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Category Archives: Religion and the arts

God put it in me – oooh!

Thursday, August 14, 2008

THE curtain has just gone up on a crucifix-and-crotch-grabbing musical in Melbourne, Australia – and confused Christians there are unable to decide whether to be elated, or grossly offended.
Inported from the US, where it has notched up a number of successes, Altar Guyz is supposed to rip the piss mercilessly out of boy bands. Or [...]

Filed in Christian rock, Judaism, Religion and the arts, The Freethinker, gay | Comments (0)

Make Me a Christian? Not on my tellie!

Monday, August 11, 2008

WE couldn’t be asked to watch Channel 4’s Make Me A Christian last night.
When you have a heavy cold, replete with thumping headache and a barbed-wire throat, the last thing you need is a widescreen televisual encounter with the Rev George “So Macho” Greaves, the lead preacher in TV’s latest dismal foray in the [...]

Filed in Christian fundies, Evangelists, George Hargreaves, Religion and the arts, The Freethinker | Comments (7)

‘Kermit’ croaks on a cross – and Catholics are hopping mad

Sunday, August 3, 2008

THERE was outrage back in May when the Bolzano museum of modern art in Italy acquired a sculpture by the late German artist Martin Kippenberger depicting a frog on a cross.

Local bishop Wilhelm Egger moaned:
The crucified frog has shocked many visitors and has hurt their religious feelings. Even if this was not the intention of [...]

Filed in Blasphemy, Catholic Church, Christian Voice, Christian fundies, Religion and the arts, The Freethinker, censorship | Comments (7)

Blasphemy heads for oblivion in Ireland

Sunday, July 13, 2008

MORE bad news for the Catholic Church in Ireland, which has suffered a number of setbacks in this increasingly sceptical country: the offence of blasphemy is likely to be dropped from the Irish Constitution.
According to the Irish Independent, the joint committee on the Constitution said last Friday that changes to the Constitution in the areas [...]

Filed in Blasphemy, Catholic Church, Human rights, Religion and the arts, The Freethinker | Comments (1)

God leaves Stephen Green up shit creek

Friday, June 27, 2008

Stephen “Birdshit” Green thought he was doing God’s work when he tried unsuccessfully to prosecute the BBC for blasphemy after it screened Jerry Springer: The Opera.
But his God evidently thought otherwise, for Green now faces bankruptcy over legal fees incurred as a result of his vindictive action.
Green’s website reveals that he has been saddled with [...]

Filed in Blasphemy, Christian Voice, Christian fundies, Religion and the arts, The Freethinker | Comments (14)

‘Offensive’ poster banned by Tube bosses

Friday, February 22, 2008

THOSE censorious twats who decide what can and what can’t appear on the walls of the London Underground have made idiots of themselves again - this time by banning a poster for a play at Islington’s King’s Head Theatre.
Tube censors rejected the advert for Fat Christ, a black comedy starring topless model Abi Titmuss, on [...]

Filed in Blasphemy, General barminess, Jesus, Religion and the arts, The Freethinker, atheism, censorship | Comments (1)

Hard-on Jesus exposed at last

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

WHEN Stephen ‘Stay a Virgin, Marry a Virgin’ Green demanded the destruction of gay artist Terence Koh’s Jesus-with-wood figurine (see the original Freethinker report here) we could not find a photograph of the ‘offensive’ piece.
But now, at last, a picture of the foot-high piece has come to light - thanks to the diligence of the [...]

Filed in Christian Voice, General barminess, Jesus, Judaism, Religion and the arts, The Freethinker | Comments (5)

Soap and censorship

Friday, January 11, 2008

Another shining example of how enlightening and forward-thinking religion can be comes from Afghanistan, where the Taliban want to ban Indian soap operas.
Bad for morals, they say. Could encourage odd worship practices. Instead of watching television, people should go to mosques.
It’s all here in a Times story, which says TV executives are being threatened with [...]

Filed in Islam, Religion and the arts | Comments (1)

Ditch blasphemy law, says PEN chief

Sunday, January 6, 2008

The president of English PEN (the UK arm of the worldwide writers’ organisation) says the law of blasphemous libel is not only obsolete but contravenes our rights to freedom of expression under the European Convention on Human Rights.
Lisa Appignanesi (pictured below), writing in the Guardian, quotes the Satanic Verses author Salman Rushdie, who said, “If [...]

Filed in Blasphemy, Freethinking allowed, Human rights, Islam, Religion and the arts, gay | Comments (0)

Boo Who! The tears of a clown

Saturday, December 22, 2007

Ladeeeees and gentlemen! The Freethinker once again brings you, at enoooormous expense, a traditional entertainment in which girls dress as boys, an evil villain gets his comeuppance, the hero marries the heroine (and occasionally another hero these days) and everybody lives happily ever after.
Yes, it’s pantomime season again. This Christmas time, sit back and enjoy the show you’ve all [...]

Filed in Christian Voice, Religion and the arts, satire | Comments (3)