A fast food restaurant in Chicago is offering a burger that contains – among other ingredients – a communion wafer and red wine. Predictably (and probably quite intentionally), outrage has gripped the deeply faithful Christians for this insult to Christianity and assault on their belief.

First, some explanation for the less superstitious: a communion wafer is a kind of cracker that is served (with wine) in some christian denominations during or after service, usually to commemorate the last supper of Jesus (a.k.a. communion). As with most rituals, the wine and cracker must first be consecrated to become the “real thing”. Neither wine nor cracker in the burger are consecrated (this makes a big difference for believers; scientifically the difference is that a consecrated wafer has a few words spoken over it, changing exactly nothing).

The burger joint that servers this meal is a hard rock themed restaurant; the burger is called ‘Ghost Burger’, after the swedish band ‘Ghost B.C.‘. This band riffs off christian vibes, with the lead singer on-stage occasionally dressing as a Roman Catholic cardinal. Their music, like their stage presence, is an acquired taste.

The faithful don’t like it. For example, Jeff Young, producer of the Catholic Foodie blog reportedly complains that

“It is a mockery of something that is holy. The same thing could be said of the band itself.”

Holy Intelligence, Sherlock Holmes! What tipped you off? The wafer or the singer’s robes?

What I don’t get is this: For Catholics, it is to be believed that upon consecration, the wafer miraculously (in reality, not figuratively) turns into Jesus’ flesh, and the wine into his blood. Then this is eaten. Yuck!

I think that someone who believes that he or his priest is regularly eating human flesh and drinking blood should really not complain about a burger that contains neither. Since Young runs a food blog, and cursory checks reveal no recipes nor recommendations involving human flesh nor blood, I think he doesn’t believe the official Eucharist claptrap either. Guess what, neither does Ghost B.C. Yes, they are mocking your superstition. The band and the burger. Obviously. Get over it.

As an aside: If the restaurant had tried this stunt with a ‘Mo Burger’, served with goat cheese and camel meat, we probably would be looking at the smoldering remains of the block the restaurant was located in. So these Catholics are exhibiting laudable restraint. Thank god for that.