Judge Abicair said the program’s withdrawal “is beneficial not only
to the Christian community, but to Brazilian society which is mostly
Christian.”A Brazilian judge on Wednesday ordered Netflix to
stop showing a Christmas special that some called blasphemous for
depicting Jesus as a gay man and which prompted a gasoline bomb attack
on the satirists behind the program.
The ruling by Rio de Janeiro
judge Benedicto Abicair responded to a petition by a Brazilian Catholic
organization that argued the “honor of millions of Catholics” was hurt
by the airing of “The First Temptation of Christ.” The special was
produced by the Rio-based film company Porta dos Fundos, whose
headquarters was targeted in the Christmas Eve attack.
Netflix told it would not comment on the ruling.
Porta
dos Fundos also declined to comment on the judge’s decision, which
contradicted an earlier decision rejecting censorship of the program.
The ruling is valid until another court orders otherwise.
Judge
Abicair said the program’s withdrawal “is beneficial not only to the
Christian community, but to Brazilian society which is mostly
Christian.”
The ruling comes at a time when some civil groups say
far-right Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is waging a “cultural
war,” cutting funding for arts projects that challenge “Christian
values” and inveighing against flamboyant carnival celebrations.
Early
on the day before Christmas, a group of hooded men attacked the
headquarters of Porta dos Fundos with Molotov cocktails. No one was
hurt. A video circulating days later on social media showed three men
claiming responsibility for the attack, and said they targeted the
Brazilian comedy group.
The First Temptation of Christ depicts
Jesus returning home on his 30th birthday and insinuates he is gay.
Religious groups bristled at the depiction. Creators of the film have
defended it as legitimate freedom of expression.
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