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Eugene

(62,647 posts)
Mon Jan 14, 2019, 11:12 AM Jan 2019

'McJesus' sculpture sparks outrage among Israel's Christians

Source: Associated Press

‘McJesus’ sculpture sparks outrage among Israel’s Christians

HAIFA, Israel (AP) — An art exhibit in Israel featuring a crucified Ronald McDonald has sparked protests by the country’s Arab Christian minority.

Hundreds of Christians calling for the removal of the sculpture, titled “McJesus,” protested at the museum in the northern city of Haifa last week. Israeli police say demonstrators hurled a firebomb at the museum and threw stones that wounded three police officers.

Church representatives brought their complaints to the district court Monday, demanding a suspension order for the exhibit’s most offensive items, including Barbie doll renditions of Jesus and the Virgin Mary.

Israeli Culture Minister Miri Regev, who has pushed for legislation mandating “loyalty” in art, has also called for the removal of the offending artwork.

The museum has refused to bow to pressure, saying that doing so would infringe on freedom of expression.


https://apnews.com/617d714534a343488755fbe815336c65



______________________________________________________________________

Source: Jerusalem Post

VIOLENT CLASHES IN HAIFA AS ARAB CHRISTIANS PROTEST 'MCJESUS' SCULPTURE

The depiction of a crucified Ronald McDonald, sculpted by Finnish artist Janei Leinonen, and part of the musuem's "Sacred Goods" exhibit, has been on display since August.

BY SARA RUBENSTEIN JANUARY 12, 2019 22:17

Violent clashes broke out between hundreds of Arab Christians and police in Haifa on Friday following demonstrations against the Haifa Museum of Art which displayed "McJesus," a sculpture showing Ronald McDonald on a cross.

The depiction of a crucified Ronald McDonald, sculpted by Finnish artist Janei Leinonen, and part of the musuem's "Sacred Goods" exhibit, has been on display since August.

An Arab Christian protestor told Walla! news that the government was not properly responding to the Arab Christian community's complaints because of their minority status in Israel. “If they put up [a sculpture of] Hitler with a Torah scroll they would immediately respond,” he said.

A molotov cocktail was thrown at the museum on Thursday.

-snip-


Read more: https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Violent-clashes-in-Haifa-as-Arab-Christians-protest-McJesus-sculpture-577153
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'McJesus' sculpture sparks outrage among Israel's Christians (Original Post) Eugene Jan 2019 OP
Burger King has Apostles, though. Pope George Ringo II Jan 2019 #1
The Duke of Doubt gay texan Jan 2019 #3
I'm actually a devotee of Whataburger, even with those stupid stickers in the window. Pope George Ringo II Jan 2019 #12
"One nation under gawwwwwd" gay texan Jan 2019 #18
Such is the response by the religious to any mockery of their religion. MineralMan Jan 2019 #2
A very broad brush was used in the crafting of this response. guillaumeb Jan 2019 #4
Focus, Guy! Focus... MineralMan Jan 2019 #5
Widen your narrow focus. guillaumeb Jan 2019 #6
One thing at a time, Guy. One thread at a time. MineralMan Jan 2019 #7
Art can be provocative. guillaumeb Jan 2019 #10
Is it bad art, Guy? I don't know. MineralMan Jan 2019 #11
Pam Geller, one of the founders of Act for America, guillaumeb Jan 2019 #13
Never heard of her. Was she involved with that MineralMan Jan 2019 #14
If you have never heard of her, guillaumeb Jan 2019 #20
I did. MineralMan Jan 2019 #24
And their actions also abound. eom guillaumeb Jan 2019 #25
Art causes violence? Act_of_Reparation Jan 2019 #15
Well, see...example found on Google of something MineralMan Jan 2019 #16
If someone blows up your house because they were offended by that... Act_of_Reparation Jan 2019 #17
Is that a real thing? Cartoonist Jan 2019 #22
If not, it's an opportunity. MineralMan Jan 2019 #23
Is there an art to incitment? guillaumeb Jan 2019 #21
So if religious extremists attack a satirical Voltaire2 Jan 2019 #19
This message was self-deleted by its author thucythucy Jan 2019 #26
Versus Cartoonist Jan 2019 #8
Now you are getting it, those acts are absolutely... NeoGreen Jan 2019 #9

Pope George Ringo II

(1,896 posts)
12. I'm actually a devotee of Whataburger, even with those stupid stickers in the window.
Mon Jan 14, 2019, 03:24 PM
Jan 2019

I don't have many other choices if I want my jalapenos.

MineralMan

(147,574 posts)
2. Such is the response by the religious to any mockery of their religion.
Mon Jan 14, 2019, 11:22 AM
Jan 2019

Violence. And so the weakness of religion's truths is revealed. Where there is true strength, there is no need for violence.

guillaumeb

(42,649 posts)
4. A very broad brush was used in the crafting of this response.
Mon Jan 14, 2019, 12:42 PM
Jan 2019

But this violence pales in comparison to that perpetrated by the Chinese Government against theists.

MineralMan

(147,574 posts)
7. One thing at a time, Guy. One thread at a time.
Mon Jan 14, 2019, 12:53 PM
Jan 2019

This thread is about a satirical piece of art in Israel, and the response to it. That is what I am discussing in this thread. It is not about that other thing. You will find me in your thread discussing that there.

MineralMan

(147,574 posts)
11. Is it bad art, Guy? I don't know.
Mon Jan 14, 2019, 03:20 PM
Jan 2019

You say it is cartoonish, and I tend to agree with you, but I am not the artist. Is cartoon art bad? Many would disagree.

What did the artist mean by putting Ronald MacDonald on the cross? I don't know that, either, because I haven't asked him or her. Do you know?

But those questions are irrelevant, really. Someone created a piece of art, which is hanging in some building because someone thought it was of some artistic merit or meaningful. Otherwise, the artist would have seen his or her artwork rejected for display. It's not my building. It's not my artwork. It's not my business, really.

However, some Christians in the area, as identified in the news story, decided that the art was bad and that they disliked it. So, they protested by throwing Molotov cocktails at the building. Now, if I thought the art was of poor quality or in poor taste, I would have simply avoided going to view it. I would not have resorted to destructive, dangerous methods to state my dislike of it.

That is not what happened, though. A group of Christians in the area threw Molotov cocktails at the building containing the artwork.

See, I think that is a really bad idea and illustrates some real intolerance of freedom of expression. It's also very dangerous and could destroy property or injure people. Molotov cocktails are the weapons of terrorists, and have been for a long, long time.

Now, you liken this to the official intolerance of China, but I don't see the connection there at all. In this case, it was a group of religious people who did not like a work of art so they tried to destroy it and the building it was in. A group of Christians in one place, acting on their own account. They were not a country. They were not doing anything but carrying out an act of terrorism, based on their religious zeal.

There is a great deal of bad art on display almost everywhere, in my opinion. I have my own preferences when it comes to art. However, if someone displays art I think is bad or even in very poor taste, I simply ignore it. I see cartoonish representations of Jesus all the time, with him depicted as a blond-haired, blue-eyed European. I'm not even fond of religion in the first place. Bad art, but what is that to me? I am not going to try to destroy it or even protest its existence. Why would I bother?

This thread is about violence carried out by a group of Christians in Israel who were offended by a work of satirical art. I find that troubling. You find official intolerance of Christianity in China troubling. Are you going to throw molotov cocktails at the Chinese Embassy in protest? No, of course you are not going to do that. The most you will do is complain about it here on DU, as far as I can tell.

Molotov Cocktails? That's pretty far over the line, don't you think? But it's not equivalent to official government intolerance of a religious group. That's even worse, but not something I can do anything about. Certainly not with a terrorist attack using incendiary devices.

Bad art? Really? Who cares?

guillaumeb

(42,649 posts)
13. Pam Geller, one of the founders of Act for America,
Mon Jan 14, 2019, 03:24 PM
Jan 2019

loves such "art".

She loves the way it causes violence. Act for America, as I am certain you know, has been designated a hate group by the SPLC.

Motivation? To incite.

MineralMan

(147,574 posts)
14. Never heard of her. Was she involved with that
Mon Jan 14, 2019, 03:33 PM
Jan 2019

Ronald MacDonald crucifix? I didn't see that in the news story, if so. If not, then her opinion is irrelevant to this particular instance. Why do you bring her up?

Art is often used to incite action. The social justice and civil rights movement has used art in that way frequently. Perhaps you were not aware of that. For example:

guillaumeb

(42,649 posts)
20. If you have never heard of her,
Mon Jan 14, 2019, 05:14 PM
Jan 2019

that might suggest that you might wish to do some research on Act for America and Geller.

MineralMan

(147,574 posts)
16. Well, see...example found on Google of something
Mon Jan 14, 2019, 03:44 PM
Jan 2019

someone was trying to say. Irrelevant example, but example. You can find anything on Google. Look what I found while looking for examples of satirical use of the crucifix:



Now, that's irrelevant, too, but I did find it on Google while doing a relevant search. Maybe people have to think about things before posting them. Do you suppose?

Act_of_Reparation

(9,116 posts)
17. If someone blows up your house because they were offended by that...
Mon Jan 14, 2019, 04:13 PM
Jan 2019

...you only have yourself to blame!

Whatever you do, don't be provocative!

Voltaire2

(14,703 posts)
19. So if religious extremists attack a satirical
Mon Jan 14, 2019, 04:40 PM
Jan 2019

magazines office and murder the people inside, it is the victims we should blame for their own murders?

Response to MineralMan (Reply #11)

NeoGreen

(4,033 posts)
9. Now you are getting it, those acts are absolutely...
Mon Jan 14, 2019, 01:07 PM
Jan 2019

...equivalent.

We should count up all those times when someone was burnt and/or disfigured because there was an advertisement on the side of a bus.

A bus advertisement is just as bad as a Molotov cocktail.

Oh and off.

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