The Christian Institute has slammed the use of taxpayers’ money to publicise a show portraying Jesus Christ as ‘transgender’.
Presented as a “theatrical piece in which Jesus has returned to earth as a trans woman”, the show was promoted by Belfast Pride, partly sponsored by Belfast City Council, Translink and the Public Health Agency.
In 2015, ‘The Gospel According to Jesus, Queen of Heaven’ faced strong criticism from the Institute when it featured as part of Belfast’s publicly-funded Outburst Queer Arts Festival.
‘Gratuitous offence’
The CI’s James Kennedy said: “This play goes out of its way to cause gratuitous offence to Christians by deriding the Lord Jesus Christ.
“To have it as part of a programme supported by our taxpayer-funded services adds insult to injury.
“Why are they openly supporting such a brazen attack on traditional Christianity? Would they put their name to it if it was mockery of any other religion?”
NI Scouts
Mr Kennedy also criticised Scouts Northern Ireland for supporting Belfast Pride.
He described the charity’s call for cubs, scouts and leaders to march at an event billed as a protest against the Province’s ban on puberty blockers for gender-confused children as “deeply concerning”.
Uniformed officers from the Police Service of Northern Ireland have not been allowed to march at the pro-LGBT event since 2023, although the service did place an advertisement in this year’s festival guide.
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