to think that this 'transsexual' Jesus play should not get public funding?

[whatwilltheythinkofnext]

I would say 'no words' but how about "disgusting, insulting, disrespectful, immoral..." need I go on? How does this awful thing get 'public funding' - I'd be demanding a refund of my council tax. Enough already!

Religion aside, this just sounds stupid and deliberately provocative for the sake of it. Sort of like drawing dicks on an elevator or shouting racist slurs on xbox live.

Except that leaving debates about biological sex and gender identity aside, there is nothing whatsoever intrinsically offensive about transsexuals.

It may very well be a crap play. I don't know- I haven't seen it. But being crap is no reason for not putting a play on.

Rose: She, she, she. Grow up.

Booyaka: I'm not sure you understand fully how funding for the Arts works. It is far from merely helping rich people with their social lives. The Arts Council funded institution I work in hosts schools every week, for free, providing access to theatre shows and workshops, music events and workshops, gallery visits and workshops and museum visits and workshops. We provide free public talks and tours, support local community groups, provide employment and volunteering opportunities (volunteer in my section and get cv content, nationally recognised training, and all the tea/coffee and cake you can handle, plus we pay your travel). We've worked (for free to them) with charities supporting the elderly, people with learning difficulties, unemployed people and we're looking at outreach work with a couple other vulnerable or commonly excluded social groups. We run a mobile museum, delivered in schools. We do charge for that admittedly, but it is an insurance issue and the charge is kept extremely low through our funding. We provide free gallery and museum access, free room hire to external groups whenever possible, and we provide a generous concession rate for paid events which often require us hiring external experts. If we make a loss because no-one can pay full price, our funding allows us to carry on our work. We're not exceptional. We are merely a good Arts venue.

Which bit did I find offensive? the whole thing. You don't have to watch something to find it offensive as millions of other Christians would. I wouldn't watch it if you paid me.
"There is absolutely nothing offensive offensive about transsexuals"
Totally agree, why didn't he do a play about somebody who was one then, or why not somebody who is alive like Prince Charles perhaps, why feel the need to bring Jesus into it. If he had have been one fair enough but there has never been anything to say he was one. Done purposely to shock and offend of course.
Fwiw I don't find cows offensive, however if he had used one to portray Jesus I would have.

Cheese sorry I don't t know what you mean by "she"?

Jesus wasn't a blue eyed blond either.......

Rose: Yes, you do. You are continually referring to the writer as he. She is a she.

Oh right sorry I didn't know that.

Do you think this play should not be put on because the title offends you?

"Jesus is the Son of God, he wasn't a woman or a man dressing as a woman"

Ah, but how exactly do you know that Jesus didn't feel like a woman inside?

Maybe he was assigned male at birth but felt female all his (short) life.

And maybe God misgendered Jesus (intentionally, for He is omniscient) when He said "This is my beloved son..."

You wouldn't be so free and easy with your words if you were talking to someone of a different religion. To pull someone's religion apart, absolutely no way. Neither would the playwrite. Probably wouldn't dare, but as per usual anyone Christian seen as fair game. Sheer hypocrisy.

"You wouldn't be so free and easy with your words if you were talking to someone of a different religion. To pull someone's religion apart, absolutely no way. Neither would the playwrite. Probably wouldn't dare, but as per usual anyone Christian seen as fair game. Sheer hypocrisy."

That really is utter bollocks!

Rose, I don't believe you. It has been pointed out numerous times. I think you are deliberately choosing to not acknowledge it, very possibly because you have Views on transexuals.

I would rose. Be so free and easy.

I'm going to the play btw. I'll report back after with details on how offended I was.

The 'you wouldn't say this about a Muslim ' is a red herring. The many many passionate threads in support of the Je Suis Charlie Hebdo sentiment demonstrate that those of us in favour of free speech are in favour of free speech.

It's actually quite distasteful when Christians in the UK cry persecution. It generally means that they are being expected to obey the same equality and employment legislation that the rest of us are, and no special exemptions are being made for them.

This...

Well, technically that cartoon is right. Christians do not, except for a few sects, consider the actual physical Bible to be an object of reverence- Muslims do consider the Koran to be.

Another thing to remember is that satirising, mocking or otherwise insulting your own heritage is different from doing the same to someone else's. Apart from anything else, you tend to be more knowledgable about your own heritage.

It's very distasteful when anyone cries persecution. However other religions are much more guilty of this. I have never expected certain exemptions in the workplace and I don't know any other Christians who have. However there are many other religions who do. But seeing as you find it distasteful when Christians do, do you also find it distasteful when certain other religions do. If so can you give me an example.

Probably wouldn't dare, but as per usual anyone Christian seen as fair game. Sheer hypocrisy.
Rose would you care to discuss this point with Salman Rushdie?

But seeing as you find it distasteful when Christians do, do you also find it distasteful when certain other religions do. If so can you give me an example"

Yes, I do. I can't think of an example, though. How about you suggest one?

Well give me an example of when Christians ask for exemptions in the workplace?
Salman Rushdie is one person, not many would dare speak out like him, which is exactly my point.

The BA crew who wanted to wear a visible cross when the rules said no jewellery. The registrar who wanted to be allowed not to marry gay couples.

There's tw for you.

Just out of interest Rose, are you offended that Jesus married?
Are you offended that we now allow Sunday opening?
Oh, and our religious habits do not dictate that we need to worship at particular times, so most workplaces do not need to fit around Christianity, the UK way of life, shopping, offices etc. was built around it being a Christian community, hence the need to make working life a little more accessible for more the wider community.

Well why shouldn't they have been allowed to wear a cross. You've really scraped the barrel there btw, that was ages ago but for goodness sake, they didn't start the issue of the cross, the BA bosses did. That is not an example of what I mean. That was blatant persecution of Christians and all they did was stand up for themselves. It was disgusting as it would be the same if others of other faiths were told not to wear certain items of clothing which is important to their faith.
So you could think of those cases