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http://farm1.static.flickr.com/160/414062482_05e37724e5_m.jpg

The image of Jesus shown on these cups is quite well known. It can be found in many, many churches all over. While no one really knows what Jesus looked like, the man portrayed in this image is a well known representation of him. I first find it interesting that this particular image is so representative of Jesus in the Christian church when we do not actually know what he looked like. The symbol is so strong that when we look at an image of this man, we think that he is Jesus. It is interesting how this symbol has become such a strong representation of Christianity when it is probably not even an accurate representation of how Jesus looked.
Also, in this photograph, the image has become extremely commercialized. The image of Jesus is a sacred symbol in the Christian church. It is amazing how it has permeated our culture enough to appear in mass quantities on what appears to be some sort of container. (Maybe a candle holder?) The fact that you can go to the grocery store and buy a religious symbol seems to indicate that the symbol has become part of life, even for people who do not observe the religion. This could be caused by the religion, the culture, or both. Religions might put their symbols in the world through their worship or in hopes of influencing others. In a culture, especially one as commercial and material as ours, selling religious symbols is a way to make money. Something that began as a symbol of something greater and more spiritual can quickly become less meaningful.