In 2008 a 16 year old was arrested in Australia for wearing an anti-Christian, pornographic T-shirt dedicated to Cradle of Filth, a metal band whose output bears no resemblance to music. The T-shirt was also banned in New Zealand. Now, it is on display at New Zealand’s Canterbury Museum.
Anglican extremists in New Zealand have called not, as everyone expected, for the producers of the T-shirt to be beheaded, but for the offending garment to be placed in a corner behind a large warning sign.
I haven’t included a photo of the shirt for fear of life-threatening reprisals by the numerous fundamentalist Christians who run amok here in Ontario at the slightest provocation. If you do choose to be offended, though, you can view the disagreeable item here.
From here:
Anglican leaders in New Zealand have said that a banned, offensive T-shirt being displayed in Canterbury Museum should prompt a nation-wide debate about freedom of speech versus respect.
The T-shirt, produced for an English extreme metal band, was part of an exhibition of 1000 T-shirts at the museum. It features a graphic image of a nun and explicit abuse of Jesus.
So strong has been the reaction to it that the T-shirt is in a separate corner, with a large warning sign and museum staff checking people’s ID before they are allowed to see it.
Hey- You have just given our ever wise and trend following idiots in ACoC an idea~! Start killing people- ya- thats good- and it works for the muslims- It will HAVE to work-and we can fill the pews and collection plates again- just like we did when we were relevant!
Good one Glen. Full marks.
I knew I should not have pressed here to see the offending item the minute I clicked on the link.
I imagine that it will be a while before the “museum” gets around to being “dangerous” by displaying abuse of any kind that the establishment *really* disapproves of. Like something which they have invented nasty names for, like “racist”, etc!
That’s not very nice.
I can’t help but wonder what the situation would be like if instead of this t-shirt that is a deliberate insult to Jesus and Christianity the t-shirt on display was a deliberate insult to the false prophet Mohammed and islam? Would such a t-shirt even be put on display for fear of reprisals from the muslims? Or would the museum be “tolerant” and sensitive to the muslims and out of respect and accommodation choose to not display such a t-shirt? If the later is the what we could reasonably expect than why was the museum not “tolerant” and sensitive to us Christians about the t-shirt that they did put on display?
While it’s not very nice, I can’t help but feel that we’re getting excercised over symbols again, instead of actual things actually happening to actual human beings. Christ is not a wuss. He can take it.
There seems to be an unhealthy resurgence of ‘extremism’ generally in society. It is usually displayed by those who have a ‘disconnect’. They appear to be ‘angry’ and self centred and display aggression in destructive ways.
The ‘T’ and its message is yet again another form of crude expression so prevalent in today’s society. It doesn’t hamper the practice of my faith but I am interested in what would motivate ‘it’.
That’s an interesting and considered perspective on this. Well observed.
it’s an easy way to “look at me – I’m being edgy!” without any fear of serious repercussions; after all, Christians don’t riot and self-detonate, and society hates God anyway.