Categories: uncategorized
Date: 01 August 2008 12:48:57
There is uproar in Lambeth that is well covered by everyone but I found two other areas of controversy.
In Italy, an art museum is being hounded by Catholics for exhibiting a crucified frog. The frog is holding a beer glass in one hand and an egg in the other.
The reason for the campaign is becauise Pope Bendict XVI is holidaying in the area and locals are worried about the exhibit. It's not clear that the exhibit causes him offense, as he's made no comment - though he has been told.
The Union for South Tyrol, a separatist group, has collected a 10,000 signature petition demanding its removal and the president of the regional council is on a hunger strike.
In Aberystwyth the new mayor has caused further uproar after discovering that the town has a ban in place that stops the public presentation of the The Life of Brian. The mayor wants to have this ban overturned but is meeting opposition from local Christians.
Reverend Canon Stuart Bell, a locol numpty, says that Christians he has spoken to in Ceredigion, the local county, are still against it being shown.
"The film at its root is poking fun at Christ and we don't want that to happen," he says. When asked if he'd seen the film he replied that he'd seen a "small clip".
Earlier this month the mayor, Ms Jones-Davies said: "I would like to think that any religion would have the generosity to see the film for what it is, which is a comedy."
Now I remember this protest 30 years ago when the film was released. I said then, and I've said it about other protests since, that you can't object unless you actually visit, hear or see what is being portrayed. Without the context you are open to bringing more ridicule on you than would arise from keeping your mouth shut.
In the case of Life of Brian you are forgetting that Jesus wasn't the only Messiah in the village. Others had arisen earlier and others came later; that is what the film is ridiculing. There is the great line regarding Brian's messiahship when a follower says: "I should know, I've followed a few".
Is a depiction of a crucified frog really a dig at Christ and Christianity or are we a little touchy sometimes. Is it really worth going on hunger strike for?
What makes the Brian story a little more humourous is the new mayor. You may remember her better as Judith - Brian's girlfriend in the film.....
History Today:
1714: Queen Anne dies.
1798: Nelson defeats the French at the Battle of the Nile - when will the perfidious French learn that we're better than they are?
1819: Herman "Moby Dick" Melville is born. "I must go down to the sea again."
1831: A new London Bridge is opened to traffic - it has since been relaced.
1834: The British Empire begins to abolish slavery. Now it's replaced by minimum wage jobs in restaurants and supermarkets.
1870: The Irish Land Act gives limited, but symbolically important rights, to tenants of Ireland's landlords.
1914: The Hun declare war on Russia.
1944: The Warsaw Uprising begins as the "Free Polish" resistance attempt to liberate Poland's capital from the Nazis. Across the river Stalin halts his troops and refuses to provide support. A good way to remove potential opposition.
1973: Walter Ulbricht the East German Communist leader dies.