Dylan Chenfeld, a self-declared Jewish atheist, is the brain behind the “I Met God, She’s Black” tee shirts that have been in vogue among major celebrities of late and also have become part of the #BlackLivesMatter movement. Twenty-one-year-old Chenfeld, who lives in New York City, said even though he did not create the phrase, he was the first to use it on his $30 tee shirt and the phrase grew even more popular after he started to plaster posters of it across Manhattan. Chenfeld started printing the tees a year ago and he was stunned to see many whites were willing to buy them as well.

The celebrities who have been seen sporting the controversial tee include model Cara Delevingne and Jewish rapper Drake.

Traditionally, Renaissance artists painted God in their own image, often depicting Him with porcelain white skin and flowing golden hair, much like a European aristocrat. But, that image of God has been challenged by many people over the years.

“I like poking fun at sacred cows,” said Chenfeld. “I’m taking the idea that God is a white male and doing the opposite of that, which is a black woman.”

While Chenfeld’s grandparents are both Orthodox Jews, he decided to move away from organized religion after his 13th birthday and bar mitzvah, when he learned that Judaism did not grant women a similar celebration for coming of age.

“Sometimes when you get really religious, it becomes sexist and that’s when I tap out,” he said. “And that’s why I’ve never been a super religious person.”

Chenfeld told the media he was the only one in the family that had questions about God. He also said he hopes his tees help more people question the image of God as a white man.

Photo Credits: Huffington Post