Jesus receiving oral sex?: Woman attacks "Romantic Cannibals" amid art vs. porn debate

• go in the hell cristianss..i hate cristians they r so buffy

• This guy just wanted media attention for his mediocre art. I'm not a christian and would love to criticize their protest but, looking at the "art", I think it's disgusting. There are artists out there, real artists, who produce beautiful pieces of art that people actually want to look at and THIS is what they decide to show in a museum. It breaks my heart as an art lover.

• This so called "art" is nothing other than sickening. I admire this woman for what she did, for standing up for what she believes in and taking action. What is this world coming to? The artist knew very well what attention and controversy this would bring and how Christians would react. If it were any other religious figure people would be outraged just the same. This picture is a main example of blasphemy and for Christians' it's the only unforgivable sin. I would want that painting destroyed also.

• "Anonymous says: If they weren't sheep and used their brains they wouldn't be Christians. Posted On: Thursday, Oct. 7 2010 @ 9:13AM" EXACTLY! Still, I believe this "art" is crap. Making stuff to purposely offend people can't be right. I am not a religious person, just logical here.

• Here's the thing, God's a pretty big guy...for those who believe in him. Jesus is the second biggest to him. Do you really think they need defending when the universe, created by God, has been around for.....i don't know....ever. Christians, and i'm referring to those that are extreme Jesus freaks, are the first to condemn anyone that doesn't share the same beliefs as they do. You're no responsible to convert people. Jesus is the shepard and we are his sheep. If we're lost, he finds us...not the other way around. When born again Christians say that they found God...I always ask if he was behind the couch with a bag of potato chips. Believe what you want, but simply put...neither Jesus, nor God...condemned anyone, they just offered them an opportunity for forgiveness and if they wanted it...they had to go ask for it, not be recruited into it.

• I just worked directly with Enrique Chagoya for a week AND I am a Christian. He's a really nice and caring man with something important to say about the abuses going on within many churches. I stand for his right to express himself AND I agree with his standpoint that the churches are soiling the name of Jesus in their abuses and behaviors. And to the editorial, Enrique is absolutely NOT a nothing artist. He's amazing talented and extremely intelligent man.

• "Fine Arist" Besides the you must be a genius, as most here appear to agree here, we can easily imagine you are making millions of bucks with your "Fine" art. Otherwise we could not to understand your level of authority acquiered from a low resolution Internet pic. Meanwhile, this Enrique Chagoya, a nobody that does crap, somehow gets his non-art job in a prime museum, and now by some miracle of your fuc.. Lord, is in CNN prime time, and most press out there. You can be sure, your "Fine Art" will be worth ad flyers in contrast with his "non-art" before you fart. Thanks Religious IQ, you made it again, for freeee!

• Bob L, Please send me your address so I can come by and pick up a picture of your mother. I am saving up some rancid piss in a jar and plan to put her picture in it so I can display it in the gallery with my other compromising art pieces featuring her. Sorry you are so offend that you won't be coming by to see it. I am an artist and it is art after all. Listen here's mother is next, hope she is not too offended by my art to come by....man, am I going to be busy.

• Iceman -- Very well expressed. We just made your take our Comment of the Day. Here's the link: http://blogs.westword.com/latestword/2010/10/reader_art_like_jesus_receiving_oral_sex_painting_must_be_protected_against_vigilante_force.php

• if kathleen thought she was being harmed then good for her for fighting back. but you cant be so sensitive. people say and do all kinds of crazy shit all the time all around the world, if youre going to fight then choose your battles wisely. i don't think this is something worth fighting. what if the artists reason for making such a controversial image was to make all the crazy people come out and show themselves. if it was then it worked be the change you wish to see in the world -ghandi

• @ First Anonymous guy - you wrote this: Anonymous says: christians that are outraged over this are puppets. you are falling into the artists trap by caring. art is about getting people to feel emotions...you have made this artwork successful/famous by caring and protesting it. congrats. "art is made with the intention of stimulating thoughts and emotions" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art don't be sheep! use your brain! --- First of all - you said that art is about about getting people to feel emotions and then tell the people who are feeling those emotions that they are puppets? So on assumption you have never been moved by art I assume? Or are you yourself a puppet as well? Yes, art is made for the intent of stimulating thought and emotion... but I didn't need Wiki to know that - try using your own mind before you tell others to use theirs. Whether you love it or hate this art it does one thing - provoke a feeling. That is enough to have done its job. Telling people they are puppets because they feel art (whatever that feeling may be) is completely contradictory to your whole point. Art is supposed to provoke feelings - but when they feel it they are puppets in your view? Absurdly ignorant and ill thought post. Does Wiki tell you who to vote for too? What to like? And how to write a post? Does it tell you what your favorite color is and what to eat? Does it tell you... What a sad sad world this where a person like you can spew crap all over the place without a lick of intelligence? No... sadly it does not. Evan

• Whether or not this is art, and whether or not you like this artwork or its message, isn't the point. Freedom of speech must be protected against vigilante force, otherwise none of us have the freedom to speak. The freedom of speech in art, like freedom of religion, becomes vulnerable and easily shattered when we allow (and especially when we celebrate) attacks on that freedom. This is the reason why neo-nazi groups are allowed to exist. It�s the reason why Fred Phelps and his church are allowed to protest at funerals. It�s the reason why everything we disagree with is allowed to remain. When anyone, starts to tear away at this by FORCE � we endanger everyone�s freedom to speak freely. If we want exceptions to the First Amendment, we must pursue them by law; and we must rally against anyone who seeks exception by vigilante force. Don�t you see this?

• Let him paint a picture of the Muslims lord and see what happens many would die, many would die

• Well OK, JonnieB, if that's what gets you your jollies, go right ahead. I think it's really creepy that you'd be so obsessed about my mother to depict her like that, and I'd say that says way more about you than it does about her or the people who admire her. But you do have that right. I won't be visiting your gallery though. (See? That's how a mature, sensible, and rational human being responds to puerile provocation. Too bad so many self-professed "Christians" have so much trouble meeting that standard.)

• The funniest thing about all this is that Jesus, whoever he was, most likely didn't look ANYTHING like how he is depicted in every single painting you can find. Isn't it funny how, given where the Christian Catholic Church truly originated, Jesus just happens to look like a handsome young Italian man! I mean, is there anything in modern Christian iconography or symbolism that is truly original, and not just borrowed from some other existing belief system?

• Why not do it to Mohammed? If you don't understand how people can get offended if their God is mocked in such a fashion, there is no point trying to convince you. How about your wife or mother or someone you care about being mocked in a similar way? How about something racist? Certain things are offensive and you should be sensitive to other's concerns otherwise it is not a civilized society. Why offend anyone's beliefs? What is art? Art doesn't mean any picture or thing someone creates.

• Glad many of you are all so supportive and open minded about art because I am in the midst of creating a peice featuring YOUR MOTHER in a very twisted, vulgar and compromising situation. I will be featuring it in a local gallery next week. Hope your not tempted to tear it down.....it is art after all. Hope you like it !

• "Be Fair"- You're absolutely spot on. If this was Mohammed and the situation was reversed, most of the hypocritical fucktard left on here wouldn't have even commented. Of course it never would have happened that way, because the kind of faux "bravery" that Chagoya and his ilk exhibit only exists towards Christianity. When will we see a Piss Mohammed? Kind of like the lack of the same "moral outrage" over a cartoonist in Seattle that had to go into hiding because of threats on her life from Muslim fundamentalists. If the cartoonist had been portraying Christ she would be the cause celebre du jour of the left. Fucking cowards.

• Some "Christians" - not all - just love to hate.

• it IS mohommed

• looks like mohommad

• Hey all you Christians, last time I checked the Bible says "Judgement is mine sayeth the lord", or don't you guys follow your own teachings? Do you only follow them when they are convenient for you and somehow make you feel better than others? "Let ye who is without sin cast the first stone."

• This is some Dark Ages nonsense, right here. Protesting an artwork (or, even more ridiculously, attacking an artwork with a crowbar) is not just a foolish waste of time, but also a great way to display one's own ignorance and intolerance.

• "Picasso's work didn't sell until he died. This'll sell after a crowbar controversy exploded on it. " Wow, your ignorance of the art world is staggering. Try googling "Picasso" before you start making stupid comments about when and how his art sold.

• "Although I do not agree with what you have to say sir, I will defend to the the death your right to say it." I may have gotten the exact wording incorrect and I'm a bit to lazy to look it up right now but anyone in here half a brain knows what I'm driving at. These people are protesting against his 1st Amendment rights...wtf is wrong with them? The very Amendment that protects their right to go there and protest him is the Amendment they're attempting to violate. This is what our country was founded on. I will openly tell you that I am biased against Christians as I harbor a visceral hatred for all things of that persuasion. I hate their hypocritical nature and it disgusts me that they feel they should have rights no one else should.

• Wow, with all of the injustices in the world I am fairly certain that Jesus is probably more offended by genocide, rape, lack of human rights, and wars waged in His name than by a piece of art. If you don't like a piece of artwork boycott it. The same holds true for religion. You do not destroy artwork because you are offended by it. That is the kind of mob mentality that would have impressed the Pharisees.

• Its shit like this that gives Christians a bad name. I am at church every week, yet I was not offended by this piece. It IS art. It makes a very powerful statement. Not all Christians are closed-minded book burners, America. Please understand that.

• Morgan: Yes rabbis by Jewish tradition are to be married but, the Jesus of the Bible was not a rabbi. The apostles, many of whom were married such as Peter, make reference to Jesus as teacher or rabbi. Jesus, by tradition, was a carpenter or more likely, a day laborer by trade. Matthew 19:12 There are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He who is able to accept it, let him accept it. There were many sects during this period in Israel that practiced celibacy and it is Paul who preached that being single allowed one to better serve the kingdom of god as marriage tied man down to earthly demands. More proof that Yeshua ben Yosef likely did not exist for if he were a rabbi it would surely be on record. Anon: You've got to be fucking kidding me! Are you calling out gays as perverse? That's the blathering of a simpleminded ass and who are you to be the arbiter of what is or, is not perverse? Over 1500 species on this planet have been observed as practicing homosexuals including, man. Maybe, you should begin by stoning a giraffe and work your way up to find a Matthew Shepard to call your very own. Jesus never spoke against homosexuality. Is your Jesus the momma's boy of the Bible who happens to bugger up with 12 men? So, to begin anew; start by REALLY practicing what Jesus taught... UNDERSTANDING and FORGIVENESS! Luke 36-50 Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them. When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is�that she is a sinner." Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to tell you." "Tell me, teacher," he said. "Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?" Simon replied, "I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled." "You have judged correctly," Jesus said. Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven�for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little." Then Jesus said to her, "Your sins are forgiven." The other guests began to say among themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?" Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."

• Patrick: I didn't realize that there is no definitive evidence that Jesus Christ existed (I did know, though, that it's odd there was no hub hub about his celibacy since the norm was that rabbis were married and if they weren't it was commented on). Where might I find good, reliable texts about this? Aristotle once said, "Those that know, do. Those that understand, teach." Many of my teachers understood things I never will. I hope to one day understand something so deeply I'll understand it well enough to teach.

• Perverted means to deviate from the truth. Is it a wonder for the gay to be any different? To use a man in place of a woman is perverse. To paint the insinuation of Jesus in such a perverse manner is like unbelievable, but then evil always commits those acts which are appalled by those who seek the right.

• If the long haired, bearded person is Jesus, s(he) certainly has breasts and no male genitals. Might be oral sex, but shouldn't there be something there to be oral with?

• LB where is your proof that the god you profess exists? Where is your evidence that a man named Yeshua ben Yosef ever walked the face of this planet? Who created your god or did he magically come into being? If you can show me one shred of evidence I will convert today. Take your time to answer... I hear crickets chirping... Dude, the known universe is (47) billion light years in diameter. How physically big is this god of yours to have created such an expanse, where did he get his energy to create such vastness and subsequently, where did his waste go from all this expended energy? Your belief system is derived from a bronze age people who believed the world to be flat while we actually live in a third rate galaxy to orbit a fourth rate star on a planet that is (15) billion years old and not 6,000 years as you may believe. You mention the rapture which is a misinterpretation of 1 Thessalonians 13-18 invented in the 1840's to scare the shit out of your dimwit fore bearers. Let me clue you in i.e. READ YOUR DAMN BIBLE. Only 144,000 will enter heaven. 12,000 each from the twelve tribes of Israel (Revelations 7.1-8). If you are a gentile, you're screwed. It's a CALL to Jews only! To come on a blog and threaten posters with eternal damnation because we lack a pinhead's view of some benevolent only to a few, omnipresent, all knowing, all powerful hiding under your bed sky fairy proves your lack of any rational credibility. Science makes god unnecessary and humankind will only advance for the benefit of all when the knuckle draggers shed their voodoo belief systems.

• hey Fine artist... so you've been an artist for forty years and from your comment there it tells me you have no clue about what art is. read "the whole ball of wax" by jerry saltz to get a better understanding. your version is close minded and very linear. you said "That wasn't art, any moron with bad taste could have pulled off that photo." as if skill is the only thing that exists in art. sometimes being the first to do something has its merit as well. you are part of that group of ignorant people that say "thats not art my kid can do that"... again as if skill determines what should or shouldnt be art. very old hat ideology. the art world has moved on... get a clue. read some books on art for a change and get up to date. 40years in art and you still believe like you do? what have you been making? landscapes and flowers! good gosh. I've been an artist for forty years. I sold my first piece about thirty years ago. I know art. This pornographic piece "The Misadventures of Romantic Cannibals" and others like it are not art. They are sorry attempts to shock and offend people. Take for example the "piss christ" by Serrano. That wasn't art, any moron with bad taste could have pulled off that photo. Again, that piece too was meant to offend and should not be considered art. True art has its own beauty and can not be easily replicated by some hack with a some graphite or a camera. Art critics today are left wing no talent fools trying to be important. Like the saying goes "Those how can't do, teach", in the art world it's those who have no talent critic. Meanwhile, Chagoya and Serrano laugh themselves to the bank because the bourgeois, like many of you, prefer to think you know what is art. News flash: You've been duped, "The Emperor wears no clothes.

• Be Fair: I agree with you.

• Eidolon i don't talk to the celling, i talk to GOD. And I pity you because you are already dead, all you need to do now is die the physicial death and step into eternal darkness and that is sad. One last thing Christianity is not religion, it is a relationship with the LORD JESUS CHRIST. Religion is a terrible thing and i don't believe in religion. And may GOD bless you inspite of your additude and unbelief. Your unbelief won't change anything.

• LB: Whatever for? I'm not one trying to shoehorn reality into the writings of a bunch of bronze age goat herders. I'm not the one with a god who's job description is constantly shrinking. Most importantly, I'm the one who understands that the religious had to seek this out to be offended. Save you imagined schadenfreude and phony pity for someone who spends time talking to the ceiling.

• If there truly is a God (wether the image in the painting represents Jesus Christ or not)isn't it most logical to consider what God himself might think? If there truly is a God,the most logical thing for the artist to have done would have been to refrain from painting such an image that could offend someone such as God who could condemn the artist to eternal damnation or at least punish him.If you've never died then how do you know for sure that you're keeping yourself out of hell.No one can deny that the most logical thing to do is to not take a chance with something that might condemn you to hell for eternity.

• Eidolon, you have my pity.

• LB: The signs have been everywhere numerous times and the second coming has been repeatedly predicted. amazingly, nothing happened. What a typical godbot response - hoping to be able to gloat over being right - which is very, very unlikely, BTW. FWIW, it's not God, but the Flying Spaghetti Monster that is in control with his noodlely appendages touching all of us. Be Fair trots out some more fatwa envy for us. I gotta love the way you first envy the muslims for their violence and then cry victim because you're just too damn nice to be that violent. Or maybe not, given the long history of christian violence in all areas of life. BF also misses the point that to be offended by this piece, good christians had to seek it out. It's not as if it was in a store window on main street. Oh - and let's not forget the good ol' 'Stalin' was an atheist, therefore all atheists are like Stalin false equivalency. Finally, there's Alethea with: Jesus doesn't *need* anyone to defend Him, but it does show their love for Him when they do. Is that sorta like the slaughter of somewhere between 5000 and 30000 French Huguenots by Catholics? Them Catholics shure showered a lot of love on them Frenchies. Ditto for the Crusades.

• thou shall not kill, right? fuck all forms of religion. it's for the weak who can't believe in themselves. murder by the hundreds of thousands in the name of god, rape, feeding people to lions, nailing people to boards, molestation......got to love religion. fucking sheep being led to slaughter. shit, the pope is a former nazi for fucks sake. if there is a satan i shall serve him well. rise of the hell spawns.

• Just so that everyone knows, the antichrist will love no one. This man will deceive all unbelievers by deplomacy. All unbelievers will worship him as he promises them peace. But it will be a lie. He will demaned that everyone take his mark & worship him as god, or be put to death. This is where the world is headed. It dosen'i matter if people don't believe in GOD or his Holy Word, because these things are going to happen. Unbelieve is why america is in the trouble that its in right now. And its only going to get worse each day, not better. Watch everyday and see. The government can't solve any of the problems that america is facing. putting one's trust in the government, is like stepping into quicksand. And right now america is in the quicksand because of people rejecting GOD. Satan loves no human, he hates us & wants to destroy us. It is everyones own choice to choose. Remember the choice that you make is forever.There are no second chances.

• I'm still looking for the Bible verse that says "Destroy thou, with thy saintly crowbar, that which thou findest offensive, or failest to understand. The Lord thy God hast not a sense of humor, and the Power that keeps the very stars in their paths needest a woman in her middle years to defend the honor and dignity of the Son of God." I'm halfway through Leviticus, and can't find that verse anywhere. If you don't like it, don't look at it, don't buy it, and for Christ's sake, don't draw attention to it. Thanks to this woman's actions, more people have seen this image than would have seen it otherwise.

• All of you scoffers keep on scoffing, and blaspheming the LORD JESUS, but a word of warning; your time is almost up and when you are left behind, see if you scoff before your evil god the antichrist. You will have the kind of world that you are asking for. You refuse the truth so you will have your great delusion. you are already in the begining stages of it. Sense you think all christians are stupid because we believe the truth, don't worry we won't be here much longer to get on your nerves. I only hope that the LORD will let me see the look on your faces when millions of christians disapear right before your eyes and the world is thrown into caous. Its going to happen wheather you believe it or not. Then many of you will know that God is real and in control. Not the government, or the polotitions, and your false gods. Look around you, signs are everywhere but because of your mocking you are blind to the truth. Wake up before its too late.

• What is interesting to me is that in the past 2000 years no physical evidence has been produced in support of the actual existence for a historical Jesus (Yeshua ben Yosef). Both Romans and Jews are known for keeping the most detailed of records, many of which we have today and nowhere is there any historical documentation, census detail, contemporary accounts or eyewitness reports of a Jew named Jesus. Odd for a man known far and wide to a great multitudes of people including, Jewish high priests. No physical evidence exists in the form of artifacts, dwelling, works of carpentry or self-written manuscripts nor does a town of Nazareth appear on any maps or Roman tax records of the time. Jesus is unknown to historians of the period such as Philo and Seneca. Philo Judaeus (20 B.C.E.-50 C.E) detailed Jewish life in and around Jerusalem and never mentions the existence of Jesus. The earliest Gospel of Mark was written after 70 C.E. forty years removed from the crucifixion and Luke admits to being an interpreter of other material and not an eyewitness. Josephus' Antiquities written in 93 C.E. mentions a man named Jesus based strictly on tales of the era and the Gospel of John, dated at 100 C.E. give or take a few years, is in disagreement on many events within the Synoptic Gospels. No Jewish record of birth or accompanying infanticide exist nor do any Roman records of a trial and crucifixion being available to verify Biblical accounts. For people to believe in the Jesus myth is all well and good but, to suffer psychosis then, project this mental illness as reality upon others, I find totally unacceptable.

• bring it on you god fearing fucks. i fear no man. get a life you fucking clowns. again, love, the anti-christ.

• money and religion, segregation and division. dirty cash in the pockets of the wicked politicians. with a coupon jesus christ will save so don't you christians misbehave. and when the laws of god just make ya pissed ya better become an atheist. nuclear apox spells your doom like the tv in your living room. each bomb kills a million dead it melts your skin and implodes your head. and now you get your judgement day you think you'll float up then away but your guilty just like everyone you turn to ash when the burnings done. no gods, no managers Atheism, Satanism, Autonomy, It's all the fuckin' same, Those straight-edge christ-core motherfuckers, They don't know shit, Their just looking for easy answers, And they're too close minded To look anywhere beyond their local church, Or whatever the ignorant masses say is true. When the greed of man is not appeased All will rot sick and diseased Once again the fallen towers The Tortured death of every hour And at the toll of the final bell You lead the righteous down to hell When all the world is dead and gone All I ask is bring me along! There's a hunger within you a tapeworm deep inside or maybe it's just cancer the doctors can't decide but yer stomach keeps on growning as yer body wastes away and yer getting ill & weaker every single fucking day we are alone we are alone WE ARE ALONE! fuck all you bible thumping motherfuckers. go fucking crucify yourselves. you are all out of your fucking trees. a made up story that NOT ONE FUCKING SENTENCE CAN BE PROVEN PHYSICALLY TRUE and it's just as crazy as scientology. book of carnage. feeding people to lions, nailing people to boards. have some faith in yourselves you assholes and then keep it yourselves. love, the anti-christ

• Mrs. T - it was hijackers that "blew the towers on 9/11" and they did it because of their "faith" which is exactly what Alex stated. Typical religious dipstick hearing only what you want to.

• What if it was a picture of Jesus pulling his pud? Or Jesus taking a giant dump? Or Jesus checking out an 18 year old coed? I think that would show the humanity of the man at his age. I would consider that priceless art.

• Kathleen Folden is a Christian. She attacked a work of art in an Art Museum. Therefore ALL Christians should be barred from going into Art Museums. My statement is JUST AS STUPID as saying "The 9-11 attackers were Muslims. Therefore a Muslim should not be able to build a Mosque on private property in lower Manhattan."

• Hey Alex... you might want to educate yourself on WHO blew the towers on 9/11 and WHY they did it. If you want to be an atheist, that's you're right as a human being. But at least be an educated one!

• Alex, Saying "blasphemy is a victimless crime" is insensitive and unkind. It hurts deeply anyone who does cherish those beliefs. Those are victims, are they not? And if you pull out the "sticks and stones" argument, you should think long and hard about slander and libel laws; legally (under a secular court) we do recognize that words can hurt. And FAITH can be dangerous, but that is not limited to religion. It could be a lack of religion; atheists have done horrible, horrible, horrible things. Stalin was an atheist, and he wasn't a peach. Let's be honest - humans are humans. Humans do bad things. Some pretend to do it under a cover of religion, some do it under their atheist beliefs. Just because someone SAYS that they are faithful doesn't mean they are. They need something to justify their actions, so they warp some sort of belief structure to fit their selfish ends. So don't pretend that if religion never existed there wouldn't be war. That's just naive. -Peace

• Hey, would all of you still think this was legitimate if it was a racist piece denegrating black people in the most offensive way possible? I should hope not - then you would be labelled bigots. But for some reason, the very fact that you don't agree with Christianity makes you feel like you have the RIGHT to be as insensitive and offensive as possible. Why is it that Christianity is one of the only subjects that people feel they are allowed to be jerks about? Is it because no death threats were made (ala /some/ extremeist muslims)? You feel it's OK because you likely won't be killed? Why do you want to offend people? That's not art. Saying it's OK to hurt people "because it makes you think" is wrong. That's like saying you murdered someone to instill deep emotion. Just because you elicit a reaction doesn't mean it's right. Please be considerate. And yes, I'm using hyperbole so please don't come back with an argument about how hurting peoples' feelings is different than murder. I have yet to see a kind and sympathetic atheist. They tend to be arrogant, bigotted, and spiteful. But that is probably just my reaction from reading the hateful comments here. You should all try to be decent human beings despite your faith. I implore you to live and let live, or be in danger of hypocricy. Peace-

• Alethea says: Eidolom, you are correct that blasphemy is a victimless crime because no one can touch Jesus, or harm Who He and What He Is. But blasephemy does weed out the true lovers of God (Jesus) from those who only pretend to love Him. Those who take a stand show God how much they love Him, and those who look away and shrug their shoulders show their indifference. Jesus doesn't *need* anyone to defend Him, but it does show their love for Him when they do. Blashphemy is a victimless crime because GOD doesnt exist. When will people realize that FAITH is dangerous, it was FAITH that drove the hijackers of 9/11, and unfortunately it was FAITH that drove this poor nutjob to do what she did. Who cares what a picture shows, if you dont like it dont look at it.

• Eidolom, you are correct that blasphemy is a victimless crime because no one can touch Jesus, or harm Who He and What He Is. But blasephemy does weed out the true lovers of God (Jesus) from those who only pretend to love Him. Those who take a stand show God how much they love Him, and those who look away and shrug their shoulders show their indifference. Jesus doesn't *need* anyone to defend Him, but it does show their love for Him when they do.

• Art? Surely you jest. The man can't even draw. It is a pathetic attempt to mock truths he does not understand. That he is a tenured professor speaks volumes regarding the secular humanist indoctrination centers some call Universities.

• Blasphemy - a victimless crime. Thanks Mrs. T for the serving of fatwa envy. Alethea - whatsa matter hon - can't your Jesus/God/Holy Ghost defend himself? Where is the she bear killing the artist or even a lousy lightning bolt? Face it - omnipotence just isn't what it used to be.

• So is your faith so strong that you would only go to doctors that have been trained with a 2000 year old medical text book? I doubt it. Buck up christians. Your the majority religion in the USA by a long shot. I think that maybe your faith can survive a little blasphemy.

• Is there a website where people can donate to this Montana woman's fine? I would be happy to contribute to her penalty fee. I hope that I would have had the courage to do what she did. Most so-called "Christians" are so wishy washy, they don't have any desire to even defend Jesus. They instead turn their heads to things like this and would even line up to defend the museum's 'right to display art.' This woman did not harm another human being and she was still able to show her love for Jesus. She was willing to go to jail for Him. She did like Jesus did when he took whips to the tables of the money changers.

• Hey Jenn, pray away sister, It isn't going to help your delusions. Plus I hear Santa Claus is working on his naughty list, and by your tone I think you may get a lump of coal. You better repent to him too. Go thump a bible and hump a cross.

• If this painting had been of someone urinating on a Menorah, it would never have seen the exhibit in the first place because Jews and the politically correct crowd would have forced it to be removed, all with the encouragement of the U.S. media. But because it was a picture depicting Jesus being degraded, it is defended and allowed to be displayed as a "piece of art." No matter though, because no one can defile Jesus, as He is untouchable. It is those who try and degenerate Him who will be sorry one day.

• @ buda -- did you not notice that Mohamed appears to be depicted in the work as well? Second panel from the left in the bottom fold-out.

• Personally I feel claiming to speak for God is blasphemy

• Ahhh I love it. Nothing brings out more violence than good old organized religion. How about you sheep develop your own more sensible outlooks on life? Or you can continue to completely misinterpret Jesus' message to the world to mean he is god. Your choice.

• Jenn must not have a working irony meter. Otherwise, she would have noted the problem with a statement that: "If I was in that museum..." The cure for the outrage felt by her and the other godbots is simple. Don't go to the exhibit. See how easy that is? That is, unless you are looking for things you dislike. Then, you can call anything remotely sexual pornography, cry about how persecuted christians are, and then toss in a helping of fatwa envy for good measure. Question - If your god is omnipotent, why doesn't he/she/it handle this outrage directly? The level of smiting is way, way off from biblical days. If god becoming a slacker?

• justthefacts, your a complete moron! I will be praying for you! That art is awful and offensive to any good faithful christian. If I was in that museum, I would have done the same thing! I'm more then sure this lady will get by with a very light slap on the wrist, and I'm glad. The author has came out and said publicly that it was Jesus. when judgment day comes, I hope he has repented, because there's a lot of sinning that's been done through his art. That is not real art, that is garbage, made by the advisary, and sadly somebody excepted his idea and went through with the painting.

• A man created a piece that was hung in a gallery, art or not and religion aside, he has a right to express himself and his viewpoints. Someone hitting his piece with a crowbar is only heightening his popularity, I had no idea this even existed until someone took a crowbar it. Picasso's work didn't sell until he died. This'll sell after a crowbar controversy exploded on it.

• Johnny Hedge you probally ought to continue to study art since you haven't learned anything yet. What good is your religion if it shuts your mind? Which incidently, is God given. Some of you so called Christians are who I don't want to be anything like. I am a Christian, too, but at least I have allowed God to show me how to think and to love and tolerate the expressions of others. Mabey you will meet my God, yours doesn't seem to be very friendly. Too bad for you.

• Now a piece showing Obama giving Pelosi head while screwing the nation would have been much a much more effective picture of our nation at this time.

• Should have torched the thing!

• Typical of the lower strata of our society. They are equivalent to the Greeks who set Socrates to the hemlock: murderous thugs seeking to enforce rigid religious uniformity upon their natural superiors.

• Kathleen, you did the right thing...

• I am an art major, and a born again Christian. People have posted that they think this piece is supposed to get them to think. Well, what are we supposed to think about? The only thing I am getting from this is blasphemy. For the longest time, art have been a vehicle for re-inforcing sinful behaviors; this is what I learned from years of studying art. Also, the connotation of the mail figure is Jesus according to Western ideology, so I am not sure what people mean when they are saying the figure doesn't symbolize Jesus Christ. And, in my opinion there should be more protesting about this and not less.....Jesus is God and Holy, and to defile Him in such a way is extremely offensive!!!

• Just as long as the Artist did not receive public funding...it is ok with me.

• Same old same old - Paraphrasing Brendan Behan: "there is no such thing as bad publicity" Flipping out about some lame attempt at "shock art" is exactly what the "artist" is praying for - outrage that drums up more publicity. Instead of reacting with faux-righteous rage like a bunch of Islamic radicals - Christians ought to have enough sense to ignore crap like this and if forced to, reply with a terse "no comment." If Pascal's wager turns out to be true in the long run, don't you think things like this will be sorted eventually? And if not - why give them the publicity they seek in the first place? "Stupid is as stupid does" � Forrest Gump

• This crazy bitch should move to Afghanistan, they dig this kind of crap there. As far as Christians in general; please shut up about Jesus dying for my sins. That makes absolutely no sense. And only a real fucktard would think that "God" had a kid, then because he loved him so much...killed him. Who the hell buys into this loony crap? And that is not a rhetorical question, I really, really want to know.

• would he get his "free speech" moment if he were making vulgar iconography of Mohammed or the Star of David? Only Christians are subject to this abuse of their religion.

• "fine artist" apparently knows nothing about art. Probably because his work can be assigned to rigid academia. I could make the same argument about "traditional/academic art." Art moves culture, real art is revolutionary. Landscapes and portraits are kitsch, they play into the pre-fabricated language of beauty. The art world is waaaayy beyond the silly notions of "my child could paint that." If thats true then why is Mondrian and pollock two of the most famous artists of the 20th century? Art that shocks, art that is abject, makes us question our morals and fears. It forces us to see the gritty underbelly of our society that often goes unnoticed. I could make the argument that the only "real" art is controversial art. but i'm not that anal

• Harold said: "Chagoya wouldnt dare depict Muhammed in such away."[sic] Hey, look again- see the panel with the two pigs on the table, and a man bowing to them? Who do you think that looks like, and what do you think he's doing, which is against the tenents of islam? Did you even look at this piece? The article has a picture of it right there...

• "Don't you all have some praying for my sins to do?" -- good one!

• See... Muslims and Christians do have a lot in common. They both get their panties in a bunch over the dumbest shit. Don't you all have some praying for my sins to do???

• Maybe you guys and gals should authorize a fatwa on him. Crowbars are play school. See we are not so different :)

• I am a Christian. I find the artwork offensive to me personally, and I certainly wouldn't want my kids to see it, but the artist has a First Amendment right to express himself. For those people with signs saying that they have a right to protect their families from pornography? Yes, yes they do. And in this case, it's very easy to protect their families. They just don't go to the museum while the work is displayed. Simple, really. Nutjobs like these make me sometimes want to pull a St. Peter when somebody asks if I'm a Christian and deny that I know Christ. And what these nutjobs don't THINK about? Pretty much nobody would know about this work if the nutjobs themselves hadn't turned it into something to notice. Idiots! Jesus is shaking His head in despair at this kind of sheer stupidity and pig-headedness.

• Anne: How did you ever forget those of Arabic or Jewish descent?

• Zenhound: I seldom respond to those who are unable to read and comprehend the English Language, but I made an exception for you--I do not nor did I claim anything for anyone--when it comes to one's religious beliefs. It was my opinion reflecting on those hiding within the halls of Academia using what ever ruse they can to ridicule or instill harm however subtle it may be. My parents taught me to never argue with stupidity or those deficient in mental capacity.

• ^^^ go on ... click the link ... and enter the apocalyptic world that is denver international airport.

• it is art. not my taste, it's not are to me because it doesn't move me emotionally, but it has met the goal have making people feel deep emotions. i think the person the created it got what they wanted--the christians are livid. i don't think many people are loving it but i don't think that was the artist's intent. i see little difference between this and the apocalypse crap that the denver airport displays. neither are my type of art. i prefer art that is intended to make people feel positive emotions...but whatever. http://vigilantcitizen.com/?p=58

• Oh, okay, good to know Christians are now using Muslims as an excuse for all the terrible things they do. When will you start the stonings again harold?

• Hip, hip Hooray for Montana Crowbar Woman. Chagoya wouldnt dare depict Muhammed in such away. Chagoya is a weak willed spineless pseudo intellect, commonly found in the halls of our Universities, who use Christianity as a whipping boy for the failutes of human kind.

• To the Fine Artist who posted above, I'm so glad you're here to assign labels regarding what art is and is not. If it weren't for folks like you, Thomas Kincaid might have to get a real job!

• I am sure the artist is feeling emotion after her so-called art was hacked with a crow bar!!! HA Now it it really 'ART'

• I am sure the artist is feeling emotion after her so-called art was hacked with a crow bar!!! HA Now it it really 'ART'

• I've been an artist for forty years. I sold my first piece about thirty years ago. I know art. This pornographic piece "The Misadventures of Romantic Cannibals" and others like it are not art. They are sorry attempts to shock and offend people. Take for example the "piss christ" by Serrano. That wasn't art, any moron with bad taste could have pulled off that photo. Again, that piece too was meant to offend and should not be considered art. True art has its own beauty and can not be easily replicated by some hack with a some graphite or a camera. Art critics today are left wing no talent fools trying to be important. Like the saying goes "Those how can't do, teach", in the art world it's those who have no talent critic. Meanwhile, Chagoya and Serrano laugh themselves to the bank because the bourgeois, like many of you, prefer to think you know what is art. News flash: You've been duped, "The Emperor wears no clothes.

• this whole contraversy is bull. like really?? does it even say that its jesus? yeah it kinda looks like him but really?? i cant believe people would throw this big a fit over some guys drawing. i have seen way worse "art" that makes it onto the internet but doesnt become famous. religious fanatics are stupid.

• I love how any Italian/Spanish man with long hair and a full beard is automatically "Jesus" in western art. A very clever iconographic dupe by the Catholic church -- which is what the piece is about in the first place.

• Doesn't the bible say something about turning the other cheek?

• If they weren't sheep and used their brains they wouldn't be Christians.

• christians that are outraged over this are puppets. you are falling into the artists trap by caring. art is about getting people to feel emotions...you have made this artwork successful/famous by caring and protesting it. congrats. "art is made with the intention of stimulating thoughts and emotions" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art don't be sheep! use your brain!

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