Newspaper Depicts Jesus With Cigarette
Holy smokes, you can say that again.
AP reports: “Malaysia’s government ordered a Tamil-language daily to immediately halt publication for a month Friday as punishment for printing an image of Jesus Christ holding a cigarette, an official with the newspaper said.”
“Of course we are shocked by this. My entire staff are all in tears. They will lose a month of income,” Periasamy said, adding that the newspaper would abide by the order but plans to appeal the suspension.
Ministry officials in this Muslim-majority nation could not immediately be reached for comment.
The newspaper had said it published the photo by mistake Tuesday and carried a front-page apology Thursday.
Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said Thursday that the picture was hurtful and an insult to Christians. Kuala Lumpur archbishop, Murphy Pakiam, criticized the picture as a “desecration,” but later accepted the newspaper’s apology.
Meanwhile, there were no Christians rioting or laying siege to the country. Thank God.
UPDATE: Editor&Publisher is apparently amused…
For Christ’s Sake? Newspaper Suspended…
Something tells us they wouldn’t run a piece called “For Allah’s sake..” It could lead to a beheading or two.