University College Cork is hosting a small academic event featuring the work of Chicano artists, which includes an art exhibition that includes irreverent images of the Virgin Mary, with titles like "Our Lady and Other Queer Santas". Apparently, this image has stirred up fury and threats from deranged Catholics everywhere it goes — but then, it really doesn't take much to set off mindless fanatics.
Irish Catholic bloggers are outraged and calling for it to be taken down — you aren't allowed to denigrate beliefs, they claim, never mind that yes, you are, and that there isn't anything particularly denigrating about the image...
I emphatically believe in freedom of speech (it is one of the great Christian gifts to our civilization), and I would oppose any legal effort to restrict even this reprehensible speech.
That said, the appropriate Christian response is: defund it. Faithful Irishmen and women should demand that governent funding (i.e. taxpayer funding) for this exhibit and for this college be withdrawn.
If you're going to desecrate what we love, do it on your own dime.
Myers:
By the way, if you want more weirdness, check out America Needs Fatima. This is an American organization that thinks that the way we'll solve all of our problems is by putting a statue of the Virgin Mary in every home and getting everyone to worship it.
Catholics don't 'worship' the Virgin Mary. We venerate her- we have a special place in our hearts for her. She is the original Christian disciple, and a model and a mother for all of us.
But Myers wouldn't understand.
Unfortunately, Mike, the Catholic Church right now in Ireland after the unending expose of its history of corruption and child abuse is as popular as a tsunami or earthquake. As everywhere else Church attendance is declining and the hold of the churches have weakened. And besides the Irish politicians have education, unlike the yokels, bumpkins and hicks that we elect to our legislatures. So there is no chance they will listen to you. Sad. Get used to it!
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