A study in contrasts.

If someone publishes an image that Muslims don’t like…

When someone publishes an image highly offensive to the Catholic Church they get the following critical letter:

Vatican protests Benetton ad showing pope kissing imam

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – The Vatican on Wednesday protested to Italian clothing firm Benetton over its use of an image of Pope Benedict kissing an imam on the mouth in its latest shock advertising campaign.

Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi called the unauthorized and “manipulative” use of the pope’s picture in the photo montage “totally unacceptable” and suggested it might take legal action against the company.

“This is a grave lack of respect for the pope, an offence against the sentiments of the faithful and a clear example of how advertising can violate elementary rules of respect for people in order to attract attention through provocation,” he said in a statement.

A large banner with the image of the pope and the imam was hung from a bridge near the Vatican on Wednesday morning before it was removed.

Other photo montages in the same campaign, in which Benetton says it supports the Unhate Foundation, show other world leaders kissing each other on the mouth.

President Barack Obama is shown kissing Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez in one.

The Italian clothing company has run controversial advertising campaigns in the past, including one that showed grieving parents at the bedside of a man dying of AIDS.

(Reporting By Philip Pullella; editing by Andrew Roche)

My bet is, that in the long run, the Vatican will have better results with thier methods. As I would expect, even hope, that people would refuse to tolerate blackmail by Muslims to abandon their freedom of speech. The Vatican is correct in its evaluation. But this does not mean that it should be illegal, or that a hair on anyone’s head should be harmed. A few less sales for Benetton would do nicely.

Eeyore.

About Eeyore

Canadian artist and counter-jihad and freedom of speech activist as well as devout Schrödinger's catholic

4 Replies to “A study in contrasts.”

  1. You are right, economic pressure brought by their customers will give better results then violence. There are a lot of other companies that need the same treatment.

  2. Immediately, I understand such a picture not personally, but as wishful thinking that, after all “islam wants to be friends with Christianity”, as in Caricature. Some sort of PC statement. “Let’s hold hands and sing Kumbaya!”

    Let Benetton do their campaign, and let the Pope deal with more interesting things.

    -Benedict, it’s not personal! Just a caricature.

  3. Hope the French guy publishes another cartoon. Their lack of a sence of humor is an Achilles heel. Imagine if there were many parodies. At some point, the Left would have to recognize the hypocrisy.