In a recent column for The Washington Post, columnist Sally Jenkins stood against Christian and conservative critics who expressed outrage over a depiction of the Last Supper during the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics last week. Jenkins argued that there was nothing to be offended by and defended the theatrical director, Thomas Jolly, who orchestrated the controversial display.

The depiction in question featured a group of drag queens lined up along one side of a long table, with one individual wearing a halo crown at the center. Many viewers found this portrayal to be disrespectful towards Leonardo da Vinci's iconic painting and the central event from the New Testament.

Prominent figures such as Elon Musk and Catholic Bishop Robert Barron voiced their condemnation of the display. Musk took to social media platform X, stating, "This was extremely disrespectful to Christians." Bishop Barron, in a video shared on the platform, expressed his disappointment, saying, "What do I see but this gross mockery of the Last Supper."

However, both the media and Jolly rushed to discredit the criticism. Jolly insisted that the display was not meant to represent "The Last Supper" but rather another classical work. Several outlets echoed this claim.

Jenkins supported Jolly's defense in her column, highlighting that the drag queen sequence was intended to reference Greek pagan celebrations, not to mock the famous da Vinci painting. She argued that religious hostility towards "experimental art" fueled the backlash. Jenkins questioned why some church leaders often displayed hostility towards such art and treated it as anti-faith.

She concluded her column by remarking, "Critics of the Opening Ceremonies certainly have paid attention - to all the wrong things." Jenkins contended that those offended by the display were akin to self-appointed judges from history who misjudged works for not being properly reverent in their time.

The controversy surrounding the portrayal of the Last Supper at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony has sparked widespread debate and highlighted the divide between those who view it as a tribute to art and those who perceive it as disrespectful to religious beliefs. As discussions continue, it remains to be seen how this will impact future artistic interpretations within the realm of global sporting events.