Glenn Beck And Crucified Obama Artist Debate Controversial Painting [Video]

Glenn Beck and artist Michael D’Antuono battled over art, politics, and religion in a recent interview.

A quick recap: Michael D’Antuono made headlines with a controversial painting titled “Truth,” which depicts President Barack Obama wearing a crown of thorns and apparently crucified against the presidential seal. The painting offended just about everyone, especially uber-conservative pundit Glenn Beck, who responded to offensive religious and political art in his own unique way.

He dunked an Obama figurine into a jar of urine.

Alright, it was fake urine, and it was really a protest of all art deemed offensive by the religious sect. The one that Beck was specifically referencing was the infamous “Piss Christ,” a controversial piece that made media rounds a decade ago that featured a crucifix submerged in a jar of urine.

No matter what you think of Beck, you’ve got to hand it to him for inviting D’Antuono onto his BlazeTV show and having it out with him face-to-face.

Explaining his intentions behind the “Truth” painting, D’Antuono said:

“I do not think he is Christ. I was not trying to convey that. Actually, this painting does not convey my own personal opinions. It is more a mirror reflecting the personal opinions and prejudices, preconceived ideas of the viewer. It’s kind of a sociological experiment.”

“How do you not say this is an image of Christ? He is splitting the veil, you know that right?” Beck shot back. D’Antuono shrugged that the parting curtains could be a reference to Obama’s pledge of “creating transparency.”

“This is so dishonest,” Beck replied. D’Antuono argued that the painting wasn’t so much about Jesus Christ as it was about a liberal perception that President Obama is frequently “metaphorically crucified by the Right.”

“If he says the sky is blue, they are going to say it’s red. And blue is a communist color anyway. If he says he likes puppies they are going to say, well, he hates kittens. So he was being crucified no matter what he did.”

Beck responded: “Would you think that you would ever paint something of me, that I am crucified by the Left?”

“Well, I haven’t given that any consideration,” the artist answered.

The interview ended on a positive note though, with D’Antuono expressing surprise that Beck was so “reasonable” in his treatment of him. “I don’t know how I’m going to go home and tell my family. I expected you to try to tear me apart… I think that’s the reputation you have from the left, but it’s not true,” he said.

Watch Glenn Beck take on the Obama as Jesus painter Michael D’Antuono below. I think you’ll be surprised: