Christian woman takes art centre to court over 'lewd' Jesus statue
by Jennifer Gold
Posted: Tuesday, September 2, 2008, 11:51 (BST)
A Christian woman has today taken an art centre to court over an exhibition which included a statue showing Jesus with an erect penis.
Lawyers for Emily Mapfuwa, from Brentwood in London, will tell Gateshead Magistrates Court that the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art committed an 'act of a lewd and a disgusting nature and outraged public decency contrary to Common Law' by displaying the statue.
They will also argue that visitors who saw it were likely to be 'harassed, alarmed, or distressed'.
The statue, by Chinese artist Terence Koh, was exhibited at the centre from September 2007 to January 2008.
Exhibition managers received complaints from the public over the statue but refused to remove it from the exhibition, saying that signs had been put up warning visitors of the potential offence.
Mrs Mapfuwa, 40, contacted the police earlier in the year to act on the statue's exhibition, but police stated at the end of May that there was no case.
The Christian Legal Centre said it would support Mrs Mapfuwa in her private prosecution.
Andrea Minichiello Williams, barrister and director of the Christian Legal Centre said that the CLC and Mrs Mapfuwa believe in freedom of expression, but feel "this statue served no other purpose than to offend Christians and to denigrate Christ".
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Added: Thursday, September 4, 2008, 3:54 (BST)
I can understand where you might see a double standard, but I would like to point out some differences. First of all, you have a Christian taking the center to court, the muslims rioted, attacked people, threatened death for the cartoonist responsible. The cartoonist drew a cartoon that showed Mohammed with a bomb under his turban. The cartoonist was trying to show the violent side of Islam. I believe the Muslim reaction to the cartoon ended up proving the point that the cartoonist was making. What statement was being made by the statue of Jesus Christ? I see that the two incidents are so different from each other, as to almost be incomparable. The way I see it, you just saw an opportunity to take a cheap shot at Christians so you took it.
Danuel, West Monroe, LA USA
Added: Wednesday, September 3, 2008, 20:33 (BST)
It is normal for non-Christians to denigrate Christ. However, Christians should know the proper time and place to honor the Lord, not lower their emotions to the stature of unrepentant sinners.
And this has nothing to do with Mohammed. Jesus is God, Mohammed is not.
Tim, NYC, USA
Added: Wednesday, September 3, 2008, 16:58 (BST)
And what are the chances, do you think, that this woman from Brentwood in Essex has ever been to the Baltic Centre in Gateshead?
Much more likely is that she's just another puppet of some fundamentalist group on the lookout for things to get offended about - Stephen Green springs to mind.
John Dale, Sunderland
Added: Wednesday, September 3, 2008, 14:31 (BST)
The bottom line is that UK is a Christian country whose culture, heritage and - until recently - laws are based on Christinas priniciples. Most people in our country profess the Christian faith, even if they do not regularly attend Church. This statue has to be seen as an act of offence and blasphemy - would the artist have depicted his own father, or brother, or son this way? If the answer is "Yes" then he needs help. As for the bureaucrats who sanctioned the public exhibiton of such a "work of Art" perhaps we should question whether they deserve to have such responsible positions.
Sandra, Vale of Evesham, UK
Added: Wednesday, September 3, 2008, 8:00 (BST)
Once again Christians are caught using the double standard. They get upset when Jesus is depicted in a way they feel is digraceful, yet when the prophet mohammed is disgraced in political cartoons to the shagrin of muslim faithful, Christians don't seem to empathize. I hope Mr. Koh understands the irony of his work, it raises valid concerns for religious / cultural debate.
Marc, United Kingdom
Added: Tuesday, September 2, 2008, 20:29 (BST)
As a Christian ,I find this very offensive. I applaud Emily for standing up to this. We as Christians should stand up and support Emily and others who are not scared to stand for Jesus. If someone made a statue like this of mohammed ,there would be a riot. I believe that if a muslim stood up to remove a statue of mohammed that was vulgar they would.
Marcello , USA
Added: Tuesday, September 2, 2008, 17:02 (BST)
"... the CLC and Mrs Mapfuwa believe in freedom of expression, but feel 'this statue served no other purpose than to offend Christians and to denigrate Christ'."
So, freedom of expression is a right you cannot exercise if your purpose is to offend and denigrate. In short, it isn't a freedom at all.
C.P. Steinmetz, Hurricane, Utah, U.S.A.
