Obviously this proves that Mormon criticism is a failed venture and I'll be getting re-baptized tomorrow!
The apologist seems to be arguing that since the artist himself made several renditions of a similar setting, the lds church has the right to take o;e of those images and alter it themselves.
For a church that sinks so much effort into protecting their own intellectual property rights, you’d think they would notice what a bogus argument this is.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints encouraged members to download a painting of Mary and the baby Jesus for Christmas, but it was an edited version — altered to remove a hint of Mary’s cleavage.
On its website, the church shared 18 Nativity images for members to retrieve and share or maybe use as a screen saver on their laptops, tablets or phones. One of those pictures is a painting by Italian artist Carlo Maratta from the 1650s of the Virgin Mary and the Christ child — except that someone modified the painting before sharing it on the website.
In the original Maratta painting, titled “The Holy Night” or “The Nativity,” small angels peek past Mary to gaze at the baby. In the church’s version, the angels have been removed.
(As of Wednesday, after an inquiry from The Salt Lake Tribune, the Maratta image had been removed from the website.)
In Maratta’s original, Mary shows a hint of cleavage as she gazes adoringly at her newborn. In the Latter-day Saint version, someone has not only given Mary a higher neckline but also moved a shawl a bit higher on her left shoulder, giving her added modesty after more than 3½ centuries.
The church declined to comment on the altered artwork.
The European sector of the church also blurred Jesus' genitals in Domenico Ghirlandaio's nativity scene (pictured) this year during their Christmas concert
The European sector of the church also blurred Jesus' genitals in Domenico Ghirlandaio's nativity scene (pictured) this year during their Christmas concert
Historians agree that Mary was most likely between 12 and 14 years old when Jesus was born.
Apologists point out that the God of the Latter-day Saints would not have chosen a mate younger than a few months shy of thirteen. This by the way vindicates Joseph's choice of Helen Marr Kimball and Nancy Winchester.
The European sector of the church also blurred Jesus' genitals in Domenico Ghirlandaio's nativity scene (pictured) this year during their Christmas concert
I find the modification of fine works of art for the sake of pseudo-modesty to be grotesque. Who are the sad little sickos who have a problem with the artistic presentation of the human body? Show the art as the artist made it or don’t use it.
"He disturbs the laws of his country, he forces himself upon women, and he puts men to death without trial.” ~Otanes on the monarch, Herodotus Histories 3.80.
