Monday, October 09, 2006

Pointless Fruit to All Who Enter


Despite the obvious kitschiness of this...plate, or plaque, or whatever it is, I have one very perplexing question:

What the hell does a pineapple have to do with blessing our guests?

Maybe I'm missing some sort of tradition or folklore here about our glorious pineapple, but, honestly, this just doesn't make any sense to me.

7 comments:

Allen's Brain said...

So, what does the sacred pineapple impart to those who just sort of loiter on the sidewalk, or those who never leave the house?
And I don't have a clue what the pineapple is about either, unless they're trying to connect to the retro/tiki/lounge culture revival in the U.S. from five or ten years ago. Can you have a "Christian" tiki bar, like some had "Christian" coffee houses some time back?
I'm really nauseated by the sort of vague spirituality behind this sign. What exactly does it say, and what do you have to believe to display it?

Gregory said...

Doesn't most Christian merchandise display a sense of vague spirituality?

Allen's Brain said...

Unfortunately, yes. Perhaps that's why it sells so well. I can feel superior to you for owning more "Jesus junk" than you do, and I never actually have to be a better disciple or anything. But people will sense, by my purchases, that I'm deeply spiritual--whatever that means.
After all, did our Lord not say, "Sell all that you have and buy kitschy religious products, and then you shall have treasure in Heaven"?

By the pineapples of Babylon I sat and wept...

Repenting for my cynicism in 5, 4, 3, 2...

Gregory said...

A humble sense of cynicism can be a healthy thing for discernment. But, I know what you mean. As fun and humorous as satire is, it's pointing at something that can be kind of depressing at times.

The Ironic Catholic said...

Actually, there is something to the pineapple.

It's an ancient symbol of hospitality.

So it makes sense on the sign. :)

pax, IC

The Ironic Catholic said...

Here's a link:
http://www.slu.edu/the_arts/cupples/pineapple.html

p.s. it still isn't an attractive sign tho

John said...

Just like the lady in my church whose house is a shrine to every piece of Precious Moments CRAP that has been produced over the last 20 years. I asked her once when they were coming out with the Precious Pieta? In case you need to jog your memories from art appreciation class, go here
http://www.wga.hu/frames-e.html?/html/b/baciccio/pieta.html

She cornered me at church a few weeks later and said she didn't appreciate my 'brand' of humor.