Is Angelina Jolie the right person to depict Virgin Mary in a painting?

At the risk of getting blasted, I will reply to this discussion. First of all I do not like Angelina Jolie at all. I think that everything she does is for the sole sake of publicity. I saw the painitng first thing this morning and thought to myself, "That is crazy." Both the artist and anyone that hangs the portrait should be morally shamed. Fist off, virgin, she is not...secondly, she is not some Holy figure. Third...why Wal-mart; is this a slam to the common man/woman that shops at Wal-mart. Do we need divine intervention because we can't afford designer clothes and traveling to exotic locales? As for unattainable beauty, I have seen clumps of dirt that I found more attractive. I do question the "artists" mentality and motive behind the painting. As for whom should depict the Virgin Mary...why not the Virgin Mary herself?

No celebrity qualifies to resemble her. It's just not right.

I was going to start this discussion, I am glad someone else felt the need to do so too, and here's my strong opinion. I think NO celebrity is capable of depicting the Virgin Mary as she was pure and chaste, something even normal people in the world are not, let alone celebrities who are intimate with people just for acting. I understand the requirement of this for the screen, but it does take away your sanctity, and I would not opt for acting for this one reason. Yeah some people would say prude. I am not ashamed of my opinion.. I particularly think AJ is the wrong choice because as I have said before on this board, someone who purports to be sympathetic to strange children over the world and, okay even adopts one (or two), shows surprising indifference when it comes to stealing a husband/ lover from a happy and cherished relationship. You have to look at Jennifer Aniston to see she is still hurting from her loss..so, her "kindness" and "love for mankind" is indeed questionable. Love your neighbor the world will take care of itself. She does not even love/ respect immediate boundaries, so to me all the rest she does is pretentious and publicity stunts. No one should depict any religious figure, unless they are seriously religious. And not by their definition alone! I really admire the actor that played Jesus in the Passion of Christ, cos he took his role seriously and that was the nobility that showed in his face through the movie. From within, not as an act.

Well, I do not have that much knowledge of celebrities, so I am not in a position to comment on the accuracy of depiction of any certain individual. But, since the subject of Virgin Mary has come up for depiction, it occurred to me to spcifically mention one pointed related to Virgin Mary. I have a couple living just behind my house, one is a Pastor (Pentecost) and his wife, they have no children. We are like brothers and have very cordial relations with each other. Initially, when I came to live around here, I used to frequent their prayer meetings on those days when I was not tied up with my own religions ceremonies in the Church. In a bid to attract me into their fold, they started criticising RC/Catholic religion by stating that the Catholics burn candles infront of Virgin Mary and they worship Mary like God whereas Ten Commandaments specifically forbid one from worshiping someone else other than God Almighty. One day my wife herself cleared the matter saying that we do not woship Virgin Mary, we only seek her intercession as every picture of Virgin Mary has got inscribed below "Mother Mary Pray For Us". Regarding burning candles, I told them that if and when a person whom we respect come to our house, we do not make them sit in th dark. We switch on as many lights as possible as a mark of respect for that particular individual. It is one and the sme thing that we respect and adore Virgin Mary as the Mother of Jesus Christ. By burning candles, we only bestow on her our love and faithfulness. Coming back to the point, Mary the mother of Jesus has accomplished her worldly task and is now in the Company of God the Almighty. So, as long as we survive in this world, we may have anyone to depict Virgin Mary, for as long as one does not degrade the Virgin, it is ok for depicting Her.

I cant accept that aj is a "unattainable beauty". But if its an art ur talking abt, its not AJ ur looking at its jus another model where u are let to c the beauty. If its not AJ its another model, again u cant judge a models character. So the personality of the person in art is completely to be disregarded in an art. But one shd take in the meaning the effort of peace we get looking at it.

Angelina Jolie (born June 4, 1975) is an American film actress, a former fashion model and a Goodwill Ambassador for the UN Refugee Agency. She is often cited by popular media as one of the world's most beautiful women[1] and her off-screen life is widely reported. She has received three Golden Globe Awards, two Screen Actors Guild Awards and an Academy Award. After appearing as a child alongside her father Jon Voight in the 1982 film Lookin' to Get Out, Jolie's acting career began in earnest a decade later with the low budget production Cyborg 2 (1993) and she played her first leading role in a major film in Hackers (1995). She appeared in the critically acclaimed biographical films George Wallace (1997) and Gia (1998), and won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in the drama Girl, Interrupted (1999). She achieved international fame as a result of her portrayal of videogame heroine Lara Croft in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001), and since then has established herself as one of the best known and highest paid actresses in Hollywood. She had her biggest commercial success with the action-comedy Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005).[2] Divorced from actors Jonny Lee Miller and Billy Bob Thornton, Jolie currently lives with actor Brad Pitt, in a relationship that has attracted worldwide media attention.[3] Jolie and Pitt have two adopted children, Maddox and Zahara, and a biological child, Shiloh. Jolie has promoted humanitarian causes throughout the world, and is noted for her work with refugees through UNHCR.

I don't think she was a good person at all. Maybe as looks, but despite the fact of all she's done for the world, she's done a lot of things. She's wrecked several marriages, her marriage with Billy Bob was just WEIRD, and although she's saving all these children or whatever, she doesn't even see the stuff going on in America, with people still getting over Hurricane Katrina.

no i think this is so wrong!

She's not a bad person, actually she's done a lot of good...but I agree with others that no celebrity could really depict Mary. It's very strange. I guess the artist is getting the publicity she wanted.

yes

The artist who did this needs her eyes checked more than anything. Not only is Angelina not an unattainable beauty, but she's not even really beautiful or hot anymore. I am going to go out on a limb though and assume that the artist is lesbian - nothing against lesbians, it's just that every lesbian I've ever known has a crush on Angelina Jolie. As for the question itself, no, it was not right to use her to depict the Virgin Mary. Would we want a painting of Mel Gibson on a cross being crucified, next to two common thieves played by Ben Affleck and Matt Damon? I don't think so!

I don't have a problem with Angelina Jolie being depicted as the Virgin Mary. Obviously I don't know Angelina Jolie, but I do not get the impression at all that she is a publicity hound (like Paris Hilton, Lindsey Lohan, etc are). She seems like she is a little strange, but nice and genuine. I do think it's odd though that a Walmart is displaying this in their store. I highly doubt that any of the Walmarts here in Bakersfield, CA would display it. But the artist is certainlly getting a lot of attention over it, so maybe it will be good for the artists career.

No, It should not happen.....

i dont believe her.. she chose angelina because she knows angelina is controversial.. she just wants the attention.. no celebrity should be depicted as virgin mary, its blasphemous.. playing with people's belief is really not a good thing..

I think she's a wonderful choice to depict the Virgin Mary. Angelina Jolie is a woman who embraces motherhood, who uses her money and clout to help children all over the world, and who spreads a message of peace and love.

I feel angelina jolie has rghtly been selected to depict Virgin mary in the paintings..I don't think there is anyone else who will match the persona so greatly and also she has blended the charcter into her..

well she is not right celebrity to depict the Virgin Mary. i dont know who shud have been chosen!

Don't think AJ has what I'd call "unattainable beauty" but I don't really have any objections on the whole Virgin Mary thing.

I think that who painting this picture can see if AJ is the right person for that.She is beauty and I think that she could be in this picture like Virgin MAria...but with some clothes...

This is just liks of that artist. He may like Anjilina Jolly and that is too much. We should not consider that things. That may be publicity stunt.