German prosecutors need to learn about free speech
German prosecutors say they will be monitoring the Madonna concert in Dusseldorf to consider prosecution because religious groups have, as usual, whined about the content. In one segment of the concert Madonna appears as shown in this photograph.Cardinal Ersilio Tonino, who was speaking with Papal blessing, said it "blasphemous" and wants Madonna excommunicated. The woman was raised Catholic. Now let me understand this. Mandonna does this concert and top officials at the Vatican want her excommunicated but some priest rapes small children and he gets a wink, a nod and few Hail Marys for penance! Then when a few dozen of these priests are doing the same thing in the same diocese and the local Cardinal finds out and helps cover it up he gets what? Cooperation from other cardinals in the deed but no censure or discipline. Has any priest who raped small children ever been excommunicated? I tried to find any via a google search and couldn't locate one. It's nice to know the Vatican has their moral values in proper order.
As for excommunication from the Catholic Church. Anyone who hasn't been excommunicated is brain dead. Excommunication from such a corrupt and evil insititutions is a badge of honor.
German prosecutors should remember that censorship ought to have gone out the windown in 1945 when the war ended. It strikes me that an awful lot of people take a strange view about freedom of speech. The seem to think that what made Nazi censorship bad was not the censorship at all but what was censored. Now if someone proposed the idea that the concentration camps themselves were okay but they just held the wrong groups we would immediately see the flaw in the logic. But some people never learn. I heartedly support the slogan "Never Again" and to me that means offering freedom where the Nazis offered control and oppression. It doesn't mean just a different form of control and oppression.
posted by GodlessZone at Wednesday, August 16, 2006
4 Comments:
I agree with you that the Catholic church is whining, as usual; and I think they should ex-communicate her. But I DO think Madonna is asking for attention in a very redicilous and obviously wrong way. I mean; millions of peaople won't approve this, and still she keeps insinuating Christ's sacrfifical death.
I don't really have a problem with the cross, I have a problem with Madonna and her awfull music.
August 18, 2006
I'm not sure it's "obviously wrong" or wrong at all. Crucifixion was a Roman symbol before the Christians took it. And even the early Christians shunned the symbol preferring the fish symbol instead. It was only widely adopted as a symbol of their faith much later. But it's wider, Roman meaning did not disappear. The Romans crucified many people not just one man. And there is reason to suspect that Jesus was not crucified at all. It's hard to say since we have no reliable account of his life and death anywhere.
August 18, 2006
It is wrong, because every one knows it's going to raise hell, and because crucifiction is a gruesome way to kill someone. We're not seeing concerts where people mimic gas chambers or something do we?
August 20, 2006
Your first argument is poor. It is wrong because people will raise hell about it. So right and wrong then is determined by how most people feel about something. There is no objective criteria simple the feelings of the masses. That would justify all sorts of things you wouldn't want to justify. Crucifixion is a gruesome way of killing which is one reason I find it bizarre that so many religionists of one persuasion run round with the cross as their symbol. But no one demands we stifle their freedom of speech. Even when the Catholics have very bloody depictions of this torture depicted in gruesome detail -- see the Gibson torture move The Passion of the Christ for a very explicit example.
I don't keep track of everything depicted in concerts but you may be right but then a gas chamber would be a bit more of a challenge. And if someone did it they should be allowed to do so. They have the right to express themselves on stage even in a manner others find offensive. If it offends you don't go to the concert. If something offends someone they shouldn't participate. Now I know you wouldn't arrest gays just because some people are offended by them. A society that follows the rule of banning anything offensive to someone would allow nothing at all.
August 20, 2006
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