Passion indeed

What a weird wonderful free speech world we live in...

Scene-setting: after a fairly interested and balanced preview piece by Riazat Butt, there follows a long series of comments... These two come one after the other on the Guardian's Culture Vulture column.

Question: When was the last time Morissey and New Order released a relevant piece of music? What like 40 years? I'm not going not only because its Easter, but because I like bands whose music is actually good. Who's funding this orchestra? I mean, isnt there someone in that city who's music is worth more than the hiring of a 20,000 pound cover band, or however much it costs to keep and orchestra of classical musicians alive these days? We've all seen 24 hour party people, so we know how self-celebratory people from Manchester can be about their flash in the pan music scene that, like Morissey, hasnt been relevant for ages. This event will be a gathering of secular dinosaurs and B actors, poking fun at Christianity by doing the really predictible things that artists do whenever they cynically approach religion. I mean, who could understand the meaning of Easter without hoodies, bad acting, mandated multi-cuturalism and played out urban stereotypes? Its a pathetic attempt at being edgy, but thats what the art funders want. Artistically its less than mediocre. Attacking religion is so easy people. Spend more time actually making music, or if you dont actually do anything, spend time at least listening to something different. That would be more creative than this feel-good secular talent show whose heart is self-proclaimingly about "the singing" rather than about Jesus. But todays metrosexual cant have Jesus alone without feeling uncool. He needs to be weeded and prodded with silly props and cultural icons. It's basically a show for unintellligent and unthinking people. Is this what it takes to get funded these days?
Posted by therealstan on April 14, 2006 02:29 PM. Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.

Jeus would not be at a burger stand. Jesus was Jewish, and the Last Supper was a Passover seder. Jesus would not have been eating unleavened bread during Passover. He wouldn't be eating at a burger stand even if it was not Passover because he would be keeping kosher. Jesus was a Pharisee in the tradition of Hillel. The Pharisee are not what they are portrayed as in the New Testament. They were scholars and mystics. Pharisees were not rich, nor were they hypocritical. Some Pharisees were poor. Most carpenters and other craftspeople were followers of the Pharisees. The Pharisees were trying to sanctify everyday life. Sections of the New Testament were part of early Christian polemics to prove the moral superiority of Christianiy to Judaism. Therfore, the completely distorted who and what the Pharisees were. Off Topic, but why is it so difficult for The Guardian to acknowledge Jewish holidays? The Guardian ignored Hannukah until it was half over.
Posted by Adina on April 14, 2006 03:13 PM. Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.


You couldn't make it up...