Indonesian Weekly Apologises Over Last Supper Suharto Cover

According to this article it mentions about one of Indonesia's top news weeklies to apologize about the cover of its latest issue,which depicts former president Suharto and his children in a composition mimicking Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper. The picture of Suharto's last supper and Jesus last supper is shown below.



Suharto's Last supper



Jesus Last supper

According to Shriver (1997, p. 369) "readers try to form an immediate representation of the meaning from the visual display". Furthermore, readers wait-and-see so they can use the full textual context to make their representation. Based on the visual interpretation of the readers over the topic (Indonesian weekly apologies over last supper Suharto cover), it eventually caused an upset to many christian believers because it tarnishes the meaning behind the original painting. However, Tempo chief editor Toriq Hadad mentioned that this was not an insult to christian and to Jesus Christ. Toriq Hadad further said "We were only inspired by the composition of the Leonardo painting, and not in the concept or context of the event told in the holy bible". Furthermore, christians were furious because it was againts the christians believes and customs. BBC (2008), states that “A religion is a set of tenets and practices” that is why it should not be a copied or criticize about cause it is a cultural believe to people.

A comparison of Jesus last supper was a simple practice of the memorial Supper, the "Christian Passover", we identify annually with our Saviour in his terrible sufferings throughout that night and the following day. It's a solemn ceremony Christians can observe in any place and in any circumstance of poverty or abundance (Jesus Christ All About 2008). However, Suharto's last supper Published after Suharto’s death seen as a comparison as if Suharto would rise up and go forth to heaven. Besides that, Suharto’s life was covered in secrecy and accusations that has not been proven. On the other hand Christ was said to be a sinless men in Christian contexts.

Towards my opinion, I would still agree that the news paper should apologise in the follow article. Reasoning is because it could cause issues such as discrimation and dislikings to the christian believers.

Reference List

BBC (2008) Religions & Ethics- Christianity, Viewed 8th November
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/christianethics/euthanasia_1.shtml

Jesus Christ All About (2008), Jesus and the Last Supper, Viewed 8th November,
http://www.allaboutjesuschrist.org/jesus-and-the-last-supper-faq.htm

Schriver KA 1997, “The interplay of words and pictures”, Wiley Computer Pub, New York.