"Last week the gallery complained of "extremist harassment" by Christians who wanted the image banned. The archbishop of Vaucluse, Jean-Pierre Cattenoz, called the work "odious" and said he wanted "this trash" taken off the gallery walls. Saturday's street protest against the work gained the support of the far-right National Front, which has recently done well in local elections (Guardian UK)."
The professional Christian debaters like WL Craig, and that Indian guy, always say of scientists that are atheists (Dawkins esp.) that they should stick to a the laboratory and not meddle in their precious theology*. Well, once again, why don't they practice what they preach? They are not experts in art and art history, and yet they want to censor art that they do not agree with (like Bill "I'm always angry about something " Donohue of the Catholic League).
This week the exhibit by artist Andres Serrano called Piss Christ was vandalized by Xtians, and in general, the gallery has experienced "extreme harassment". The archbishop called the work "osidious" and came out with the very forgiving blast of take "this trash" off the gallery walls. In the 80's, the very not angry Sen. Jessie Helms (boy, I sure don't miss that dude), as well as the religious right, was "outraged" by the same piece. In Australia the work was vandalized and yet again in Sweden (2007) by none other than neo-Nazi's (which tells us a couple of thingies, 1) the art is so good it provocative and 2) religious right + neo-Nazi's = the same team.).
"The gallery's director, Eric Mézil, says he will keep the exhibition open to the public with the destroyed work on show "so people can see what barbarians can do." The culture minister correctly condemned the vandalism for what it is; a violation of basic freedoms like expression, creation-ya know, art. Yvonn Lambert, the art collector who owns the piece, has been "persecuted" by hate emails and calls the act a "return to the middle ages." The gallery is not backing down and will kept the vandalized art up, but with more security.
Within two years (the aprox age of this particular blog) the Prince of Peace has commanded his flock to complain or destroy art here, here, and here. Hows that for tolerance? For the record, I'm not all that jazzed about seeing anything submerged in an artists piss, or anyone's piss for that matter. What is so bad is that one segment of the population has taken it upon themselves to censor the art for the rest of us; and it is not their decision to make. Like I always say, one of the reasons peeps become atheist is because religion is so controlling. Sheez, we can't even go to a show to decide for ourselves (not on their watch). It just makes me want to see it.
* If you have to be an expert in a field to be critical of it, then no one will be able to criticize anything anytime (and that includes believers criticizing science. Like some of my friends here at the #atheistcafe...it goes both ways).
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