August 29, 2008 - Bolzano Italy: A museum sculpture of a crucified frog faced possible removal from Bolzano’s new modern art museum after being condemned by the pope and other politicians. Of course 99% of the residents, and politicians, are Catholic. The work was a piece done by the late German artist Martin Kippenberger whose works are still shown all over the world and shows a green, bug-eyed frog, with warts, nailed to a cross with its tongue hanging out and holding a foaming mug of beer in one hand and an egg in the other.

The Prophet Rael pointed out the reality of the situation which seems to escape most people:
“Yet another attack on freedom of artistic expression and the rights of private museums. We must remember that thousands of people were crucified by the Romans, and not only Jesus; and therefore crucifixion is not the private property of Christians. We must also remember that the real original symbol of Christianity was 2 intertwined fish (like the Yin-Yang symbol) until centuries later when some stupid pope decided to replace it with the cross. If Jesus had been killed by hanging would Christians have a rope around their neck? People claiming to love Jesus should all get rid of their cross and go back to the beautiful fish of the original Christians. Adoring a cross is to adore the tool of torture which killed Jesus!!! If you really love Jesus destroy your cross! Remember that Jesus hated and still hates the cross. How could he love what killed him??? The Pope is offended by a frog but doesn’t stop to think that Jesus might be offended that a billion people are wearing miniatures of the tool which tortured and killed Jesus? Very stupid indeed.”

We’re happy to report that the museum's governing committee decided to keep it on display – and the vote wasn’t even close. ;-)