VIRTUALLY the whole world knows by now that Terrence McNally’s gay play, Corpus Christi, is in deep doo-doo in Greece, where the producers and cast are being done for blasphemy for staging it – briefly – in Athens.

The curtain fell prematurely on the production earlier this month when a nutbag of religious loons and neo-fascists mounted protests outside the theatre.

VIRTUALLY the whole world knows by now that Terrence McNally’s gay play, Corpus Christi, is in deep doo-doo in Greece, where the producers and cast are being done for blasphemy for staging it – briefly – in Athens.

The curtain fell prematurely on the production earlier this month when a nutbag of religious loons and neo-fascists mounted protests outside the theatre.

It was then reported that, at the instigation of a bearded weirdie, the Greek Orthodox Bishop, Seraphim of Piraeus, blasphemy charges were bought against all concerned.

The bishop claimed that the play contains blasphemous messages, interpreted to include insinuations of homosexuality for figures revered by Christians.

Among the many who have condemned the prosecution is a twat called David Jenkins, who

who runs the Anglican Samizdat blog. This is what said of the play:

The whole thing is so patently absurd that, were it not for the fact that it upsets Christians, no-one would pay any attention to it.

But it does upset Christians and it has upset the Greek Orthodox Bishop, Seraphim of Piraeus enough for him to launch a lawsuit against the production for ‘insulting religion’ and ‘malicious blasphemy’.

I think this is a mistake: the play deserves all the obscurity it can get.

Since I believe in the importance of free speech, Terrence McNally who, coincidentally is married to another – much younger – man, is entitled to say what he likes about whom he likes.

Just as I am entitled to refer to Terrence McNally as a snivelling, pusillanimous pile of parrot droppings who doesn’t have the guts to give Mohammed a similar treatment and has to make do with a catamite because no woman would have him – if I so choose.

John Dalhuisen Amnesty International’s programme Director for Europe and Central Asia also condemned the prosecution in a much less offensive manner:

This is an alarming development for freedom of expression in Greece … The right to freedom of religion does not extend to having one’s religious beliefs protected by the state against criticism or commentary.