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A world in which human skin is yellow, in which the default facial
expression is the proverbial happy face, in which the human range of motion
is limited to up, down, forward and backward, but not side to side, in which
the Lord God has an identical beard to Noah, and in which Adam and Eve are
clad in Jedi robes upon being cast from the garden of Eden, this is the
world of the Brick Testament, the entirely Lego rendition of the greatest
story ever told.
The Brick Testament is shining example of religious dedication, plus lots
of free time, plus the apotheosis of a well-known childhood pastime. Created
by the Reverend Brendan Powell Smith, the Brick Testament illustrates the
Bible, from Genesis through the Epistles through the eyes of generation after
generation of the iconic, mobile figurines of childhood playtime. Each
episode is presented one passage at a time, with a Lego illustration for each
passage. The translation is loose. The text is slightly abridged and
modernized, but the general gist of the timeless tales comes across full
force through the sequential poses of the little plastic actors.
The manner in which the Reverend chooses to illustrate the stories
contained within the Good Book can be a tad off color at times. From
depictions of gang rape (naked Legos stacked on top of each other), to those
of dismemberment (Lego bodies torn limb from limb and strewn about with small
red squares to represent copious amounts of blood), the behavior of the
little Lego men can be both jarring and arousing. I get the sense that
certain upholders of the faith might vehemently disagree with the graphic
manner in which their scriptures have been rendered. However, for the modern
reader, the Brick Testament may provide a more realistic glimpse into the
world of Man that the Bible explores. In the way that Mel Gibson's
stomach-turning film about the crucifixion opened the eyes of the faithful to
an unpleasant visual truth that they may have preferred not to think about,
the Brick Testament spreads the word of God in a highly realistic (despite
the format) and unapologetic fashion.
Some might argue that this representation of the Bible is blasphemous, or
at least disrespectful. But I believe it to be an invaluable resource for
believers, heathens, and tolerant liberals alike. The Brick Testament
provides a charming, accessible, unpretentious, at times comic, at times
moving retelling of a great work whose message is deeply rooted within the
Western World's collective consciousness. It can adequately fulfill the needs
of both casual curiosity and religious fervor. It can provide a means to
learn about this deeply established cultural institution for the scholars,
and a means to easily indoctrinate small children with any form of
familiarity with the modern world. I consider the Brick Testament to be a
superb example of dedication, creativity, and the generous sharing of
information.
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