Madonna’s mock-crucifixion causes outrage in Amsterdam, but can’t be banned

By M&C News Sep 1, 2006, 14:27 GMT

Although Madonna’s mock-crucifixion segment of her stage act for the current world tour continues to draw heat from religious leaders, the diva has no plans of cutting it from her show when she arrives in Amsterdam, and the Dutch justice minister has said it is not up to him to stop her.

Minister Piet Hein Donner was forced to reject a petition by a Christian organization, called the SGP party, pleading for him to intervene in Madonna’s planned concert and force the diva to remove the segment from the show. Donner issued a statement saying it was not within his rights to stop the performance, and was a matter for the courts.

In a statement posted on the SGP website, Donner is quoted as saying: "It is understandable that Christians feel offended by the crucifixion act that Madonna performs. It is a reprehensible way to attract attention at the cost of the deepest feelings of many people."

"That does not mean that this act can be classified as blasphemy," he continues in the statement. "Judgment over whether the event in question constitutes blasphemy is not up to the justice minister, but up to prosecutors and ultimately a judge."

The SGP’ s younger members have expressed their disappointment in Donner’s statements, and have threatened to file a suit against the pop singer on charges of blasphemy after the Amsterdam concert.
 
The youth wing posted a statement saying: "The SGP youth wing regrets that the freedom of expression is declared as being so holy that insulting the Son of God is part of that freedom."

Madonna’s current “Confessions” world tour has been under fire since a concert in Rome where Catholic Church leaders and the Vatican accused Madonna of blasphemy and provocation following her performance of the crucifixion segment. The singer has also faced criticism from Muslim and Jewish leaders for the performance, but has yet to remove it from the show.