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Catholic outrage over Lady Gaga's 'Judas' Easter release

 The anticipated Easter release of Lady Gaga's new video "Judas" is infuriating some Catholics and other Christian conservatives. "Judas" is the latest single from Lady Gaga's hit album "Born This Way." Some critics claim the music and video to be blasphemous, and complain an Easter release of the video is only adding insult to injury.

Tuesday an angry Bill Donohue, President of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, appeared on Fox News, complaining about Lady Gaga and her treatment of the Catholic Church:

"This is a stunt…Lady Gaga tries to continue to shock Catholics and Christians in general: she dresses as a nun… she swallows the rosary. She has now morphed into a caricature of herself."

"People have real talent, and then there is Lady Gaga. I find Gaga to be increasingly irrelevant. Is this the only way to jet up her performance? This isn’t random, we are getting closer to Holy Week and Easter."

''She is trying to rip off Christian idolatry to shore up her talentless, mundane and boring performances.'' 

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In "Judas" Gaga sings from Mary Magdalene's perspective: 
 

"When he comes to me, I am ready/I'll wash his feet with my hair if he needs/Forgive him when his tongue lies through his brain/Even after three times, he betrays me…"
 
According to the New Testament, Judas Iscariot, one of the 12 apostles of Jesus, betrayed Jesus. In “Judas,” Lady Gaga sings about her love for Judas:

"Jesus in my virtue and Judas is the demon I cling to...I'm just a holy fool, oh baby he's so cruel, but I'm still in love with Judas baby."

A sample of reaction from Tuesday's Twitter stream shows mixed feelings about Gaga's "Judas": 
On "Judas": LADY GAGA, DID THE CHRISTIANS BURN YOUR HOUSE DOWN YET!?
 

Lady Gaga outrages Catholics during Holy Week with new single 'Judas'

Wooow. Just listened to Lady Gaga's new song 'Judas'. Absolutely terrible and disrespectful to God. I won't ever support anything of hers.

the catholic church needs to shut the f*ck up. I hate being catholic. your preists molest children, and your worrying about gaga? please.

Pope Benedict XVI is sick, and he's blaming Lady Gaga.

Lady Gaga's "Judas" video coming out on Easter Sunday? Things that make you go #hmmm

okay. gaga has taken it entirely too far. judas? cmon now. i was all for 'born this way'. but that judas song is clearly satanic.

and then it goes into the hook "I love Judas"....yeah...Gaga, there is a nice little corner in Hell just you people like you. #Blasphemy

Why is everyone so upset over lady gaga's judas?
 

What do you think? Is Lady Gaga's "Judas" blasphemy? Is it art? Does it matter when Lady Gaga releases her video? Or is the planned Easter release of Lady Gaga's "Judas" insensitive and/or inappropriate?

, Humanist Examiner

Michael Stone is a progressive freethinker and freelance writer residing in Portland, Oregon. Informed by science, inspired by art, and motivated by compassion, Michael’s task is to question the world in pursuit of the good. You can reach Michael at stonemichael@hotmail.com.

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