Italian Catholics "religious sensitivies" offended by Red Bull

[Eliezer]

I've argued vehemently that Darkfire's views on the acceptability of criminalizing expressions that offend the sensibilities of religious communities is wrong.

However, in Italy a Red Bull commercial has been pulled because a Catholic priest objected to it.




ROME (Reuters) - An angry Italian priest has persuaded soft drinks company Red Bull to withdraw an advertisement setting its product in a nativity scene on the grounds it is disrespectful to Christianity.

Father Marco Damanti, from Sicily, wrote to the makers of the caffeinated energy drink denouncing their commercial as "a blasphemous act" and said on Monday he had received a prompt reply promising to remove it from Italian television.

The advert depicted four wise men, instead of three, visiting Mary and the Baby Jesus in Bethlehem. The fourth wise man bore a can of the soft drink.

"The image of the sacred family has been represented in a sacrilegious way," Father Damanti told Corriere della Sera. "Whatever the ironic intentions of Red Bull, the advert pokes fun at the nativity, and at Christian sensitivity."

The priest also objected to the company's slogan, "Red Bull gives you wings," said by angels in the animated advert.

The commercial is by no means the first to fall foul of Italian religious sensibilities. Sony, fashion house Marithe et Francois Girbaud, and pop singer Madonna are among those whose adverts have been banned on the grounds of religion.



linkie (http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSN0447928720071204?feedType=RSS&feedName=oddlyEnoughNews)

Now, in all fairness, the Red Bull offices were not firebombed. I'm not aware of any death threats of any Red Bull sales people or company employees. Apparently no shop has been looted or burned because they sell Red Bull. Religious sensitivities were offended and the response was to request that an advert be pulled. No riots, no looting, no riots.

How is Italy different than Sudan?

and

What should Red Bull have done?

As far as I know the government was never involved in the discussion.

[nerfherder]

How is Italy different than Sudan?

Well, I'd have thought that was obvious - what Red Bull did wasn't illegal, and they were never prosecuted for any crime. I've a feeling I'm missing the point here...

What should Red Bull have done?
Whatever they wanted to do. Taking note of a complaint is a perfectly sensible option. Deciding to ignore the complaint may also have been a good option. I don't really know how they came to the decision they did.

[The Winslow]

How is Italy different than Sudan?

Italy is different from Sudan in this way: the Red Bull offices were not firebombed. I'm not aware of any death threats of any Red Bull sales people or company employees. Apparently no shop has been looted or burned because they sell Red Bull. Religious sensitivities were offended and the response was to request that an advert be pulled. No riots, no looting, no riots. As far as I know the government was never involved in the discussion.

[Eliezer]

Well, I'd have thought that was obvious - what Red Bull did wasn't illegal, and they were never prosecuted for any crime. I've a feeling I'm missing the point here...

More than just not illegal... Why no moral outrage? Making fun of the holy family is probably more severe than naming a Teddy Bear after the most popular kid in a class.

Are Italian Catholics more apathetic about their religion? I don't feel very qualified to address Italian culture.

Is making fun of religion just an accepted part of European culture?

[The Winslow]

Are Italian Catholics more apathetic about their religion? I don't feel very qualified to address Italian culture.
Italians are still very strongly Catholic. I wouldn't say they're apathetic about it. After all, Red Bull did decide to pull off the ad after getting the complaint; they probably reasoned it was going to hurt them more than it helped if their ad was seen as offensive to Christians.

I don't think the advertisers themselves sought to be offensive; they just didn't think hard enough about it.
Is making fun of religion just an accepted part of European culture?
It's an accepted part of any culture where atheism is accepted.

[Northcott]

Italians are still very strongly Catholic. I wouldn't say they're apathetic about it. After all, Red Bull did decide to pull off the ad after getting the complaint; they probably reasoned it was going to hurt them more than it helped if their ad was seen as offensive to Christians.

I don't think the advertisers themselves sought to be offensive; they just didn't think hard enough about it.

Yeah. Really, it's easy to lose sight of where you're crossing a line when you think you've got Teh Funney. This all seems very civilized to me; ad rubs people the wrong way, people complain, ad gets pulled and apology offered. Done. If the rest of the world worked on that premise, we'd be a lot better off.

On the other hand, the Catholic Church was still kidnapping Jewish children and forcibly 'converting' them through cult-like indoctrination back in the mid-1800's... not that long ago in a historical context. Perhaps it's just paranoia on my part, but even in simple little devlopments like this, I often suspect a far more pervasive, Machiavellian hand at work in the background. No longer on an international scale, granted, but in the areas where they still hold deep influence, it wouldn't surprise me terribly.

It's an accepted part of any culture where atheism is accepted.

I'd expand that statement somewhat. I'd say it's part of any culture where diversity is accepted, if not necessarily popular. Part of what enables diversity is the ability to laugh at one's self, within boundaries.

[Ancalagon]

You know, I thought of something:

Islam doesn't have excommunication (that I know of). It robs the group of a way of getting rid of someone who's being very "offensive" to the religion. With such limited options, they have to kill them.

Ancalagon

[Hatter]

You know, I thought of something:

Islam doesn't have excommunication (that I know of). It robs the group of a way of getting rid of someone who's being very "offensive" to the religion. With such limited options, they have to kill them.

Ancalagon
Well for a Catholic being excommunicated means being sentenced to hell or limbo for all eternity, so that's a pretty crummy punishment compared to having one's temporal existence cut short so as to be judged by God.

[Eliezer]

Well for a Catholic being excommunicated means being sentenced to hell or limbo for all eternity, so that's a pretty crummy punishment compared to having one's temporal existence cut short so as to be judged by God.

That's why the Catholics used to torture people into confessing and recanting their heresies before absolving them and executing them, thus preventing them from falling into their former errors.

It saved their souls...

[Pigs in Space]

Is making fun of religion just an accepted part of European culture?

Given the bloodbaths of the french (and similar) revolutions in the 1800's that were all about removing church power from government... the answer is yes.

Of course they're more tolerant than the Sudanese. You're comparing apples and oranges.

[Hatter]

That's why the Catholics used to torture people into confessing and recanting their heresies before absolving them and executing them, thus preventing them from falling into their former errors.

It saved their souls...

I'm sure some inquisitors thought they were really helping those people, not that it excuses their actions.

[Eliezer]

I'm sure some inquisitors thought they were really helping those people, not that it excuses their actions.

There's a reason I find this type of thinking problematic... I know, its a slippery slope argument and therefore flawed, but imposition of laws to protect my soul from myself really, really bothers me.