian about fighting back ("turn the other cheek"). There is nothing Christian about signing the execution order for a retarded person (as G.W. Bush who calls himself a Christian did as governor of Texas).

I find most of Christianity in general to be increasingly less Christian. For those reasons, I could not be happier that people are offended by my artwork. Perhaps those who are offended now feel what it is like to have someone else’s ideals paraded in your face as if the country is intolerant of any other views.

I was raised Catholic. I attended 12 years of Catholic schools where I feel I received an excellent, well-rounded education. I love God’s creatures and have been vegetarian for 13 years.

I feel like if someone who looks like Jesus looked were to walk up to the window of a modern American Christian’s car and ask for food, shelter, help or compassion, they would receive less than what Jesus would hope they would give. Naturally, this is America and everyone is entitled to their own beliefs.

I would urge those who are offended by my art to try to imagine where it may have come from. Look at the country and the world from the other side. And judge not, lest ye be judged.

I’m tempted to buy myself a poster of this just because it’s pissed so many people off and I admire Scott’s reply. That and I find it pretty amusing.