n a pretty transparent attempt to encourage young local people to join its flock, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn has launched a new advertising campaign which proclaims that Jesus Christ was the original hipster.
The billboard ads currently plastered around the New York boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens feature a Christ-like figure in a long white robe with a pair of red Converse sneakers peeping out from underneath.
But what does the church mean? Do they really expect people to believe that Jesus enjoyed wearing thick-rimmed glasses without the lenses, owned a collection of outlandish bow-ties and enjoyed listening to obscure indie bands?
In a bid to attract new followers, the Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn has launched a new advertising campaign proclaiming Jesus as the original hipster
Not exactly, but Monsignor Kieran Harrington, a spokesman for the diocese, claims the idea of Jesus as a hipster isn't all that surprising.
‘Historically, representations of Christ have reflected the population that was worshiping there,’ he told The Huffington Post.
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In other words because Brooklyn is home to a lot of hipsters the image is relevant to the local population.
‘It doesn't seem to me so far-fetched that the representation of Christ would be a hipster,’ Harrington said. ‘More to the point, Jesus stood in contrast to the culture of his day. That's what a lot of hipsters do too.’
Monsignor Kieran Harrington says the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn is open to everyone - even hipsters
The 'All Faces. Everyday Understanding' campaign is designed to help newcomers in the area find a local parish at one of the Diocese's 230 churches in Brooklyn and Queens.
The campaign was launched shortly after Easter and can be found at bus stops, phone booths, and even restaurants and bars.
'We wanted to make it very easy for people to find out where they could go to church on Sunday,' said Harrington. 'The diocese is like the city, always reinventing itself.'
Hipsters are defined by Urban Dictionary as ‘a subculture of men and women typically in their 20's and 30's that value independent thinking, counter-culture, progressive politics, an appreciation of art and indie-rock, creativity, intelligence, and witty banter.
Urban Dictionary defines hipsters as a subculture of men and women who value independent thinking and skinny jeans
‘The greatest concentrations of hipsters can be found living in the Williamsburg, Wicker Park, and Mission District neighborhoods of major cosmopolitan centers such as New York, Chicago, and San Francisco respectively.’
Of course the last thing any self-respecting hipster is going to do is openly admit to being a hipster, but Monsignor Harrington says the campaign isn't trying to take itself too seriously.
'If you have faith there is never a need to take yourself too seriously; life is so much easier when you have a sense of humor. Sure we are poking fun at ourselves, but also making clear that in Catholic Churches in Brooklyn & Queens everyone is welcome,' he said.