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Category Archives: Religion and the arts

‘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 [...]

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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 (6)

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 [...]

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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)

How religion stifles art: Lesson 901

Saturday, December 15, 2007

THE man behind Jerry Springer: The Opera is afraid “idiots” would close down a similar enterprise – so he says he won’t be doing anything like that again.
Stuart Lee (left) says he suffered financially because Christians orchestrated a campaign against the opera.
Even though judges have decided that JS:TO is not blasphemous, Lee says the controversy surrounding [...]

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