To wonder why it's ok for these celebs to ridicule Catholicism

[biscuitraider]

people.com/style/met-gala-2018-critics-call-catholic-theme-blasphemous/
I'm certain that if it was any other religion there'd be uproar.

Good point bartholins

Very good point

To err is human...to forgive divine

(Something like that anyway)

I'm a Catholic and I loved it! The exhibition is titled Fashion and the Catholic Imagination. It was less about Catholicism and Catholic beliefs/values as such than the art which they have inspired, a celebration of the beauty of the iconography. So a question of aesthetics, not morals.

And wtf is with the word 'demonic'? Actual, literal demons?

Demonic - of the devil. If you're a catholic do you not also believe in the existence of the devil?

@myrtleWilson blasphemy is showing disrespect towards God or a religion - is it not disrespectful to Christianity to wear Jesus on your head? Doesn't that diminish and trivialise the magnitude of that event? I do agree that some of the dresses were not as offensive as others though.

Pippi, I know what demonic means. I just find it an extremely odd unintentionally funny turn of phrase when describing celebrities' clothes!

As for belief in the devil, I'm probably not that good a Catholic.

The Vatican approved the exhibition (and indeed lent vestments for it) but obviously had no say the outfits worn on the gala night.

By the way, the Vatican official who approved the loans was Archbishop Georg Ganswein. Pope Francis had no involvement and rightly so, he has more important things to deal with.

The Catholic Church has done it's share of disrespecting other religions.

@pippilongstromp ( I presume you're referencing SJP?) am not sure that wearing Jesus on your head is particularly blasphemous to be honest why would it be? If you were wearing something on your head that depicted Jesus in a disrespectful manner then perhaps?

Westminster Cathedral in their online shop are selling a silk scarf (for £125) that is designed using a motif from the pulpit. If this is not only not blasphemous but also seen as a means of raising money for the Cathedral I fail to see how the Catholic Church can really complain about the theme of this year's Met Gala?

Pope probably saw it as a useful PR stunt.

His image has appeared on virtually everything else. I can’t see the Church getting het up over his image on somebody’s headwear.

Because Catholicism is ridiculous, but then many people think Islam is ridiculous, that doesn't give the right to insult though does it. Would you dare call another religion "ridiculous" or is it that you feel safe with that one

It does give them the right to insult it though. I have the right to insult any religion I want. I can choose to insult some or one or all. Isn't freedom great?

I thought it was wonderful.

I like it but definitely wish some attendees had put more effort in. Most were wearing specifically designed clothing made by passionate designers to be works of art. Fashion is an art. Some of the dresses were definitelt expressions od Catholicism in art. Some were more themed around Catholicism and some were very looesely done and needed more thought imo to properly fit the theme. There’s a very beautiful history of catholic art and extending this to the art of fashion fits in with what has been done since the beginning of the church! In comparison, i am Jewish and we really don’t have anything comparable art wise, especially due to being so diasporic, whereas Catholic art has a much more recognised and visible presence in the world, from beautiful architecture to church interiors to iconographies. A lot of it was very respectful e.g being inspired by the Sistine chapel.

@myrtleWilson I think it's disrespectful because the images are taken out of context and looked at purely for their aesthetic quality. To Christians these images evoke God's character and grace and makes them see and worship God, not the image. I doubt SJP is wearing the nativity scene on her head because she believes and wants people to worship God. It is done as a spectacle, form over substance. I don't know if I'm explaining this very well, am trying.

OP

Are you going to protest the local infant school nativity play? Children with tea towels on their heads and Jesus represented by a doll, probably a girl doll?

Children wearing angel's wings?

Yes, I'm so busy being offended by the joke that I completely forgot the former Finance Minister to the Vatican will appear in Australian courts to answer charges of sexually abusing children and has been protected by the Catholic church until now.

The greatest trick religion has pulled is persuading people that it is beyond question and should not be mocked.

Because Catholicism is ridiculous, but then many people think Islam is ridiculous, that doesn't give the right to insult though does it. Would you dare call another religion "ridiculous" or is it that you feel safe with that one.

Any 'religion' that bans contraception (which Islam doesn't) brings ridiculous to a whole new level. I don't really care that people ignore it either, the principle of it alone is just immoral to me.

demonic events the catholic church are associated with; the systematic cover up of rape and absue of tens of thousands of children.
Being part of the crusades thus killings 1000s of people.
Going all over the world and forcing people to convert then taking all their gold.
Persecuting gay people and not condemning this.
Actively discouraging the use of condoms in areas with high levels of hiv and condeming thousands of women to death.

Non demonic activites associated with the catholic church:. some random famous people wearing a few religious type clothes.

All religions have done heinous things and they have got away with this by stamping on any sort of criticism or ridicule.

Would be cool to see an Islam themed met gala though, although that won't be happening any time soon

Just because one group of people can't take a joke doesn't mean you should do the same...

So the Pope decrees that contraception is immoral even if it prevents the spread of AIDS and he is God's representative on earth, but if he approves of a Catholic themed fancy dress party he has made a grave error?

Why are you blaming the celebs and not the dress makers , Catholic Church or Met itself?
Not all of the celebs were equally "controversial" in their choices. Ariana Grande wore an homage to the Sistine Chapel and Zendaya dressed like Joan of Arc. As an atheist, I raised an eyebrow at Pope Rihanna but was relieved to hear that the Church saw it as fun which is certainly not a word that I'd associate with religion.

Christianity doesn't have the same "rules" about iconography that Islam has so I find a nativity hat as insulting as Playmobil Nativity toys or boys wearing dressing gowns and tea towels as shepherds in the nativity.

I didn't have much of a problem with this, but the UK is still a very anti-Catholic country. Notice how they changed the law of succession in 2013 so that the monarch is now allowed to marry a Catholic, but still not allowed to be a Catholic. Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim: fine. Atheist: fine. Catholic: nope. And they only changed the law because the Duchess of Cambridge was expecting her first child, in case it was a girl. Would they have bothered if not?

I was more offended by how bloody awful most of them looked.

When the head of the Catholic Church is cool with it and people like Piers Morgan are not, this looks more like a dig at non-Christians and how much fuss/protection you imagine you'd see if this gala were about e.g. Judaism or Islam.

Do people who get offended by this also get bothered by not-very religious people wearing crosses or crucifixes?

If your motives truly are about not having the Catholic Church demeaned or disrespected there are much more appropriate targets, like child abuse scandals.

FWIW I don't know one practising catholic who is bothered by this gala.