Follow-up question to this 'Erect Jesus' statue business - do the Christians have a point about Islam, or not?

Question

For those coming to it new, a Christian group in the UK is taking an art centre to court for showing statues of Jesus with an erection, along with other traditionally asexual figures from pop culture, like ET and Mickey Mouse, in the same condition:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/tyne/7593386.stm

Now while I think the artist involved probably had a reason beyond that which the Christians claim - 'to anger Christians and denigrate Christ' - the Christian group makes an interesting claim; that the art centre would never have dared show a statue of Mohammed with an erection.

Firstly, is this true? Views welcome from across the board - Christians, Muslims, Atheists, any-other-bugger...

Secondly, I've had views from Christians (in response to an earlier question) ranging from the vehement to the not-bothered about this statue. So on this I'm specifically looking for answers from across the Islamic spectrum. Would there be a consensus of disapproval of such a statue of Mohammed across the board, or would it be only the more extreme believers who reacted very negatively to such a thing?

Thanks folks

Answer 1

You're talking about a religion that issued a death warrant against an artist who drew an editorial cartoon that showed Mohammed.  They're not going to react with any sort of logic to a statue of a nude Mohammed with an erection.  The artist who exhibits such a thing will be the next Theo van Gogh.

I'm no more interested in seeing a statue of a naked Mohammed than I am in seeing a statue of a naked Jesus or a naked anybody else.

Answer 2

If people don't want a certain icon displayed, they need to register it as trademark.

"It offends my religion" is never a valid claim in court. But "it is too close to my registered trademark" wins the case every single time.

If I were Disney, I'd sue over the Mickey Mouse thing.

Answer 3

The "protests" about anyone drawing cartoons about Mohammed carried all the way from Europe over to Canada. They'd go completely offside if that statue was a depiction of Mohammed...

Answer 4

Remember the big stink over a couple of cartoons showing Mohamed?

Imagine what would happen if he was shown with a woody-

Simply put, if the artist had depicted Mohamed in that pose, he would be dead by now.

Answer 5

I say, imagine it is a statue of you or a family member. Then decide if it is art.

Answer 6

Freedom of expression or art does not mean hurting someone's or a community's feelings. the artist very well knows that a community will be hurt and offended.

Imagine how would you feel if someone creates a nude statue of ya parents with ya dad with an erect d**k and put on display. People respect jesus more than their parents. so they will be offended.

now some might say its an expression of freedom. So what about the 'freedom not be offended/insulted' of other people???

Ofcourse that does not mean a death warrant should be issued to the artist. of course not!!!  But the artist has a responsibility towards the society he lives in. If everyone does what he/she feels like and everyone ends up offending each other, what will have to the concept of socieity and community?? You cannot sat 'there is no restriction to self expression'. there is. you cannot go and call a judge a 'w***e' in the court. you will be charged with contempt of court. You cannot walk around naked in the street and not be arrested, just because u r exercising your freedom to be nude. You cannot have s*x in the public park in broad daylight-there are laws against it.

Why is mere denying holocast an offence but not making a statue of jesus with an erect d**k????

Our society is confused, really!!!!!!!

Disney and Amblin are not suing coz its great for their publicity. even if they sue, its for gaining publicity.

Answer 7

the artist is sick, you know those mentally insane atheists poets who drink wine the whole day and then at night splash paint everywhere and carve c**p, I am a Muslims and would have killed him on the spot no matter how much security, Jesus is our Prophet Isa and has the same respect as Prophet Muhammad and the name of Prophet Isa is also mentioned 50 times in the Quran so that artist was indirectly insulting Islam.

Answer 8

i would be offended to see a figure of jesus with an erection. at the same time i would be offended to see this of any other religious figure be it mohammed, buddah or the pope.

i realise that his is one persons idea of art but some things just need to be left alone.

(about mickey mouse.. i would get a nice little giggle out of that but i wouldnt want my kids being expossed to it.)

Answer 9

I think it's horrible.

I'm a Muslim, and yes I would be VERY against the same statue of the Prophet, it is disgusting.

But I am EQUALLY against the statue of Jesus like that.

Jesus is the Muslim prophet Isa, and is nearly as important as the Prophet Mohammad. I think the Christians who are taking those artists to court are in the right.

But then, everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

Maddy

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