The soul is nailed to the body of flesh and by the mystery of crucifixion the soul is liberated (anastasis). And yes, the soul (psyche) is a woman. Madonna’s act is wonderfully symbolic.>

Madonna’s act is pornographic. Does she even know the word shame?>

No doubt, Madonna still has the ability to create great songs and creative videos. However,I can’t help but suspect that she’s trying to capitalize on the controversy of the Da Vinci Code by trying to create her own.Identifying with Jesus with her mock crucifixion is all too easy to do,to get attention. I was hoping that her studies in Jewish mysticism would have provided her with a level of spiritual maturity that would inspire us akin to,say,John Lennon’s song “imagine”. She gives me the impression that her performances have no relevance to her spiritual beliefs and therefore she can play with the image of being crucified like Jesus as she pleases. she can do better than that..>

This is just nothing more than a disgusting ploy for attention in a culture which has ceased to be shocked. How low have we gone as a nation/world to have this ridiculous stunt NOT cause some kind of ridicule?? How dare she compare herself,symbolically or not, to Jesus? This is just ludicrous and disgusting. ‘Nuff Said.>

If she was all that interested in making a spiritual statement of Sophia or of the Soul crucified to the world or the flesh, why did she leave Christianity for Qabalah and seek instruction under a Rabbi, and continue to provoke and use seduction and materialism to lure and manipulate people and combine it with this cross stunt? And yet, the symbolism is there. Madonna represents not the higher Wisdom, not the Sophia who repented, but the lower wisdom/prunikos, the harlot confused by this world, bound and not yet repentant.>

Somehow, I am not surprised by this at all. Madonna has gone to great lengths to push the envelope throughout her career, why would she stop now? The saddest part is that she was raised in a Catholic home so she knows all about Christ, and yet she has turned her back on it all. Hopefully she will see the error of her ways before it is too late.>

Just because you’ve abandoned your birth faith is NO reason to MOCK Jesus Christ. One Day you will face HIM…. BUT there might be hope for you madonna, JESUS SAVES!!>

(dispicable = sexuality) Your thoughts are the reason the world is messed up. The Catholic League gets upset by FICTION, Islam get crazy over CARTOONS. (Religion = Control, Repression) Sins against humans in the name of a God who is more petty than we are. God was modeled in the image of very despicable men. I read most of these posts and think how bad off we are. Shame on you. Ed Graham>

We’re all talking about her. THAT’S what she wants. No publicity is BAD publicity. She’s not about spirituality…Madonna is about humanism and capitalism. She is a talented lady who has been mislead ever since she WAS a Roman Catholic and now she is misleading others with Kabbalah. She will answer for all of it one day. We should be praying for her.>

she was down right bogus for that what does shame mean to her. she needs to repent>

Ed Graham, No one said that sexuality was despicable. They said that flaunting your sexuality as a form of crass attention-seeking behaviour is despicable, and with that I completely agree. “Religon = Control, Repression” Wow – the controversional, dangerous, exotic, challenging, tantalising, heady truth spoken by a daring, defiant radical! I’m sorry, but the smug superiority adopted by some non-religious people is older than Madonna’s own act. It was once revolutionary and ‘cool’ to make pronouncements like that, yes. But not any more. That line is tired and jaded, not to mention untrue. It’s now much more revolutionary to be a part of a religion than it is to renounce one, because it takes courage and commitment. Yes, religion is about control…self-control. Those are nasty words to the ‘liberated’ people who just want to enjoy a comfortable candyfloss existence, but if you want your life to have any substance at all you have to accept some form of discipline. Without discipline, you have no hope of ever being true to yourself. Madonna is not true to herself or her supposedly Kabbalistic ideals. Her whole life is a PR stunt – she does whatever will raise the most fuss. SHE is the one who is repressed – by a piteous need to be in the limelight, to be talked about, to be controversial. As a religious person, I don’t have to care about any of that. No matter whether my faith is universally disliked or hailed as the best thing since sliced bread, it doesn’t change. In every situation, it allows me to express my full identity. That’s not repression. That’s dedication. That’s me.>

Ms.Ciccone? Just say no.>

Sweet… What ever happened with “don’t judge” sentence? Faded away with last breeze of understanding? I like Madonna. At least her actions have sense, deeper insight if you wish, and I’m sure that this is not just a thingie to provoke masses. Masses are upset with what they do not understand, and tend to judge it in advance. I don’t want to do that. Rather than judge, I like trying to understand certain action, try to fix it in my conscious and then analyze, figure out what’s the missing part that connects it with rest of humans, how does it affect my vision of the World, what can I do about it that reflects my beliefs and attitudes. But not judge it. We make a mockery of today’s planet by even discussing this matter – what will happen with poor little star who likes to play and test our patience with her, instead of trying to solve some of much more horrifying things that are happening nowadays-is there too little of hunger, poorness, misery so you have to express your thoughts about something else?Maybe Madonna and her crucifixion? Maybe there’s a message after all.>

Gee, I wonder what will happen to the mirrored cross that she’s defamed? Do you think she’ll donate it to a church or hang it upside down over her bed??>

I’m a liberal and I’m totally offended by this. She will do pretty much anything to get attention, but at least she’s not Brittany Spears who–through her stupidity–is actually endangering the life of her child. I hate Madonna but I hate stupid parenting even more.>

Contrast the crass, self-serving, self-indulgent, self-worshipping, attention-addicted antics of Madonna, who uses the cross for sleazy sensationalism masquerading as significant social commentary; with the work of Bono, a sincere and committed Christian who has done an extraordinary job of helping victims of AIDS, poverty, ignorance, and racism. On his worst day, he has raised more money and rallied more forces to fight these scourges on the world’s children than Madonna has done on her best. One is committed to her own appetites. The other is actually feeding the hungry.>

I’d like to correct the fallacy of “religious imagery” Madonna used in her Like A Prayer video. It is not Jesus the director has depicted, it is factually St. Martin de Porres. There is the correlation between the black saint and the many Blacks in the south who were lynched at various times in American history. And the burning crosses are designed as a political statement, i.e. imagery of religious oppression, KKK references, hate crimes, scapegoating Blacks in the South for White crimes. Do you think an all Black Gospel choir would have participated had they not been aware of Madonna’s intentions? What is really unfortunate is that those who criticize Madonna for her videos, art form, use of religious imagery(many she makes examle of for they are oppressive in nature towards minority and women) and use of free speech, is that they are the first to cry fowl when they feel their rights are being threatened.>

I think Madonna did nothing to offend the catholic church.She also did nothing to offend and religion.>

Instead of condeming this woman who is being who she is and not really harming anyone, why not reflect on what would Jesus think. I rather think he would enjoy the show, and advise those who did not like it not to go. I never heard that Jesus was a prude and had no humor.>

If I ran away, I’d never have the strength To go very far How would they hear the beating of my heart Will it grow cold The secret that I hide, will I grow old How will they hear When will they learn How will they know>

No doubt, this site seems to be a great fun for religious polemic. I think I’ll come more often. Nevertheles, even if someone is OFFENDED by Madonna’s act, what difference does it make in what you BELIEVE? It can only strengthen you. You should be grateful to her.>

Slow to judge, “I wanna say do you thing, but say, “Why the Cross”? instead. Yes, why the cross girlfriend?>

“dont judge, dont judge” lol ok ok…listen my friends from the far liberal side…… GOD is judge and u will be there with your dear friend madonna. The bible says already “God wont be mocked”, and “we reap what we sow”. The bible says that the sinners who have not come to repentance & who have not loved God with their whole hearts, who have not turned from evil, who have not belived in the truth of the Messiah will have their place in the LAKE OF FIRE! God is love. Yes indeed. But He is also Judge. And the mockers will incur the wrath of God. They reject the love of God, to their own folly.>

So, in all LOGIC, if God won’t be mocked, Madonna has done nothing to “mock God.” Therefore, there is nothing to incur, God has no wrath. In order for God to “act” wrathfully, as you have suggested it would require God to be a human, with human emotions, and you judge God and have devised God in your own humanly image and I believe that is more than just an ‘ideal’ of blasphemy. Humans created the entire system and concept of judgment, penalties and punishment and assigned them to their image of God. Here are a few of the many reasons humans do this: they do it in order to justify their own personal prejudices, to show intentional hatred and exhibit disgust for other humans with whom they hold contempt. That’s not GOD, it’s human. Can anyone prove that God will judge me, Madonna or anyone? No, because it’s a CONCEPT, not a fact. One last important Jesusism, HE did say that if we would judge our own hearts and actions we would escape God’s judgement. Funny that Jesus, he does away with ALL the harsh human concepts and causes us to find a deeper more meaningful aspect of God than most humans can imagine, Jesus promotes self-responsibility. Have your own rules, regulations and vengeful GOD whose out looking to burn human souls, your concept gets you where you want to place others. You created this monster God, he’s yours-not mine nor Madonna’s for that matter.>

I’ve been a madonna fan since the 80′s but sadly, no more. She has always shocked and I have usually defended her. She seems to need to go to greater lengths to grab headlines and this time (IMO) she’s gone too far. It doesn’t matter what her ‘symbolism’ may be. This was just wrong, plain and simple.>

Why are we so called “Christians” debating on whether or not her act was “symbolic”, or dazzling, or shocking… should we not be indignant towards this outright blasphemy?! COME ON!!! MS>

I’m older (72) and I think Madonna is a beautiful lady but alas I agree with most comments. It really is a shame that she has to bring religion into this in such a way that is not benefitting to anyone but her – I guess.>

I don’t think Madonna’s use of the cross and crucifixion in the show is in itself blasphemous or evil and I certainly don t think she is mocking Christ. We are all called to be images of Christ, and in our suffering or pain, we can identify with his suffering and pain on the cross. We don t literally have to be crucified or die in order to make this connection. Many of the martyrs in Christian history have been described as imaging Christ is this way. However, I would question what Madonna is trying to say with this act. Is she merely relating it to her song, Live to Tell, which is about a painful experience (thus saying that the persona of her song is an image of the suffering Christ)? Or is she saying something about herself, that she, even as a multi-millionaire super-star, experiences pain which allows her to image Christ s pain? But, I personally believe that Madonna has not thought through this act as completely as this. I think this is just a publicity stunt and that she is attempting to do something controversial, rather than make a statement about how human beings can relate to Jesus through hardship. That is the main reason why I think this part of the show was particularly tasteless and poorly done. But I don t think she is making a mockery of people s beliefs. She s just using iconic images to get a rise out of the faithful.>

Quite simply explained, Madonna is mocking the One who suffered an agony worse than we will ever know and who took her sins, along with mine, onto Himself on the cross of Calvary and, then, with that sin upon Him Who was our scapegoat, God the Father had to turn away from His perfect Son while he suffered and died in our place. She is mocking the portrait of the one thing that changes our eternal destiny, the one thing that purchased our redemption so that God could offer us the free gift of salvation when we ask and repent. He even died for the very wicked, sinful act of her mockery. One day, if she rejects His free gift until she dies, she will face Him and know how much He truly loved her to the point that He sacrificed His life for her on that cross so that He could have forgiven her and washed her if she had but only asked. It will be too late for her, then, because God says that while we are alive is the time of salvation. When death comes it is too late.>

Why is no one seeing the obvious performance art aspect of her depiction?! While up on the cross, she is singing Live To Tell…and showing pictures of children dying of AIDS in Africa…she is trying to show us that even still, in this time since Christ, when so many people claim to be Christian, we still have such cruelty and hypocrisy in the world…People can speculate all they want about her egotistic reasons for using such a “shocking” image of herself, but please it is pure political and performance genius…afterall, she is Madonna…lighten up people, and EDUCATE yourselves! i am not even a huge Madonna fan, and i can see this “controversy” is completely missing the point!>

The woman is irrevelent. Elton John said it best, “she’s a selfish cow”, always has been. She used to be interesting, the appearence at Live Aid where she dragged the Ethopian girl around like a rag doll was pathetic. She will climb on any band-wagon, fuck a horse, or desacrate any religion for a buck. Always has. Further, she has the intellignce to use other people’s art, always has, a mock it up as her own. Thank God Bjork told her to fuck off. Intersting to when Brad and Angelina were in London, Angelina stayed home while Brad and maddona & the houseman had dinner. Angelina puts her money where her soul is. Maddona is a user, a whore of publicity…the horse threw her. Horses are very intelligent spiritual creatures. That says it all.>

Ah now she fancies herself an aristocrat with the ability to banish people at whim, is she Esther- a woman who was powerful , but to our knowledge of the ancient not of cocubinage, Now she is buying her respectibility, and touts herself as only evil can, (always the alluring), as ESTHER-Queen of Virtue.And Jewish Kabbalah loves the money, and genuflects to her. HA HA ha Ha. Isreali society loves her? The rabbis must eat her… sure she loves the bloodshed there, as only a vampire of her pyshic dimension can. The old woman with the vagina of gold. HA! A sociopath with the remarakble ability to move on without care,leaving people who helped her, children, husbands, siblings… Men she engaged with for sex at random by hundreds…laughing and wanting MORE MORE! And the dimmwitted everywhere pay her for it and listen with bated breath as she intones, “i’m obsessed with red wine”. A true narcissict with hatred for men, she allows herself everything, without a thought of remorse, only whining that she has to let go….What a unbelievable load of bull, she proclaims a weak young woman who doesn’t behave as she expects her to-banished! I geuss Britney did not kiss her or kiss up,”put out”, enough…. Yes she is spiritual- channeling the Lilith goddess of Kabbalah.Too bad only the demons and vampires recognize that…evan they get tired of her. But Absolum will get his due, she is remarkably cheap in her life/ giving nothing to lovers she discards like snotted tissue. A stupid girl who has already had the warning. Her walls of money hide sorrow and bitterness, which she foists on the small boy child, and the gigaloo using her for career advancement(it will not to be), the poor boy child, ignored and put down. As she treasures her Lourdes, named after a Holy Site, and schools in her ways. The horse was very smart, I am sorry it didn’t break her neck…. The cross mocking, the slamming crucifixes into vagina’s,the good little children’s books with designed with code WE SEE HER AND WILL BRING HER THE BANQUET HER EGO WANTS. Named after the qeen of heaven to LIVE ON Forever as THE ONE TRUE GODDESS… laughing at the duped world. Slinking of after making herself the Virgin and sleeping with woman men children old men….Crazed and with no desire truly for love. Now she is the Wise Esther, drunk on power amusing herself with men and unfortunately dim AMerican women, who want to participate in her orgy of ego-she will allow you in…. Quite a laugh really as the Middle Eastern “primitives” alway’s say USA is the Empire of Evil. That men want to be her, and women want to emulate her. The laughter is of a different variety…. The USA- god bless? The Empire of Unsatiated Material Greed, the Whore Goddess wanting…but avioding the Islamics, and Hindu’s. We see her too, as she says she understands it all now… They of the dark world’s in AIR 4th Level find it amusing she won’t mock Islam- they would cut her throat.Or visit Iraq. Ah they say…her weakness revealed-real men scare her, as she is the twisted perverted child. Or Mrs. Madge LIVE AID…. Or go to Ethopia-humility isn’t her thing.She is too spiritual…there is laughter in high quarters… Unlike Angelina a woman of power, beauty and unbeliviable compassion. Good and protected by the GOds. Not touting her religion as American leader’s won’t to do – this WAR ON TERROR….and the EVIL EMPIRES it desires for democracy……Islam or whatever else the Empire fancies, drinking blood of innocent’s in Iraq, children who did nothing….rampaging across the globe proclaiming Saddam the Devil, while imprisoning whoever it deems to be anti-democracy.Intoning with OMrecI to dance on the graves of the martyred…and proclaim it the one of the cross. Bribing the vatican to be silent, like a Maddona on the cross…darkness of the blinded. America/ the Maddona complex of corporate whores drunk with power,ambition, and no mercy for the innocent, weak, vulnerable, who some see…. and little American’s buy it like so much truth, watching their ET entertainment hours like Hitler’s good children…Ah very funny. Maddona and the Pentagram Complex of Blood sacrifice only goes for that which won’t fight back.An easy mark. A weakened dictator and suffering people to liberate…sanctions Iraq, slaughter as holy. Ah..the American’s proclaim their religion. Like when she became the Hindu Bride of Shiva there was rage from priest’s of the Ganges…… So she slinked off like the good little demon she is then it whispered in her ear-buy the… Kabbalah, we will promise power more more money,and ability to control the fans. Just to her taste. A true American of the new “america”.>