Crucifixion Cartoon in the Times on Good Friday

Peter Brookes is not the messiah; he's a very naughty boy.

Perhaps we are also lucky to be able to offend, especially Christianity, without fear of repercussions. Again think Afghanistan.

Jaberwok

Perhaps we are also lucky to be able to offend, especially Christianity, without fear of repercussions. Again think Afghanistan.

Absolutely - you’ve got it in one😄

I think a good cartoon hits home straight away. I haven't seen Life of Brian and don't follow Scottish politics so I didn't know what it was about and I'm sure many others are the same. A pity because Peter Brookes is usually very funny and to the point. I never understand the ones by the other cartoonist.

welbeck

the X makes it no better; it is the cross of st andrew because that is how st andrew was crucified.
and i doubt many people under age 50 know of life of brian, or monty python.
the cartoon seems gratuitously offensive.

Perhaps they should watch Life of Brian. Also look at the cartoons of James Gilray and Thomas Rowlandson. Admittedly their cartoons are concerned more with society and royalty than religion.

I've noticed over the last few years the increase of things being banned because people do not want to be offended.

Often it is cartoonists who show how certain people, in particular politicians, behave badly, or stupidly.

I'm not a Christian but was brought up C of E and attended church regularly until I left home, aged 19. Throughout my adult life it is Christians who have behaved thoughtlessly, carelessly or even badly to other human beings.

I'm not a Christian but was brought up C of E and attended church regularly until I left home, aged 19. Throughout my adult life it is Christians who have behaved thoughtlessly, carelessly or even badly to other human beings.

Really? Ever bothered to notice the behaviour of some in the Middle East. Definitely not Christians.

I have noticed that of course but that is not the subject under discussion. I'm talking about good old Christians - C of E and others who do not behave in a Christian way.

Funnily enough, 60 odd years later, I can still remember the 23rd Psalm, the Lord's Prayer and the Nicene Creed. I'm always surprised at those who get married in church but never or rarely attend services. That also applies to most of the people who go. When my niece, who is now aged 40+ was christened I did not accept the invitation to be a godparent because I could not bring myself to say the words.

Dinahmo like tickingbird I’m surprised that you say it is Christians who behaved thoughtlessly, carelessly, or even badly to other human beings.

What a gross generalisation. Of course some Christians do the wrong thing, but so do many, many other people who are not Christians. In fact, I would venture the opinion that the majority of wrong that is done is not done by Christians. Some of it is though.

No one has the right not to be offended.

maddyone

Dinahmo like tickingbird I’m surprised that you say it is Christians who behaved thoughtlessly, carelessly, or even badly to other human beings.

What a gross generalisation. Of course some Christians do the wrong thing, but so do many, many other people who are not Christians. In fact, I would venture the opinion that the majority of wrong that is done is not done by Christians. Some of it is though.

Yeah, Christians get slagged off all the time, if they’re white and British even more so.Mainly by other white British people who seem to think that any other religion is better or anyhow more PC. Idiots really.

Good grief.

The shoulder chips are great with this one.

Of course many people do behave badly towards other people but they don't go around telling you what religion they are.

I will give you two examples.

A friend who made everyone aware of her Christianity used to complain that she was always being attacked because she was a Christian. I believe that the Bible tells us "Thou shalt not commit adultery" . This woman had an affair with the husband of another woman, over a long period time. Her friends were not bothered by this, other than the fact that she was preaching Christian morality to the rest of us.

Far more seriously, IMO, was my mother's case. My parents were regular church goers. After my father died, she could no longer go to her regular church because it was a car drive away so she went to the local church. Whilst there she started to cry and NOONE had the decency to offer any help or ask if she was OK. That was the last time that she went to church until her funeral. Before you ask, none of her children lived with her so she went to church on her own.

It is Christians who let you know that they are Christians - as above. It's a bit like people from Yorkshire who invariably preface their speech by telling you where they come from. Does anyone else tell you, without being asked, which county they are from? Didn't Jesus tell you turn the other cheek?

Sorry but that is a load of rubbish and totally opposite to my experience of practicing Christians. Not a single one of the hundreds of ones I have met are like that and those that are, in the UK, shouldn’t actually be described as Christians but ‘nominals’. I assume you mean C of E ? It doesn’t fit with the church I go to at all.

You have cited two examples Dinahmo. I’ve acknowledged that Christian people do wrong things just as others do. I’m afraid I find your post judgmental and I presume you’re not a Christian.

Judge not lest ye be judged.
Matthew 7: 1-3

nanna8

Sorry but that is a load of rubbish and totally opposite to my experience of practicing Christians. Not a single one of the hundreds of ones I have met are like that and those that are, in the UK, shouldn’t actually be described as Christians but ‘nominals’. I assume you mean C of E ? It doesn’t fit with the church I go to at all.

A practicing Christian - an ordained minister or whatever they call themselves - told my recently bereaved mother that her mother hadn't gone to heaven because she didn't go the "right" church, and that she'd never see her again.

There's none so blind as those Grans that will not see.

Yes, some Christians are judgmental, and so are some non Christians. Was your mother a believer volver? If not, it probably didn’t matter to her, and if she was, then I find that totally unacceptable and judgemental. And not true!

And I’m not blind volver, although I have almost no sight in my left eye. I’m not offended, that would be ridiculous as you didn’t know, but maybe bear the words you use in mind.

I've met some lovely Christians who do sterling work in the community supporting all sorts of projects, I've also met some who were judgemental and blinkered. But then that' s true for many other religions. I think that people use religion to justify their own actions.
As for the cartoon, it is funny. And making jokes about religion is a long standing tradition in Western society.

My mother was a believer, I'm not.

So it did matter to her.

Doesn't matter to me as I think its all mumbo jumbo, but it matters to me that my mum was upset.

And I'm sorry, I'm not going to feel bad about using a 400 year old proverb. At least I didn't mention motes and planks.

I don’t expect you to feel bad, but you could be a little more gracious about it!

I’m sorry about your mother and the awful, judgemental minister.
Gloryanny is right, some Christians are lovely and do sterling work in the community, and others are judgemental and blinkered. Is that too difficult for some people to understand? It’s the same in other religions and the same in the non religious!

There some very nice Christians and there are some not so nice ones. There are some very nice Muslims and some not so nice ones. Hindus, Buddhists, whatever. But people who are saying that the "not nice Christians" aren't really Christians, are mistaken. Some of them are members of the church hierarchy, and nobody gets to disown them by saying they are not part of the faith they represent.

Also, we've had a lot of discussion on this thread about how a person can't be responsible to how another person feels. Is it OK to say "blinkered?"

Okay, you’ve made me smile
I’m not blinkered though. Others maybe.

Christians have been behaving badly for centuries ,think of the treatment of the indigenous peoples allover the world ,forced to dress a different way,change their behaviour and their religion.Children beaten and abused by clerics and nuns ...but not just the catholic church .
You may well say its the job of a "christian" to spread the word BUT is it their job to force it on people who were/are happy with how their lives are ?
The number of shocking things even now coming to light about the christians in North America are heartbreaking.
Anyone who is proud their religion "recruited" new members in these ways is seriously deluded .
If you need to be violent or use brutal threats to convert people to anything then its obvious the thing you're trying to sell them is wrong
No wonder so many are walking away from churches these days

A practicing Christian
I think as an adjective it is usually a practising Christian?

I'm sorry some people have bad experiences with members of the clergy, just as some do with teachers, doctors or lawyers. If you had met my ordained minister Grandpa, he would have emphasised the "one another" passages in the Bible, as mentioned above.
Christians usually try to cultivate an atmosphere kindness and love, but I guess no one is perfect.