Austrian humorist's "Life of Jesus" thorn in MP's side

The Czech edition of The Life of Jesus, a satirical comic book created by Austrian humorist Gerhard Haderer, is continuing to draw controversy in the Czech Republic, at least among more conservative Catholics.

Austrian humorist's "Life of Jesus" thorn in MP's side

The Austrian comic book "The Life of Jesus" originally drew criticism from conservatives in the church in the author's homeland and it has drawn a measure of criticism here: earlier this year Christian Democrat MP Jiri Karas took his case to court on the grounds that "The Life of Jesus" was defamation against all Christians, calling the book "evil" and comparing it to Nazi propaganda. This apparently for its portrayal of Christ-the-Saviour as an incense-inhaling infant. Later the book makes the mock discovery that the incense actually contained THC - the primary intoxicant in hashish and marijuana.

Similarly spoofed by the author is Jesus' ability to produce miracles: in one scene he restores a man's sight not by laying on hands but simply by taking the man outside and removing his sunglasses.

Jiri Karas

But is this really the stuff that evil is made of? The Czech State Attorney didn't think so, throwing the case out earlier this year. Now the publishers themselves are trying to sue Mr Karas after he claimed that they were motivated by profit at any cost in their desire to publish the book, which, incidentally, became an all-out hit - not unlike a far earlier spoof on the life of Christ from the late 1970s, that was banned for blasphemy in parts of Great Britain, including - I'm told - Swansea till as late as 1997.

That spoof was of course Monty Python's Life of Brian. Here in the Czech Republic it was re-shown a few years ago as part of the "100 Years of Cinema" series, introduced with great expectations but apparently little or no controversy at all.