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For some people, there is no low they won’t sink to in order to defame Christianity. You see this often with two groups: celebrities and gays. From a cross-dressing gay man misrepresenting himself as a Roman Catholic priest to Kathy Griffin’s infamous ‘Suck It Jesus’ statement, it seemingly has no end. And who can forget this now infamous incident where a group of gay militants stormed into a Catholic Mass, dressed as nuns and throwing consecrated wafers — the Holy Eucharists — onto the ground?
The newest outrage comes from the UK, where a play is being performed called Jesus Queen of Heaven, featuring Jesus as a transsexual woman.
A controversial play which portrays Jesus as a transsexual woman was defended yesterday by its writer who has herself crossed the gender barrier to live as a woman.
Jesus, Queen of Heaven, has caused a storm of protest from Christian evangelical groups, who picketed the Tron Theatre in Glasgow when it opened this week.
However, their attacks have caused deep offence to the play’s author, who also acts the leading role. For Jo Clifford — formerly the playwright John Clifford — wrote the piece in an attempt to create greater understanding of transgendered people like herself.
The play’s opening night was attended by about 300 demonstrators. Roman Catholics joined evangelical Christians for a two-hour protest during which they waved placards and sang hymns.
Yesterday Ms Clifford, 59, from Edinburgh, expressed deep disappointment in the reaction.
“Most of it is happening because of a complete misunderstanding of what I am and what I am trying to do … They thought awful, sacrilegious things were going to happen on stage,” she said. Her critics, she added, ought to reread the Gospel. “Jesus said: ‘judge not’.”
Ms Clifford is clear that much of the motivation for protestors is disapproval of her transgendered identity. Not only has she written the play, she also performs the title and only role.
“One of the placards turned up later in the bar. It said, ‘God: My Son Is Not A Pervert’. That was upsetting because what’s behind it is prejudice against transgendered people.”
… While God’s New Frock was a partly autobiographical piece about Ms Clifford growing up as a male and trying to suppress her need to become a woman, Jesus, Queen of Heaven, imagines the son of God alive in the present world as a transsexual woman, and attempts to present how she would relate the parables under this transgendered identity. “I have showed the script to priests and they’ve said it corresponds to what the Bible says,” Ms Clifford added.
The negative response by some church groups to the play is one of the strongest seen since Jerry Springer: The Opera, a West End musical written by Stewart Lee and Richard Thomas, was screened by the BBC in 2005. Yet Ms Clifford says she did not think she was being especially controversial when she wrote the piece. “I thought the story was a very respectful one, and a very loving one.”
Those who have seen the play, she said, have found it uplifting — “even a man from the Daily Mail”.
Even a man from the Daily Mail?! Well, jeez, it must be OK then!!
Of course, as per usual with liberals and gays, this play is all about the playwright, not about God. The fact that this is sacreligious doesn’t even occur to him; I doubt it really would even matter anyways. It’s all about him. He’s transgender, so he imagines Jesus as transgender. It doesn’t matter that it’s blasphemous, and it doesn’t matter that it insults the very foundation of Christianity, and it doesn’t matter that it will strike the very core of the beliefs of Christians. It’s all about how it makes him feel. It validates his own sense of self and makes him feel more secure as he basks in the glow of his audience. And when the outrage inevitably begins, he starts his media tour about how he’s just so offended, because the mean old Christians are just so prejudiced!
This is a video of the protestors. See for yourself just how harmful they are:
Well, oh my gosh! They’re… standing outside. With candles. Singing. And… praying!! How dare they?!
In all seriousness, look at the difference between how these Christians are protesting and how the gays protest. Look at Prop 8, for example. Prop 8 protestors went insane, wanting to completely destroy the lives and livelihoods of any Prop 8 supporters they can. One group, as referenced above, actually stormed into a church in the middle of a Mass and desecrated it. These Christians aren’t demanding that the play be shut down. They aren’t storming in and causing a scene. They’re staying outside, protesting peacefully, singing, and praying. And yet, the playwright still complains, because I guess he feels that the way he feels is the way that everyone should feel. A transsexual female Jesus is OK to him, so all Christians should be OK with it too. Anyone who feels differently is obviously prejudiced and wrong and mean!
And don’t forget, Jesus said to judge not. He also said that homosexuality is a sin, so making Jesus a transsexual woman isn’t exactly down with Christian teachings, either, is it?
This play is immoral, disgusting, and wrong. It’s sacreligious and blasphemous, and it’s even worse that the playwright would try to insult the Christians who are rightfully offended by it and simply trying to stand up for their Christian beliefs.
While others resort to bombing and beheading Christians, Jews, or just conveniently available proxies, Christians resort to prayer and song. What a brave statement this guy is making!
Sure, John Clifford is offended by those who act as he expected.
Yeah,
I kinda want to see what happens if this jackass did a piece on Muhammed being a transsexual. Friggin Eurotrash pussies (hmmm..literally and figuratively)…
Since LGBT live in slop, live a lie, and are as depraved as a human can get, they’re always more comfortable if they can have more people like them. But it is funny. They’re using the absolute worst bait.
Mat, if he did a piece on Muhammed being a transsexual, he’d likely end up in jail for the EU’s new religious anti-defamation laws.
The left is so hypocritical. It’s alright for them to whine about Christians and Jews; but GOD HELP YOU if you insult Islam in any fashion.
…mind you, this is coming from an agnostic, no less. I don’t care for religion at all, but you all have the right to believe as you will. So does this John Clifford tool… but if you voice your disagreement, you’re a bigot/racist/sexist/homophobe/whatever.
*rolls eyes*
Cassy,
Two things:
1) As a Christian myself, I find that I cannot get worked up over crap like this. I find myself wanting to pray for these people, rather than condemn them. They obviously need help.
2) You have an unclosed italics tag in this post, which continues downward through your blog. Just an FYI.
Bayushi,
I think the muslims would tear out a new asshole on this person (cripes, I can’t even pick a gender…) before the EU stepped in. And I have a feeling that the EU would step aside and let the muslims do their thing…
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