Controversy Over Chocolate Jesus

NEW YORK CITY - Controversy has erupted over a six foot sculpture of Jesus carved from chocolate that will go on display at the Lab Gallery in the Roger Smith Hotel during Holy Week.

Canadian-born artist artist Cosimo Cavallaro calls his sculpture, "My Sweet Lord," and he has invited people to eat it before it's taken down on Easter Sunday.

The sculpture depicting Jesus naked on the cross has been dubbed the "485,000 calorie Messiah," but while Catholic groups call it offensive to millions of people, the Chocolate Society has called it a mouth-watering treat for hundreds of New Yorkers.

"Everybody knows the Body of Christ is made out of unleavened bread," said Keira McCafferty of the Catholic League.

"In Christian tradition a human being is not just someone with a body, but is someone who is a body! Catholics must think beyond a narrow understanding of Christ's body as a collection of water and wheat flour," replied Linda Cadeaux of the Chocolate Society.

Chocolate Jesus is scheduled to be on display starting Monday.

Update: A spokesman for the the Roger Smith Hotel announced that My Sweet Lord's appearance at The Lab Gallery has been canceled.

Update II: The decision to close the show was made by the president of the Roger Smith Hotel, who said, "We have caused the cancellation of the exhibition and wish to affirm the dignity and responsibility of the Hotel in all its affairs."

The gallery's artistic director Matt Semler, says the decision to close was due to intimidation, claiming the hotel and gallery were inundated with angry emails and phone calls that included death threats. He has resigned in protest.

I suspect that the threatening calls did not come from the gentle members of the Chocolate Society, who are known to cherish peace, love, and understanding almost as much as the cacao bean.