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	<title>Comments on: Suppertime blues</title>
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	<link>http://freethinker.co.uk/2007/09/28/suppertime-blues/</link>
	<description>The voice of atheism since 1881</description>
	<pubDate>Wed, 07 Jan 2009 00:17:45 +0000</pubDate>
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		<title>By: Kasia</title>
		<link>http://freethinker.co.uk/2007/09/28/suppertime-blues/comment-page-1/#comment-2595</link>
		<dc:creator>Kasia</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 20 Feb 2008 03:24:28 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.freethinker.co.uk/?p=193#comment-2595</guid>
		<description>A careful read of any well-done biography or history of Da Vinci will reveal that the church intensely disliked his depiction of The Last Supper.  So why now is it considered a "holy relic?"</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>A careful read of any well-done biography or history of Da Vinci will reveal that the church intensely disliked his depiction of The Last Supper.  So why now is it considered a &#8220;holy relic?&#8221;</p>
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		<title>By: Sweating Through Fog</title>
		<link>http://freethinker.co.uk/2007/09/28/suppertime-blues/comment-page-1/#comment-240</link>
		<dc:creator>Sweating Through Fog</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 29 Sep 2007 17:46:26 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.freethinker.co.uk/?p=193#comment-240</guid>
		<description>There are plenty of bigots on both sides of this controversy.

"Anyway, parody and spoof have, like the poor, always been with us. It’s usually harmless and “victims” take it on the chin. Some Christians, it seems, can’t even turn the other cheek."

Christians can parody too.  Look at the silly Folsom Street Fair press release, which you quoted.
http://www.folsomstreetfair.com/fair-press.php?relNum=77

And compare it with my parody:

September 25, 2008

FOLSOM STREET EVENTS™ LAUNCHES POSTER DESIGN FOR 25th ANNUAL FOLSOM STREET FAIR™
Poster image draws inspiration from the annual Islamic Hajj, in a poster entitled: Masjid al-Harem.

Folsom Street Events has released its latest poster design for the 25TH Annual Folsom Street Fair. This year, the official poster, drawn by renowned artist Theo van Gogh, uses well-known community members as players in a strikingly original interpretation of the annual, worldwide pilgrimage to Mecca. The poster is the second in a series that draws from well-known paintings, album covers, movie posters, or other iconic images. Community members celebrate exuberant sexuality by donning their S/M regalia, and dancing around not the Kaaba, but a 10 story phallus.

According to Andy Copper, Board President, “We are extremely pleased with the outcome of this poster, and we are looking forward to a particularly inspirational event season. There is no intention to be particularly pro-religion or anti-religion with this poster; the image is intended only to celebrate the sacred roots of raw sexuality. It is a distinctive representation of diversity with women and men, people of all colors and sexual orientations. Just as Mecca draws people of all races throughout the world, we hope people from all continents will come come celebrate with us!”

Folsom Street Events acknowledges that many of the people in the leather and fetish communities are spiritual and that this poster image is a way of expressing that side of the community’s interests and beliefs. This year, Folsom Street Fair is dedicated to “San Francisco Values,” previously used against the San Francisco community for its support of sexual diversity and now used by Folsom Street Events as a way to reclaim power by the fetish community.

Andy Copper, adds “We hope that people will enjoy the artistry for what it is – nothing more or less. Many people choose to speculate on deeper meanings. This is one artist’s imagining of a pilgrimage that is at one both sexual and sacred - all we did was adopt the iconography of Mecca and make it our own. The irony is that homosexuality has a long and wonderful history in Islam. In truth, we are going to produce a series of inspired poster images over the next few years. Next year’s poster ad may take inspiration from American Gothic by Grant Wood, the flag raising at Iwo Jima, or even Raphael's 'The School of Athens' - community members are already preparing for roles in that one!"

When asked about the murder of the poster artist, Theo van Gogh, and the worldwide rioting that has claimed dozens of lives, Copper said: "I guess it wouldn’t be Folsom Street Fair without offending some extreme members of the global community, though.”</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>There are plenty of bigots on both sides of this controversy.</p>
<p>&#8220;Anyway, parody and spoof have, like the poor, always been with us. It’s usually harmless and “victims” take it on the chin. Some Christians, it seems, can’t even turn the other cheek.&#8221;</p>
<p>Christians can parody too.  Look at the silly Folsom Street Fair press release, which you quoted.<br />
<a href="http://www.folsomstreetfair.com/fair-press.php?relNum=77" rel="nofollow">http://www.folsomstreetfair.co.....?relNum=77</a></p>
<p>And compare it with my parody:</p>
<p>September 25, 2008</p>
<p>FOLSOM STREET EVENTS™ LAUNCHES POSTER DESIGN FOR 25th ANNUAL FOLSOM STREET FAIR™<br />
Poster image draws inspiration from the annual Islamic Hajj, in a poster entitled: Masjid al-Harem.</p>
<p>Folsom Street Events has released its latest poster design for the 25TH Annual Folsom Street Fair. This year, the official poster, drawn by renowned artist Theo van Gogh, uses well-known community members as players in a strikingly original interpretation of the annual, worldwide pilgrimage to Mecca. The poster is the second in a series that draws from well-known paintings, album covers, movie posters, or other iconic images. Community members celebrate exuberant sexuality by donning their S/M regalia, and dancing around not the Kaaba, but a 10 story phallus.</p>
<p>According to Andy Copper, Board President, “We are extremely pleased with the outcome of this poster, and we are looking forward to a particularly inspirational event season. There is no intention to be particularly pro-religion or anti-religion with this poster; the image is intended only to celebrate the sacred roots of raw sexuality. It is a distinctive representation of diversity with women and men, people of all colors and sexual orientations. Just as Mecca draws people of all races throughout the world, we hope people from all continents will come come celebrate with us!”</p>
<p>Folsom Street Events acknowledges that many of the people in the leather and fetish communities are spiritual and that this poster image is a way of expressing that side of the community’s interests and beliefs. This year, Folsom Street Fair is dedicated to “San Francisco Values,” previously used against the San Francisco community for its support of sexual diversity and now used by Folsom Street Events as a way to reclaim power by the fetish community.</p>
<p>Andy Copper, adds “We hope that people will enjoy the artistry for what it is – nothing more or less. Many people choose to speculate on deeper meanings. This is one artist’s imagining of a pilgrimage that is at one both sexual and sacred - all we did was adopt the iconography of Mecca and make it our own. The irony is that homosexuality has a long and wonderful history in Islam. In truth, we are going to produce a series of inspired poster images over the next few years. Next year’s poster ad may take inspiration from American Gothic by Grant Wood, the flag raising at Iwo Jima, or even Raphael&#8217;s &#8216;The School of Athens&#8217; - community members are already preparing for roles in that one!&#8221;</p>
<p>When asked about the murder of the poster artist, Theo van Gogh, and the worldwide rioting that has claimed dozens of lives, Copper said: &#8220;I guess it wouldn’t be Folsom Street Fair without offending some extreme members of the global community, though.”</p>
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		<title>By: Krissy Poopyhands</title>
		<link>http://freethinker.co.uk/2007/09/28/suppertime-blues/comment-page-1/#comment-234</link>
		<dc:creator>Krissy Poopyhands</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 28 Sep 2007 14:16:30 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.freethinker.co.uk/?p=193#comment-234</guid>
		<description>“an incredibly outrageous and palpably anti-Christian event”

Yeah, but what did he say was bad about it?

Ooooo.  I'm going to hell.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>“an incredibly outrageous and palpably anti-Christian event”</p>
<p>Yeah, but what did he say was bad about it?</p>
<p>Ooooo.  I&#8217;m going to hell.</p>
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