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Within 24 hours of the ceremony, C Spire took to X (formerly Twitter) to announce their decision to withdraw their advertising. “We were shocked by the mockery of the Last Supper during the opening ceremonies of the Paris Olympics. C Spire will be pulling our advertising from the Olympics,” the company stated. C Spire, which primarily serves customers in the American South, joined a growing chorus of faith leaders and public figures in condemning the ceremony.
Bishop Robert Barron of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester spoke out strongly against the opening ceremony, highlighting the anti-Christian sentiment he perceived. “I think, folks, what’s interesting here is this deeply secularist, post-modern society knows who its enemy is. They’re naming it. And we should believe them. They’re telling us who they are. We should believe them. But furthermore, we Christians, we Catholics, should not be sheepish. We should resist, we should make our voices heard,” Barron stated. He emphasized that France has historically been a center of Christianity, home to over 40 million Christians.
Echoing Barron’s sentiments, a group of French Bishops issued a press release expressing their outrage. They lamented the “scenes of derision and mockery of Christianity, which we deeply deplore.” The statement also acknowledged the support from other religious groups, saying, “We thank the members of other religious denominations who have expressed their solidarity. This morning, we think of all Christians on all continents who have been hurt by the outrage and provocation of certain scenes.”
The backlash extended beyond religious leaders to prominent athletes. Boxing star Ryan Garcia called for a boycott of the Olympics, while Harrison Butker, kicker for the Kansas City Chiefs, quoted Galatians 6:7-8 in an X post: “Be not deceived, God is not mocked. For what things a man shall sow, those also shall he reap. For he that soweth in his flesh, of the flesh also shall reap corruption. But he that soweth in the spirit, of the spirit shall reap life everlasting.”
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UFC champion Islam Makhachev, a devout Muslim, also condemned the ceremony, describing it as a “shame and dark stain” on the Olympic Games. His statement highlighted the broader disapproval from various religious communities, not just within Christianity.
C Spire’s decision to pull their ads is a significant move, reflecting the depth of dissatisfaction with the Paris Olympics’ opening ceremony. This controversy has highlighted the ongoing cultural and religious tensions in modern society, prompting a wide array of responses from different sectors.
As the Olympics continue, the fallout from this opening ceremony is likely to persist, with more organizations and individuals possibly taking a stand. For now, C Spire’s withdrawal serves as a potent reminder of the powerful impact that cultural and religious sensitivities can have on major global events.
