Every Holy Week, we get the same ol’ thing. First you take a great heaping spoonful of stupid publicity seeking artist, add in a dose of outraged Christian, spice it up with some feigned surprise from the artist that anyone could possibly be offended, and finish it off with some smarmy calls for tolerance.
Fox News reports:
A college student’s production of a play in which Jesus is portrayed as the “King of Queers” has outraged residents in a Texas town that fancies itself the Cowboy Capital of the World.
Just in time for Easter, Tarleton State University is playing host to a student performance of Terrence McNally’s 1998 play, “Corpus Christi,” which depicts a gay Jesus performing a same-sex wedding for two of his apostles.
And though Jesus washed the feet of his disciples in the traditional biblical narrative, his character (called Joshua) in the play shows Judas the full extent of his love, kissing the son of perdition at Pontius Pilate High School’s senior prom.
It’s all too much for some residents of Stephenville, Texas, who say there’s far too much passion in this Passion play. They are pressuring the university to call off the Saturday performance, which has already been moved ahead eight hours to an 8 a.m. start time to help head off protests.
Look, the only reason to put on this play is to get publicity and have your friends call you “brave” or “edgy.”
But dude, being the edgiest guy in the Cowboy Capitol of the world isn’t all that great? OK? So there might be some wasted effort here.
Here’s the artist throwing in his shock that anyone could possibly be offended by Jesus hanging on a cross with the sign “King of Queers” above his head:
The production is a class project for student-director John Jordan Otte, who said in a written statement that he chose the play to “bring people together” and help gain acceptance for gay Christians, who he said often feel alienated from their churches.
“It is being said often that this play is a direct attack on Christians — their faith and their deity. It simply is not true,” wrote Otte, 26, who said he is a devout Christian.
“I am not attacking anyone in choosing this play. I want people to see and understand another side to faith. I want us all to know that unconditional love means just that — unconditional — and I believe tolerance is a key message in this play.
Give me a break. “The Music Man” brings people together. This play ticks people off. You know what? Just admit that you didn’t do it for some “We are the World” sentiment, just say that you’re job prospects as a dramatist coming out of Tarleton State didn’t look so great and your life looks pretty much downhill from here so why the heck not throw a little temper tantrum and make people notice you. Well congratulations. Print out the story. Frame it. And keep boring everyone you know for years to come with how edgy you were in college. And you know what, after a few years all those people who’ve heard the story from you like twenty times are going to start feeling sorry for you…like we already do.
March 26, 2010 at 3:23 am
If he really wanted to go for the "edgy" label he could have redone the play with Mohammed as the lead character. THAT would get him some attention!
March 26, 2010 at 3:38 am
Didn't Elton John recently try to say that Jesus was a gay man? I really don't understand why people pull the "Jesus said nothing about gay marriage" card; his prohibition of divorce is rooted in Genesis, with the whole "man leaving his mother and father and clinging to his wife" and "God created them male and female" thing.
March 26, 2010 at 3:43 am
Lol. Subvet, you stole my post.
March 26, 2010 at 4:50 am
This comment has been removed by the author.
March 26, 2010 at 5:24 am
Let them have their play. The truth of Christ will stand.
March 26, 2010 at 6:56 am
Catholic Audio said…
Lol. Subvet, you stole my post.
DITTO!!!!!!!
March 26, 2010 at 12:16 pm
It is a shame that this blasphemous rhetoric is actually called a play in this modern age. I find it paradoxical that this self proclaimed "devout Christian" mocks our Lord and then speaks of tolerance. It seems that Christians have to bear the brunt of this so called tolerant mentality which the liberal world so proclaim, meanwhile they are highly intolerant of our morals and values.
I do hope that does play does one thing. I hope it brings people together to pray and seek reparation for the offenses given daily against our Lord.
March 26, 2010 at 12:36 pm
Funny. When it's another religion or when it's them, usually tolerance means not offending the religion or group.
Funny. Tolerance is for everybody except for Catholics.
March 26, 2010 at 12:52 pm
Catholic Audio & Al, it's proof that great minds think alike.
March 26, 2010 at 1:09 pm
This is one of the problems of post-modern art. It has self-expression as it's only goal. Art that leads to beauty is what challenges us. Art that is iconoclastic, such as this play, does nothing but destroy for it's own self-interest. Rather than highlighting all of humanity's (gay or straight) desires for truth, beauty and justice, this play does nothing but insult the ones whom it purportedly wants to speak to.
March 26, 2010 at 1:12 pm
We Christians are such an easy target; because, we don't fight back or hunt down those who blaspheme our God.
March 26, 2010 at 1:31 pm
Where is that Old Testament God that turned Lot's wife into a pillar of salt? Can't He just throw some lightning bolts once in a great while? Ugh.
March 26, 2010 at 4:40 pm
Tolerance. When terrorists behead gays, should we be tolerant of that too? Should I "live and let live," if my neighbor is beating his wife, his children?
Tolerance. "You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means."
March 26, 2010 at 7:54 pm
The dumbing down of our education system is finally seeing its natural end… children are not being taught to think, not being taught to reason and not being taught to read or write. They are being taught to protest, to be "different", to make waves, to do anything they can to resist their parents. And most colleges and universities are egging them on by hiring liberal kooks. What did we expect?
March 27, 2010 at 9:37 am
Surely by making such a fuss about it you and everyone else planning to protest or complain to the university are simply making people feel more 'edgy' and 'rebellious' for putting on such productions? If they got no attention, then short of genuine dramatic interest, you probably wouldn't see so many things like this.
March 28, 2010 at 9:09 pm
Pat, that is exactly the way I'd put it.
March 30, 2010 at 2:01 am
The play has been cancelled, not post-poned or being re-scheduled, but CANCELLED. A student action group called for emails, calls, etc.. As of Friday the play has been cancelled. (I think TPF is the name of the student group.) Well done students, you give me hope again.)
March 30, 2010 at 3:37 am
Correction to my post above. The student group is TFP. They are on Facebook. Check them out. They are a admirable group of students who work to stop such outrages on college campuses.