Published: December 13, 2008
Op-Ed Contributor
Cover of Playboy Mexico Features Nude "virgin Mary"
By Robert Paul Reyes
"A nude model resembling the Virgin Mary on the cover of the Mexican edition of Playboy magazine, published only days before a major Mexican festival dedicated to the mother of Jesus, prompted the company's U.S. headquarters on Friday to apologize.
The magazine, which hit newsstands on Dec. 1 as ceremonies began leading to Friday's pilgrimage to the Mexico City shrine of the Virgin of Guadalupe, showed a model wearing nothing but a white cloth over her head and breasts." Reuters
Organized religion isn't sacrosanct, it should be subject to ridicule and condemnation like any other man-made institution. However the Mexican edition of Playboy crossed the line of decency with the depiction of a semi-nude Virgin Mary.
A political cartoon rendering the Virgin Mary nude is a legitimate expression of freedom of the press. A painting showing the Virgin Mary naked as a jaybird is a legitimate expression of artistic freedom. But Playboy's nekkid ladies are not an example of great art or political commentary. Playboy simply engaged in a cheap publicity stunt to sell magazines.
"'While Playboy Mexico never meant for the cover or images to offend anyone, we recognize that it has created offense, and we as well as Playboy Mexico offer our sincerest apologies,' the statement said." Reuters
Playboy gives new meaning to the word "disingenuous". Mexico is overwhelmingly Roman Catholic, Playboy knew that their cover would be offensive, but they were banking on the old proverb: Any publicity is good publicity.
Playboy should do the right thing and recall all the copies of the offensive issue.
Robert Paul Reyes is a NewsBlaze writer on Politics, Pop Culture and Pointless Pontificating. Contact him by writing to NewsBlaze.
Robert Reyes
* The views of Opinion writers do not necessarily reflect the views of NewsBlaze
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