Crucified Chocolate Jesus to be Sold with Note from God for Christmas
A New York City-based candy company has launched a fundraising campaign so it may create limited edition chocolate Jesus candies to sell during the holidays.
The recently-formed Sucre Bleu candy company has launched a Kickstarter campaign, inviting donors to help them to create a "limited edition run of 500" chocolate candies that feature a 7-inch long Jesus on the cross, made out of 72 percent dark chocolate and sprinkled with sea salt. This is the initial test run for the company, and it indicates on its Kickstarter page that it eventually wants to create chocolate figurines of culture's most revered icons, including a cream and fruit-filled Virgin Mary, and liquor-filled head of John the Baptist, and a flavor trio of baby Jesus.
"Our aim is to provoke, amuse, entertain, and compel you to blurt out: 'WTF? This is crazy, awesome, beautiful, weird AND delicious. Why would anyone make that?!'" the company, started by Pennsylvania-native Persia Tatar von Huddleston, says on its Kickstarter page.
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So far, the fundraising campaign has earned over $5,000 out of its $10,000 goal. The money will reportedly be used to cover the cost of polycarbonate Jesus moulds, factory production expenses from their Chocolatier manufacturer in Brooklyn, N.Y., the actual dark chocolate, and packing and shipping costs.
Once the large chocolate Jesus figurine is created, it will reportedly be signed, numbered and packaged to look like a museum sculpture. The package will reportedly include a handwritten note from Jesus. The company states on its Kickstarter page that its goal is not to offend the religious: "We pray that this does not offend you. If it does, perhaps you need to eat more chocolate!"
Additionally, the company's founder, Persia Tatar von Huddleston, states on the Sucre Bleu website that she does not believe eating chocolate candies resembling Jesus is blasphemous.
"On the contrary, I believe that's the tradition. And we're not claiming transubstantiation, just transcendental confectionery. We believe it's blasphemous to take yourself too seriously. It's sinful not to have fun, passion and pleasure in life. We believe in the redemptive powers of food," she said.
The Kickstarter campaign was just launched last week, and therefore many media outlets have yet to catch word of the chocolate Jesus confection. Reponses on Twitter have varied from criticism to bemusement at the idea.
"Religion at its best?" questioned one commenter, while another wrote "This isn't offensive, cites company. The fact that you put salt on your chocolate is though, dude."
The Sacre Bleu company has until December 5 to reach its $10,000 fundraising goal on Kickstarter, and its website states that the chocolate Jesus candy will go on sale online on Dec. 4.
