- Title: Netflix 'gay Jesus' film sparks backlash in Brazil
- Date: 24th December 2019
- Summary: RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL (DECEMBER 23, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF EXTERIOR OF PUBLIC MINISTRY SIGN AT PUBLIC MINISTRY BUILDING EXTERIOR OF THE DOM BOSCO CENTRE, LOCAL CATHOLIC ASSOCIATION STATUE OF JESUS PRESIDENT OF DOM BOSCO CENTRE, PEDRO LUIZ DE AFFONSECA, PRAYING DE AFFONSECA LOOKING AT STATUES OF JESUS AND MARY STATUE OF JESUS ON THE CROSS (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) PRESIDENT OF DOM BOSCO CENTRE, PEDRO LUIZ DE AFFONSECA, SAYING: "It's a very serious act of blasphemy against God, against the Virgin Mary, against the saint Joseph. It's an act from people who have no faith, who do not believe in the true God, the only God, who have no respect for our lord Jesus Christ, who have no respect for the holy Catholic Church and who have no respect for faithful Catholics." MARKET OUTSIDE RIO DE JANEIRO CATHEDRAL RELIGIOUS ITEMS FOR SALE OUTSIDE CATHEDRAL (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) PRESIDENT OF DOM BOSCO CENTRE, PEDRO LUIZ DE AFFONSECA, SAYING: "The Dom Bosco Centre is a civil society group made up of Catholic faithful. We filed a public civil action against Porta dos Fundos (group behind the Netflix special) and against Netflix and made a preliminary request for the Christmas special to be suspended. We were able to stop more people from being able to watch this blasphemy, to the festival of horrors of this so-called Christmas special." EXTERIOR OF RIO DE JANEIRO COURT THAT REJECTED SUSPENSION OF CHRISTMAS SPECIAL LETTERING AT COURTHOUSE (LEFT TO RIGHT) BRAZILIAN FLAG, VATICAN FLAG AND RIO DE JANEIRO STATE FLAG EXTERIOR OF RIO DE JANEIRO CATHEDRAL PEOPLE OUTSIDE CATHEDRAL (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) CITIZEN, RENATO SILVA LEITAO, SAYING: "I did not watch it but anyone who is bothered by it should not watch it rather than take away the right to watch it. It's as simple as that." (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) CITIZEN, WANDERLEIA VIANNA, SAYING: "I think it shows a lack of respect towards religion, all Catholics know that these are symbols that the majority of the world respects. I think it is a great lack of respect from (Porta dos Fundos)." STATUE OF JESUS ON THE CROSS
- Embargoed: 7th January 2020 01:16
- Keywords: Christmas Jesus LGBT Netflix gay special
- Location: UNIDENTIFIED LOCATION + RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL
- City: UNIDENTIFIED LOCATION + RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL
- Country: Brazil
- Topics: Religion/Belief,Society/Social Issues
- Reuters ID: LVA002BB75QH3
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: A comedy on Netflix depicting Jesus as a gay man has prompted widespread anger in Brazil with almost two million people signing a petition calling on the streaming service to remove the show.
"The First Temptation of Christ" was created by Brazilian YouTube comedy group Porta dos Fundos and portrays Jesus bringing home his presumed boyfriend Orlando to meet the Holy Family.
An online petition on Change.org called for the 46-minute holiday special to be removed from Netflix and said it had offended Christians. A local Catholic association also went to a Rio de Janeiro court to unsuccessfully seek an order to take down the programme.
Porta dos Fundos, which won an International Emmy for its holiday special last year, said in an emailed statement that it "values artistic freedom and humour through satire on the most diverse cultural themes of our society and believes that freedom of expression is an essential construction for a democratic country." Netflix did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Brazil is a deeply religious country of about 200 million people where homophobia is common and both the Catholic Church and the evangelical Christian movement frequently criticise LGBT+ rights.
President Jair Bolsonaro, who has described himself as a "proud" homophobe, suspended funding earlier this year for a series of films, including a handful with LGBT+ themes. The decision was later struck down by a federal court.
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