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The Passion of the Madonna

First Mel Gibson does an Ezra Pound and broadcasts (albeit drunk and via one cop) his wild-eyed anti-Semitism; now, another major American celebrity has raised the stakes (as it were) and gone and done an anti-Gibson - crucifying the crucifixion, to mock the most profound symbol (or reality) of the Christina Faith - and Rome is damned if it's going to let that go uncondemned.

Now, I have always enjoyed Madonna's corpus (anti-Christi?) of work - some pictured here - but perhaps it is time to ask of her the question which she is so lewdly spelling out in splayed fashion on her stage - Quo Vadis? - that is - may we begin to interrogate the interrogator, take down the taker-downer, mock the mocker - and beg the question from the queen of buggery?

In short, Madonna: what do you believe? What is your alternative philosophy for the good life?

Drawing a conclusion from both her work (music, films, videos, books) and her life (etc.), the answer is relatively clear - Madonna represents an "empowered" American sexual "liberator" who blanches at accepting the authority of church (if not state and capitalism) in dictating her behaviour in public or private sphere - i.e. she stands for radical individualism. At various times, she may also have espoused one or other transcendental or pseudo-spiritual options of a mystic bent, but basically she is still a material girl.

Now, I don't know about you, but, given global warming, Iraq (and beyond), and the generally abusive spectre of American power, expressed in terms of freedom, liberty and international careerism, the once-stylish and cute flaunting of US-type free-speechery typified by Madonna on the cross, has now become less pleasant or admirable. It is perhaps time to suggest that more community-based, less-self-interested, and more complex and nuanced responses to the environment, multiculturalism, and other religious faiths, is now required - nay, demanded, by the times. Tilting at Jesus on a stick doesn't cut it anymore. Besides which, the Sermon on the Mount is hardly a document worthy of hoisting on its own petard - it still remains the blueprint for a way of life that, if widely adopted by humanity, could save us all - even if secularized and lifted from its religious impediments.

Or is that what Madonna is saying?


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/5242638.stm
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