THE Just So Musical Society at St Andrews University is planning to stage the controversial Jerry Springer: the Opera as part of the On the Rocks arts festival in April – but hysterical Christian clown Stephen ‘Birdshit‘ Green has threatened to invoke the law unless it is cancelled.
Green’s Christian Voice, according to today’s Scotsman, is calling on the people of St Andrews to take to the streets to protest at the “disgraceful” decision to perform the play.
And a solicitor for the campaigners has warned they could take legal action if the show is not scrapped.
In the original JSTO, Jesus was depicted wearing a nappy - and 'little bit gay'
Jerry Springer: The Opera, written by Stewart Lee and Richard Thomas, debuted in the West End in 2003, and satirises the American chat-show format. The play sees a cast of religious characters, including Jesus Christ, Satan, the Virgin Mary and God, brought together to attempt to reconcile their differences.
It presents the Virgin Mary as a victim of rape, says the birth of Jesus was because “the condom split”, and casts God as an ineffective old fool who needs Jerry Springer’s shoulder to cry on.
The show, which will follow the original script and score with a cast of 25 students, will have a three-night run at the students’ association from April 19 to 21.
The student director of the show, John MacLean, who is a practising Christian, denied he was courting controversy.
I’ve decided to put it on because it’s a fantastic show. I think the score is incredible, and I went to see it in Edinburgh and I laughed out loud throughout.
I’m not doing this to offend anyone. If this show is done by anyone, it should be by someone who understands the Christian scripture, and I hope that the fact I’m a Christian will make [critics] realise some Christians like it.
I know several members of Christian societies at the university who are excited about the show, and I am planning to speak to the chaplaincies. I hope they will be comfortable with it, and see it as an opportunity to bring discussions about religion into the spotlight.
MacLean, 21, added that he thought the show would boost, rather than damage, the university’s reputation.
This is pushing the boundaries of student theatre. St Andrews is famous for its academics and its Christian foundations, and it can now add that it’s willing to be brave and make a stand, the only university in the UK to do this.
But Green, national director of Christian Voice, remains implacably opposed to the show. His organisation’s campaign against the earlier, professional tour using leafletting and the threat of legal action against theatres meant the show lost £500,000.
Green said his outfit would try to do the same to the St Andrews production.
It is disgraceful that in the birthplace of the Scottish Reformation, St Andrews University is putting on a production that insults the Lord Jesus Christ. Ridiculing Jesus Christ will bring shame and God’s judgment on what should, with all its history, be a devout seat of learning, not a cesspit.
He called all Christians to take action against the musical.
We must pray that this show is cancelled, but if it is not, may the Lord bring Christian people out on the streets of St Andrews to witness and evangelise at all the events during the arts week. If many sinners repent and turn to Jesus Christ, some good will yet come from this evil.
Solicitor Michael Phillips, who represented Christian Voice when they unsuccessfully sued the BBC for blasphemy after broadcasting the musical in 2007 – an action that saddled Green with a huge legal bill which almost bankrupted the prat – said:
It’s a worry that this production is rearing up again, and it’s sad that something with so little artistic merit was given such a lot of attention because it used profanity and blasphemy.
St Andrews University could be opening themselves up for protests which could lead to legal action if there is somebody with the right funding behind them.
Gordon Macdonald, of Christian Action, Research and Education in Scotland, said:
We would ask people not to see it or give them any encouragement by attending the performance. We recognise people’s freedom of speech, but at the same time that has to be exercised responsibly, and they shouldn’t go out of their way to offend people unnecessarily.
But the Right Reverend David Chillingworth, Episcopal bishop of the diocese of St Andrews, said the show gave a valuable opportunity to discuss Christianity.
He said:
People are entitled to feel that their deeply held religious convictions will be treated with respect, but I’m also glad that we live in an open and pluralist society in which it is possible to question and to talk about even the most sensitive issues.
Bring it on ‘Birdshit’Â – nothing would give us greater pleasure to see you notch up another dismal failure!
The Freethinker was founded in 1881 by GW Foote, an outspoken critic of religion. After the publication of 
February 1st, 2009 at 10:38 am
<blockquote=”We must pray that this show is cancelled, but if it is not, it is more evidence that my invisible friend doesn’t like me”
February 1st, 2009 at 11:29 am
Birdshit and his bully boys strike again. Does anyone know if he has paid the BBC over his last failed attempt to stifle free speech.
February 1st, 2009 at 12:07 pm
Methinks the laddie doth protest to much.
February 1st, 2009 at 12:40 pm
Anything that upsets Green is good by me. However the person who organised this play said ‘and I am planning to speak to the chaplaincies’. Why? Does he not see he is giving these arseholes unearned authority by that act.
February 1st, 2009 at 12:45 pm
But it’s about Jerry…
February 1st, 2009 at 12:47 pm
I see, Birdshit has got the same solicitor running behind him with his invoice pad in his back pocket. Does this vulture feel that there is more money to be made from this ‘poor’ deluded bankrupt?
February 1st, 2009 at 1:14 pm
Will the Birdman of Shit Green ever learn?
February 1st, 2009 at 2:50 pm
Interesting choice of venue: Prince William, the future King of England, went to St. Andrews University. I have no idea whether it had a “liberal” reputation before, but it’s getting one right quickly.
February 1st, 2009 at 3:17 pm
So how many ‘three-nippled cousin fuckers’ can Birdshit turn out in support this time?
(That’s a JSTO reference, for anyone who hasn’t got the DVD yet due to it not being stocked in their local Woolworths on ‘ethical’ grounds – which in turn rather proves what happens when you listen to godbotherers instead of your customers!)
February 1st, 2009 at 3:41 pm
Stuart H.
I think there is a much more compelling reason why Woolworths don’t stock Jerry Springer the Opera DVD’s.
February 1st, 2009 at 4:45 pm
‘People are entitled to feel that their deeply held religious convictions will be treated with respect…’
Why? I’m not entitled to feel that my high opinion of the films of Doug McClure will be treated with respect. Or my haircut. Or my politics. Why does freedom of speech and thought always have to be given or taken away on the say so of holy men brandishing their (absurd, immoral and contradictory) holy books?
February 1st, 2009 at 8:44 pm
This is another attack upon the Christian faith and highlights yet more persecution (they wouldn’t dare bash muzzies in this way). Persecution is on the increase in this country. I’ve just been reading about a Christian nurse who has been suspended for offering to pray for a patient. If she had been a muzzie nothing would have happened to her.
February 1st, 2009 at 8:54 pm
Stop playing the bloody victim card Bob. The persecution, like your imaginary friend in the sky, is all in your head.
As for your “persecuted” nurse, let me point out that nurses are paid to nurse, not to assault patients with mumbo-jumbo. The NHS pays hospital chaplains millions each year to do that – even though most patients in UK hospitals don’t want them! If I was in hospital and was approached by a chaplain, I would empty the contents of my bedpan over his head.
February 1st, 2009 at 10:20 pm
When a person is harassed, threatened with the sack, abused or whatever because he/she is living by their Christian beliefs that is a clear case of persecution. You appear to have a hatred of Christians but I don’t hold that against you – I pray for you, that God in His mercy would open your eyes and convert you.
February 2nd, 2009 at 12:01 am
Bob,
Nobody is ever threatened with the sack for living their Christian beliefs. They’re only threatened for not doing their job. If being a fundie nutjob keeps you from doing your job properly that’s your issue, not your employers. Would you hire (and pay) somebody who constantly refused to do their job, and insulted your customers besides, because of cockamamie bullshit they claimed their invisible Flying Pink Unicorn said? That’s exactly what so many Christians are doing. I’m not going to do ABC and XYZ because it offends my “deeply held religious beliefs”. And I’m not going to serve those fag customers because it offends my “deeply held religious beliefs”. But you better pay me and dare not fire me or I’ll sue you for religious persecution!
That’s pretty f*cked up when you think about it. You guys can say and do whatever you want in the name of your “deeply held religious beliefs” but nobody else can say or do anything because it’s “religious persecution”. Get the f*ck off the cross. It’s cold and somebody needs the wood for a fire.
As to Birdshit Green, maybe his last flirtation with bankruptcy was god’s way of telling him to just leave it alone. Maybe he should get a real job and stop being a pompous arse.
February 2nd, 2009 at 12:20 am
Come on Bob, pray for me too! I asked this of you before, maybe you missed it…there’s nothing I love more than watching you sad little cavemen mumbling on your knees before your invisible man; it gives me great pleasure to watch the sheer waste of time you engage in. I can assure you, as I’m laughing at you, that my atheism is far, far stronger and more powerful than your ikkle baby Jesus and his permanently “I’ll pray for your salvation” challenged dad.
I hope, like your persecuted brethren and your deeply held religious convictions, you spend as much time as possible being preoccupied with my welfare in the non-existent afterlife.
And just like the Muslims, who are all permanent victims never helped by their dog, ooops, I mean god, you Christians really are barking mad. It’s not me and my ilk you should be praying for, but yourself. Why Lord, do you never answer my prayers? Why Lord do you never convert these atheists into good Christian sheep? Why? Hello? Hello? Lord? Are you there Lord?
enjoy your prayers, cos I know I will…
February 2nd, 2009 at 4:29 am
oh yeah, I forgot; Bob, if you do pray for me, I want to know about it. I want the exact day and date when you pray, and how many hours each day and or night you spend on your knees for me. You need to log in your hours, so I know if you’re genuine about this, or if it’s just some silly little piece of patronising waffle you like to say at the end of your posts to make us all think you’ve had the last word.
So: day, date, and hours spent grovelling without any godly results please.
February 2nd, 2009 at 7:34 am
Buffy: Christians have been dismissed for living the Christian life, it happened to me when I wouldn’t lie for my employer as lying is sinful. I took him to a tribunal and won the case but it was a clear case of persecution. A copper in Norfolk has been dismissed for telling the truth about gay behaviour (even though he was doing his job well and had won commendations etc.) Nadia Eweida faced the sack at British Airways for wearing a cross, and so it goes on. However, we pray for our persecutors.
Callisto: If God, in His sovereignty has chosen you for salvation then He will give you the faith to believe, even though you appear, humanly speaking, to be an “impossible” case.
February 2nd, 2009 at 5:39 pm
“…Prince William, the future King of England…..” Eh?
Looks like ignorance is not confined to silly theists.
February 3rd, 2009 at 7:35 pm
Bob,
Graham Cogman was fired because he used the company e-mail system to repeatedly send fellow officers anti-gay e-mails despite orders to not do so. He’s not a Christian martyr, he’s a bigot who was rightfully fired for refusing to follow directives from his employer. Just because you think gays are icky and use your religion as an excuse to bash them doesn’t mean that you can claim “religious persecution” when you’re told it’s wrong. But of course people like you think that you should be able to say and do whatever the hell you want to whomever you want, but that you should never suffer any repercussions for your ridiculous behavior. Sorry, this isn’t the Dark Ages any longer.
Mind you if he’d been sending e-mails saying that Christians are evil shitheads he would have been fired, and rightfully so. That sort of crap doesn’t belong at work, period.