As we posted about earlier this month, Netflix is airing a Portuguese-language satire called The First Temptation of Christ, by the comedy team Porta dos Fundos, in which Jesus is shown in a same-sex relationship.
That description alone was enough to generation over a million signatures on a petition and incur the wrath of the son of Brazil’s president.
But now the outrage is getting worse.
On Christmas Eve, the headquarters of Porta dos Fundos were nearly firebombed when two Molotov cocktails were thrown into the building. According to a (roughly translated) news story:
Via a press office, [Porta dos Fundos] reported that if it were not for the presence of a security guard, the producer’s headquarters would surely be set on fire. In a statement, the humorous group stated that “it condemns any act of hatred and violence and has therefore made the security camera images available to the authorities, the Security Secretary and expects those responsible for the attacks to be found and punished.” In addition, he stressed that he will move forward “more united, stronger and more inspired by freedom of expression”.
No injuries were reported, thank goodness, but the whole thing is reminiscent of the Charlie Hebdo massacre, with (presumably religious) people so bent out of shape by people satirizing their faith that they resort to violence to get revenge.
Because nothing says religion of love more than weapons designed to murder people.
The question now is whether authorities will take the attacks seriously enough to go after the culprits or drag their feet over the issue like Bangladesh did for so long when vocal atheists were being assassinated a few years ago.