Baby Jesus and Talladega Nights

Christmas is a wonderful time of the year because we celebrate the birth of Jesus, but I agree with Lucy Bobby, Ricky Bobby’s wife from Talladega Nights (2006), when she chastises Ricky Bobby for imagining Jesus as a perpetual infant. She rebukes him saying, “Jesus did grow up. You don’t always have to call him ‘baby.’” Lol!

Some people find the whole scene offensive. I understand. I wouldn’t defend it, but ironically Ricky Bobby mentions/upholds the hypostatic union of Christ in that he maintains the dual nature of Jesus being 100% human and 100% God. Ricky Bobby says, “newborn Infant Jesus don’t even know a word yet -- just little infant -- so cuddly, but still omnipotent.” At the end of the prayer he calls Jesus, “Baby God.” And there you have it. Jesus never stopped being God even while an infant.

Disclaimer: The last comment contained some elements of sarcastic humor (but some seriousness) and irony. Chris DeLuna has not watched the entire movie (and neither recommends it). Like many, he became familiar with the scene via Youtube.

So while we may laugh at the idea that each person at the table elaborates on their own version of Jesus we must recognize that the scene serves as a mirror of ourselves. The scene reflects the mentality of many of us in that we do not like the Biblical Jesus so we make one of our own likings; a Jesus of our own imagination. Hollywood creates this sin-laden, irreverent movie scene (perhaps as mockery too), but the joke is on us. In my opinion God uses even Hollywood as a mirror to show us our depraved condition. The Bible says, “Unto us a Son is given” (Is. 9:6) not “a son is imagined.”

So how do you imagine Jesus? Is he the one given by God or the one you imagined up?