The appeal, entitled "#MockingGod", is aimed at cartoonists and caricaturists from all over the world. The best drawings are to be published in the satirical magazine to mark the tenth anniversary of the terrorist attack.

On 7 January 2015, Islamist terrorists broke into the editorial offices of "Charlie Hebdo" and killed twelve people. The magazine had previously published cartoons of Muhammad.

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The Italian Association of Radio and Television Listeners (Associazione Italiana Ascoltatori Radio e Televisione, AIART) on Monday had called for the immediate suspension of an advertisement by the Italian company Amica Chips, one that the group said, "offends the religious sensitivity of millions of practicing Catholics." AIART says on its website that its mission is "inspired by Catholic principles."

In the advertisement, an abbess fills a ciborium with potato chips instead of Eucharistic hosts prior to Mass, after which a priest distributes one of the potato chips to a nun during holy Communion.

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The 124-foot statue of Jesus, with outstretched arms that span 92 feet, can be seen from all over the city and beyond.

The archdiocese has offered the statue and its grounds and sanctuary for events and promotions for many years. The proceeds, including those from the recent Swift-inspired projection, go to charity—and the poor in Brazil are in great need of charity.

These considerations are why I'm still thinking about that T-shirt on Jesus. I don't like it. (I also don't like it when Catholic church facades are illuminated with images, a practice that is becoming more and more popular globally.)

It disturbs me when we get too casual with sacred images.

When I brought the matter up with some friends, a few of them quickly called it "blasphemy." This is an image of Jesus, who is God, and he surely loves Taylor Swift the human woman. But he's not a Swiftie; he's the Lord.

I don't think it's blasphemy. Blasphemy, strictly speaking, entails words that maliciously or carelessly insult God. As far as I know, nobody has paid to light up the statue to look like anything that the church condemns.

The sanctuary's website invites organisations to apply to use the statue for events or displays but reminds that proposals will be evaluated for whether the values expressed are appropriate.

During the pandemic, the sanctuary lit it up to make it appear as a doctor and included messages to remain hopeful and stay home.

They have lit it up to support efforts against human trafficking. But not all displays are so lofty. They also lit it up to wear a soccer shirt in support of the Flamengo team. They lit it up in honor of the region getting connected to 5G service.

They also projected the national colors of various countries during the World Cup, and again during the pandemic, so that at one point, Jesus was red with five yellow stars, wrapped in the Chinese flag.

Does this still seem fine to you?

But it's for charity, some will say. Surely Jesus can handle being decorated.

It's not really Jesus; it's just a statue; and anyway, there's nothing wrong with soccer or pop music, and Jesus loves the poor, and he is the divine physician, and the goal is to bring hope and comfort to people who see it.

It still sets off alarm bells for me.

• Simcha Fisher is a speaker, freelance writer and author of The Sinner's Guide to Natural Family Planning.
• First publi8shed in America magazine

The singer — born Madonna Louise Ciccone — said she'd like a second chance to make things right, vowing she's nothing less than "a good Catholic".

"Hello @Pontifex Francis —I'm a good Catholic. I Swear! I mean I don't Swear," Madonna tweeted at the pope. "It's been a few decades since my last confession. Would it be possible to meet up one day to discuss some important matters?"

The newly single star added, "I've been ex communicated 3 times. It doesn't seem fair."

The pope has yet to respond to Madonna. Read more

"Decapitation is the punishment of blasphemers," read one of the placards carried by protesters.

The cartoons sending up the Prophet Mohammad triggered outrage and unrest among Muslims around the world in 2005 when they were first published by Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten.

Earlier this week, Charlie Hebdo - a satirical weekly - revived the cartoons to mark the start of the trial of suspected accomplices in an Islamist militant attack on its Paris office in January 2015. Read more

Tahir Ahmed Naseem was shot dead in Peshawar district court where he was due to attend a hearing on charges of blasphemy.

Naseem was a former member of Pakistan's minority Ahmadi group, which has been constitutionally declared to be non-Muslims.

The gunman told local media that he was ordered by Prophet Muhammad in his dreams to kill Naseem because he was an Ahmadi. Read more

The Abu Dhabi-based multifaith Higher Committee on Human Fraternity formed after the pope's historic visit in 2019 to the Arabian peninsula. Its nine members came up with the idea to pray, fast and perform charitable works.

Aware of the potential controversy, the pontiff addressed the matter during his Friday morning Mass at the Vatican. Read more

Justice Minister Costas Tsiaras said Tuesday that the proposal has been removed from draft legislation that's being debated in Parliament. It would have made blasphemy punishable by up to two years in prison.

The proposal had been widely criticized. Continue reading

Noting Viganò had urged him to tell the truth about Archbishop Emeritus Theodore McCarrick, Ouellet - with Pope Francis's permission - offered Viganò his "personal testimony, as the Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops."

Ouellet says his response is based partly on his personal knowledge "regarding the events concerning McCarrick and his presumed links with Pope Francis" and partly on documents in the Congregation for Bishops' archive.

The events Ouellet refers to constitute the subject of what he calls Viganò's "sensational public denunciation, as well as [his] demand that the Holy Father resign."

Addressing his letter to "Dear fellow brother, Carlo Maria Viganò," Ouellet went on to denounce the former nuncio's accusations against Francis, charging him with "blasphemy" for calling into question the pope's faith and asking him to repent.

"Your present position appears to me incomprehensible and extremely reprehensible, not only because of the confusion that it sows in the People of God, but also because of the accusations that seriously damage the good name of the Successors of the Apostles," Ouellet told Viganò.

Ouellet provided Viganò with numerous reasons for disbelieving his testimony against Francis. These include:

• lack of written evidence
• that he "strongly" doubted McCarrick was of interest to Francis in 2011 "to the point [Viganò] believed him to be, since ... he was an 82-year-old Archbishop Emeritus who had been without an appointment for seven years"
• the written brief the Congregation of Bishops prepared for Viganò at the beginning of his service in 2011 said only one thing about McCarrick

The written brief focused on McCarrick's situation as an emeritus Bishop: he was supposed to obey certain conditions and restrictions due to rumours surrounding his past behaviour.

Source

• America Magazine
• Vatican News
• Image: CBC.ca

They have joined Catholic students who accuse the cleric of insulting Christianity.

They accuse the leader of the Islamic Defenders Front, Rizieq Syihab, of mocking Christians following a sermon on Christmas Day.

He reportedly said, "If God gave birth, then who would be the midwife?"

Angry Catholic students filed a blasphemy complaint the next day.

More than 140 lawyers have supported the case against Syihab.

At a meeting last month at the Catholic students' headquarters in Jakarta, Muslim members of the Interfaith Student Forum and Student Peace Institute, said they also backed the blasphemy case against Syihab.

They said his comments not only hurt Christians but also caused division among Muslims.

"As Muslims we deeply regret [Syihab's comment]," said Slamet Abidin of the Interfaith Student Forum. "He should not have messed with the religious beliefs of others."

"We are determined to help push this through the legal process," he said.

Teaching tolerance

He says the cleric's behaviour damaged the reputation of Islam as a tolerant religion.

The students say remarks like Syihab's will help foster extremism if they're ignored.

The Indonesian Catholic Students Association says police questioned Syihab after the association filed the case against him.

The West Java student chapter of Nahdlatul Ulama, Indonesia's largest Muslim organisation, has also condemned Syihab's comments.

Indonesia's criminal code on blasphemy carries a sentence of up to five years in prison.

Source:

• Asia Pacific Report
• Image: Jakarta Post

"Some years ago I had a wonderful opportunity to visit Pakistan at a time when their Blasphemy Laws were causing real hardship. In contrast, we are fortunate to live in our land where freedom of speech and freedom of belief is enshrined into our laws and where blasphemy laws seem archaic," he said.

"The Stephen Fry case seems a nonsense when what he is struggling with is the same struggle many Christians experience, namely how to reconcile a God of love in the face of human suffering."

"Each of us has to work that out in our own way. It is when we can grapple with the great questions of spirituality and life with mutual respect for the opinions and beliefs of others that we grow as a healthy community."

Lowe has joined a chorus of church leaders and politicians who agree that the law is archaic.

However the ACT party's attempt to table a bill that would repeal New Zealand's blasphemy law has failed because it is not seen as an immediate threat to anyone.

"I don't think anyone is lying awake at night thinking 'good heavens, I'm a target and I'm liable for a blasphemy prosecution", said Labour leader Andrew Little

"The time to do it would be in the Statutes Amendment Bill, a part of a routine procedure for Parliament. I don't think we have to waste Parliament's time outside the usual order of business."

The Prime Minister Bill English agrees, "We have a process for cleaning up law that has become redundant, and that's the normal process it will go through."

Labour MP Chris Hipkins tabled an amendment to the Statutes Repeal Bill to delete the crime of blasphemy.

Seymour's attempt to have the law repealed followed news reports that the British actor Stephen Fry was being investigated by Irish police on a complaint of blasphemy.

He says he's forced the government's hand.

"I'm very happy, it's the right thing to do," he told reporters.

"Previously they refused to include the change in the Statutes Repeal Bill, now they seem to be prepared to do it... that means blasphemy laws can be gone by the end of this month."

Source

• stuff.co.nz
• radionz.co.nz
• radionz.co.nz
• Image: newstalkzb.co.nz

The law - which appears not have been used since 1922 - came to light after reports that British entertainer Stephen Fry faced police investigation in the Republic of Ireland for comments he made about "a capricious, mean-minded, stupid God". Continue reading

Naming someone a suspect is a formal step in the Indonesian legal system that means authorities believe they have enough preliminary evidence to consider filing charges.

Purnama, who could be jailed for up to five years if found guilty under Indonesia's blasphemy laws, pledged not to pull out of the Jakarta election in February following the announcement.

"This is not the end, there will be a court process which we hope will be open," he said, urging his supporters to back him in the vote.

A spokesman for President Joko Widodo, an ally of Purnama, urged all involved to respect the legal process.

Observers expressed surprise at the decision - police had been expected not to pursue the case as the evidence was viewed as weak - and said it could be a compromise to avoid further violence.

"This is a calculated move by the government and police," Tobias Basuki, a political analyst from Jakarta-based think tank the Centre for Strategic and International Studies. However he added the decision marked a "huge setback for Indonesia".

Tito Karnavian, the national police chief, said at a televised news conference that despite strong disagreement among investigators that the governor had violated Indonesia's archaic blasphemy laws, the case would go to trial.

"We agreed to take the case to an open judiciary process," he said, citing a need for transparency," he said.

Source

channelnewsasia.com

nyt.com

A proposed bill would impose a 100 lari fine (US$120) for "insults to religious feelings", which would double for a repeat offence.

Desecrating a religious symbol could cost up to 1000 lari.

The average monthly salary is Georgia is no more than about 818 lari.

Supporters argue that the bill is intended to protect all religious persuasions, although minority groups say they don't expect to benefit.

Critics say the bill could be used against any organisations not following the official Georgian Orthodox church line.

Continue reading

He was commenting on an item included in a display of T shirts in the Canterbury Museum.

The exhibition even came as a shock to its creator, Dani Filth, founding member, lyricist and lead screamer of Cradle of Filth.

"Oh my gosh yes," Filth said in a recent interview on the phone from his home in Suffolk.

"I still find it very confusing, strange and weird that they decided to put it in an exhibition in a museum in New Zealand."

"We had no idea," he says.

Filth is now 41 years old.

The T-shirt was made when he was 19.

"The premise behind the shirt, remember we were young, ... it was more of an anarchic thing more than anything else."

"The religious side of it was obviously there to stir up a bit of controversy at the time but when those shirts were first introduced we were just a small band starting out."

In the interview he paused for a moment before uttering the word "silly".

The T shirt was described in RollingStone as the most controversial shirt in rock history.

It contained blasphemous statements and offensive imagery.

On February 17th, an unidentified woman stormed into an exhibition of T-shirts at the Canterbury Museum in Christchurch, New Zealand, and proceeded to black out the perspex barrier covering the display with spray paint.

At the time of the exhibition Catholic blogger Brendan Malone said in a blog post that Canterbury Museum's decision to hold the exhibition was "irresponsible" and would "result in unnecessary harm" to the public.

Catholic Bishop Barry Jones also criticised the controversial t-shirt. "Anglican and Roman Catholic nuns enjoy wide respect and the misogynistic message on the t-shirt is appalling," he said.

Family First planned to lay a complaint with police about the "highly offensive" display.

"The museum should show some respect to the many families who will be horrified and offended by this and remove the offensive material," national director Bob McCoskrie said.

"Sinking to these low levels is an insult to many families."

Canterbury Museum director Anthony Wright said the shirt was a small part of a large exhibition examining the garment's place in popular culture.

'When you do a show like this you deal with the edges of our culture and society. There are inevitably going to be some items and themes that are going to be offensive to some."

"It's there because it is a valid part of an overall story about a whole cultural movement. We want to tell the whole story without unduly censoring things."
Source

• stuff.co.nz
• stuff.co.nz
• rollingstone.com
• Image: image.spreadshirtmedia.com

The Humanist Society of New Zealand have taken issue with the Act.

They agree there is a need to address the problem of cyberbullying.

However, they contend that an unintended consequence the Act has been the creation of an additional de facto blasphemy law.

Mark Honeychurch, The President of the New Zealand Humanist Society, says it "not only flies in the face of human rights, but the introduction of yet another law that gives special privileges to religions is unfair, unpopular and unrepresentative of our society, where over 40% of New Zealanders identify as not religious, making this our country's largest single belief group."

"Because 'serious emotional stress' is so subjective, it is almost impossible for anyone to asses before they publish, whether someone, somewhere will take offence," said Jeff Hunt writing in the Humanist Newsletter.

After the attack on the Charlie Hebdo office in January the Humanist Society of New Zealand, and the New Zealand Association of Rationalists and Humanists called for the scrapping of New Zealand's blasphemy law.

They said the law protected religions, rather than religious people from discrimination.

Blasphemy libel was listed under the Crimes Act 1961 as being punishable by a year in prison, but it's only been used in one prosecution, in 1922, and that failed.

The humanist groups wanted the law repealed.

They said it would emphasise the importance placed on free thought and speech, and would allow New Zealand to criticise blasphemy laws in other countries without sounding hypocritical.

Source

• humanist.org.nz
• Scoop.co.nz
• radionnz.co.nz
• Image: pamelageller.com

Last week, the Lahore High Court upheld the sentence handed down in 2010 against Asia Bibi.

She is the first Christian woman ever to be given the death sentence in Pakistan.

One source expressed hope that the sentence would be overturned in the Supreme Court, which has reportedly never upheld a blasphemy charge.

Mrs Bibi, 50, was first arrested in 2009 in a village near Lahore, after colleagues claimed she had insulted the Prophet Mohammad.

This stemmed out of an argument she had with two other women in a fruit field over a drinking glass.

High profile Pakistani politicians Salmaan Taseer and Shahbaz Bhatti spoke up in her defence and were subsequently assassinated in 2011.

Taseer was killed by his own security guard and Bhatti by the Pakistani Taliban.

Mrs Bibi's husband, Ashiq Masih, said Muslim clerics attending the Lahore hearing had shouted out "blasphemer" and "kill her".

"I have not told my children about the court decision. How can I? I am too scared of their reaction - they are already very depressed. We all were expecting her to come home and now this happens," said Mr Masih.

A statement from the Cecil & Iris Chaudhry Foundation, a Catholic group named for a critic of Pakistan's blasphemy law, expressed disappointment in the ruling.

"We remain optimistic that the rule of law will prevail and justice will be done (when the appeal is heard in the Supreme Court). For now that is our only hope," said the statement by the Catholic advocacy group.

However, advocates for Mrs Bibi expressed fears that even if she is freed by the Supreme Court, extremists will be given tacit encouragement to pursue and kill her.

Sources

• Catholic Herald
• Christian Today
• Christian Today
• Image: Catholic Herald

A Constitutional Convention has recommended removing the blasphemy provision, following overwhelming support for this in submissions.

But a date for a referendum has yet to be decided.

The Church of Ireland's David Pierpont, Archdeacon of Dublin, told a service that caution should be used when changing the constitution, especially on issues of morality.

The Archdeacon said the law, although essential for the conduct of human affairs, has a "limited place in them".

Law is there to protect the weak and at times we all need that protection, he said.

Continue reading

The law applies to "public acts that manifest patent disrespect for society and are committed with the aim of offence to the religious feelings of believers".

The Russian Orthodox Church supports the new legislation but believes it is not harsh enough.

Continue reading

The TV advertisement, which aired in December, included a photograph of a couple dressed as Mary and Joseph holding a dog in swaddling clothes.

In the week leading up to Christmas, TV3 broadcast the promo at 7.45pm during the United States' version of The X Factor.

A member of the public complained the depiction of Jesus as a dog was highly offensive and denigrated Christians. Read more