Protesting smut opera: the Jerry Springer production

You don’t have to be Catholic to detest production like Jerry Springer–The Opera in Concert. It is as despicable as the Springer show–maybe worse if that’s possible. That should make its anti-Christian, anti-moral, anti-decency content offensive to just about every parent, moral, and religious person everywhere.

I learned about this productions continued showing in America from the The American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property. TFP was born as counter-revolutionary mission by a group of Catholic Americans concerned about the multiple crises shaking every aspect of American life. American TFP was formed in 1973 to resist, in the realm of ideas, the liberal, socialist and communist trends of the times and proudly affirm the positive values of tradition, family and property. They seek to defend, maintain, and restore our Christian civilization.

In a recent article titled When Opera Is Offensive: Protesting a Jerry Springer Production, American TFP outlined a few examples of the offense features that the “opera” includes:

• The crucifixion is mocked and the Eucharist is trashed.

 

• There is a lady singing “Jerry eleison” (mocking the Mass: Kyrie Eleison).

 

• Jesus is introduced as “the hypocrite son of the fascist tyrant on high.” He wears a diaper, is fat and effeminate and later admits: “Actually, I am a bit gay.”

 

• Eve gropes Jesus in a manner too indecent to describe while the Annunciation is described as a rape.

 

• God is a fat man in a white suit who complains about being blamed for everyone’s problems. He invites Jerry Springer to join Him to “sit in Heaven beside me, hold my hand and guide me.” At the end, Jerry emerges as the true savior of mankind.

 

The American TFP protests such an indecent portrayal and finds objectionable the fact that God and Christ are made to say the most filthy and absurd things. The profanity-laced production considers nothing sacred.

The “opera” has earned its blasphemous reputation. In London, the debut was the subject of a libel suit for defaming Christians. When it was to be aired on the BBC, it drew more than 60,000 complaints, according to TFP.

In America, TFP and supporters have already been active in protesting this production. “Hundreds of people were out for opening night at Carnegie Hall in New York last January.” Since they learned of the plan to put on the show in Cincinnati, the Cincinnati theater has admitted having received 14,000 letters from TFP supporters protesting the show.

In face of such insults to the Faith, Christians cannot remain silent. Other people of religious and moral conviction cannot remain silent either for the simple reason that their beliefs and moral values will be attacked next. That is why the TFP is asking us to make our voices heard by sending an e-protest which will be forwarded to both theaters automatically. Please attend the public act of reparation at the New Stage Collective in Cincinnati! (To do so, go here.)

The American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property web address is http://www.tfp.org.