I can't believe it's not Salvation... introducing Christables!

[Agschmid]

Or the commercialization of everything.

This past weekend, Reddit users have been delighting in pictures of prepackaged grape juice (alas, not wine) and bread (or is that gum?) communion reportedly handed out to one church-going user's 7,000-strong congregation. The Reddit faithful were quick to dub the curiosities 'Christables' after a certain packaged lunchtray product and offered up a number of other amusing puns and slogan suggestions—from mildly disrespectful to brazen copyright infringement—including gems such as "I Can't Believe It's Not Salvation" to "# Bad dap bap bap baaa...I'm loving Him #."

As comments on the thread point towards, the incongruity that we (even non-believers) feel at the sight of this object has to do with the design language: disposable plastic + aluminum-foiled symbols of the fast and packaged food industries that is unavoidably synonymous with cheapness, convenience and transience—a culmination that no amount of script typography, biblical quotes and cross symbols can outweigh.



Whilst distributors make efforts to extol the virtues of the 'Remembrance Individually Packaged Bread & Juice Communion Set'—'Ergonomic Design... 1-year shelf-life... 100% recyclable'—as industrial designers (again, however religious), we're left questioning whether such a product so packaged (affordable, efficient and hygienic as it may be) could ever fulfill its more spiritual functional requirements; namely ushering a worshiper to that special place where they feel at most at one with a divine truth and beauty. Something's telling us that this could be done better. A hell load of a lot better.

#imlovinhim

[valerief]

1. and once again, the real winners are the ones who make plastic and paper (Koch). nt

[NightWatcher]

2. Jesus wept

[Brigid]

12. I gotta show that first one to my (Methodist) pastor!

[haele]

3. Grandma's going to get a big purple stain on her sunday best with those things.

"easy-open" ergonomic packaging that isn't helpful for anyone but competent adults. The way it looks like you pull it open - at the bread end - pretty much guarantees you spill the juice if you aren't steady.

Haele

[Agschmid]

4. "Bread"

[haele]

6. Thanks, forgot the quotes.

It's more of a goldfish cracker. Actually, if I were one of these bible types and willing to risk trademark infringement, I'd use a goldfish cracker.



Haele

[IdaBriggs]

5. Well, they have been confusing Christ with a cracker for a while now...

so I guess this fits in with that tradition....?

[frogmarch]

7. But does it

transubstantiate?

[Brigid]

11. Nope.

Under canon law, this would not be acceptable. There is no way to consecrate these properly, and anyway real wine must be used. Former Catholic here.

[Initech]

8. Shouldn't it come packaged as water?

[Agschmid]

9. I'm sure they could come up with a liquid that when opened and exposed to air turned purple...

That would be cool!

[orleans]

10. pretty skimpy snack if you ask me.

i ate his body and i drank his blood and i'm STILL hungry!!!!!

[uriel1972]

13. Love it!... nt

[Manifestor_of_Light]

14. The Simpsons were at a church picnic...

And they went by a food booth called "Cruci-Fixins"