Belief in white Jesus linked to racism

[Rev. Rye]

I think there are cases where modernization doesn't work. Recently Stephen Fry did a Picture of Dorian Gray set in our own time, with Dorian as an Instagram star. In my opinion this doesn't make Wilde's meaning more accessible to modern people, but less. The Dorian Gray of the novel was not a self-publicist, so I think Fry has completely changed the story's message. Giving Jesus a jet fighter would obviously change the meaning, as well.

I haven’t been able to see that version, but it does seem like making him an Instagram star would fit as a modernization of Dorian Gray as a narcissistic young man with no clear job. Although, that said, from what I’ve seen, the deal is apparently regarding his social status and not his looks, which actually does seem to change the message.

That said, I can’t be sure this will fuck everything up more than the Ben Barnes version, which fucked up the character dynamics to the point where Basil, who was about as openly gay as the publishers of 1890 would allow, was the straightest one of the main trio.