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Vatican irked by 'blasphemous' Virgin Mary TV spoof in Israel
By Jack Khoury and The Associated Press
Tags: Holocaust, Pope, Israel News 

The Vatican said Friday it has formally complained to the Israeli government about an Israeli TV show that ridiculed Jesus and Mary in an offensive act of intolerance.

The Israeli foreign ministry said the segment wouldn't be shown again and that its host, well-known Israeli comedian Lior Shlein, had apologized.

In the program, Shlein sarcastically denied Christian traditions - that Mary was a virgin and that Jesus walked on water - saying he was doing so as a lesson to Christians who deny the Holocaust.
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It was a reference to the Vatican's recent lifting of the excommunication of a bishop who denied 6 million Jews were killed during World War II. The rehabilitation sparked outrage among Jews.

A statement from the Vatican press office said its representative in Israel complained to the government about the segment, which was broadcast recently on private Channel 10, one of Israel's three main TV stations, during Shlein's late-night comedy talk show.

In the clip, the Vatican said, Mary and Joseph were ridiculed with blasphemous words and images that amounted to a vulgar and offensive act of intolerance toward the religious sentiments of the believers in Christ.

In the show, Mary is said to have become pregnant at 15, thanks to a schoolmate. It said Jesus could never have walked on water because he was so fat he was ashamed to leave the house, let alone go to the Sea of Galilee with a bathing suit.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor said the ministry approached Channel 10 based on the papal nuncio's complaints, and was told the segment would not air again. Palmor said the station's legal adviser had also already sent a letter of apology to an attorney who represents a Christian group who had been offended by the segment.

Palmor said Shlein apologized live on Wednesday, and said he didn't mean to offend anyone.

The clip was a sarcastic response to the Vatican's rehabilitation of Bishop Richard Williamson, who said in an interview broadcast on Swedish state TV that no Jews were gassed during the Holocaust and that only 200,000 or 300,000 Jews were killed.

he Vatican's rehabilitation of Williamson sparked outrage that only abated after Pope Benedict XVI met with Jewish leaders at the Vatican last week.

During his audience, the German-born pope issued a strong denunciation of anti-Semitism and said it was unacceptable for anyone - particularly a clergyman - to deny or minimize the Holocaust.

The Vatican has demanded that Williamson, a member of the traditionalist Society of St. Pius X, recant before he can be admitted as a bishop in the Roman Catholic Church. On Thursday, the government of Argentina, where Williamson had been living, ordered him expelled within 10 days. It cited an immigration problem but also said his comments about the Holocaust had profoundly insulted Argentina, Jews and all of humanity.

The British-born Williamson had already been removed as director of the society's La Reja seminary. He has apologized for causing distress to the pope but has not recanted. He has said he would only correct himself if he is satisfied after a review of the evidence, but has said that would take time.


Related articles:
  • Will Virgin Mary TV spoof jeopardize Pope visit to Israel?
  • ADL chief: Pope Bendedict's condemnation of Holocaust denial not enough
  • Bishop who denied Holocaust apologizes to pope
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      1.   blasphemy 19:36  |  david 20/02/09
      2.   My goodness the Vatican gets irked 19:51  |  Gee 20/02/09
      3.   Jesus NEVER existed, Nazareth did NOT exist, 19:56  |  JMK 20/02/09
      4.   Vatican irked? 20:34  |  Christopher 20/02/09
      5.   For skits in a similar vein Dario Fo got a literature Nobel prize 20:37  |  Nemesis 20/02/09
      6.   Shlein is being Anti Semetic too 20:49  |  The Insider 20/02/09
      7.   TV show was wrong 21:01  |  Irina 20/02/09
      8.   Lior Shlein can say what he wants 21:59  |  Christian 20/02/09
      9.   Secondly It has nothing to do with the Vatican 22:05  |  Christian 20/02/09
      10.   The Vatican liked The Passion 22:10  |  judith 20/02/09
      11.   To # 2 22:51  |  AARON 20/02/09
      12.   Gee - The hate went both ways my friend 22:58  |  American 20/02/09
      13.   Thank you to the Foreign Ministry 23:05  |  Damon 20/02/09
      14.   Its always interesting 23:10  |  Dave Duncan 20/02/09
      15.   Does Anyone Really Care? 23:34  |  Bill Foonman 20/02/09
      16.   so what. its was Jews making fun of Jews. 23:37  |  james 20/02/09
      17.   Do not compare Mythology to History 00:05  |  Baruch Gold 21/02/09
      18.   #8#10 03:37  |  PICUS 21/02/09
      19.   Come on! 03:38  |  Ben Zion 21/02/09
      20.   Vatican knows little about Mary 04:14  |  Shimon Cleopas 21/02/09
      21.   vatican 05:32  |  Baba 21/02/09
      22.   Baruch Gold - Jesus is a myth? 10:39  |  Palestinian Brit 21/02/09
      23.   Marriage and Hebrew Law 10:48  |  jehiel chaleff 21/02/09
      24.   Faith 14:08  |  Maria 21/02/09
      25.   gay pope 14:09  |  danidin 21/02/09
      26.   Ayatollah Ratzinger and groopies 14:46  |  Aztek 21/02/09
      27.   PalBrit 15:29  |  17 21/02/09
      28.   Irina of Montreal, Canada. Happy Purim!!! 15:44  |  Akiva P 21/02/09
      29.   Responde to Palestinian Brit 21:06  |  Some One 02/03/09
      30.   Sorry - Responde to American 21:10  |  Israelian 02/03/09
      31.   THE VATICAN 13:23  |  DANNY 23/04/09
      32.   TO NO 3 JMK. 13:26  |  DANNY 23/04/09
      33.   VATICAN IRKED. 13:28  |  DANNY 23/04/09
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