A teenager is facing 2 years in jail after simulating gay oral sex with a Jesus statue. The 14-year-old western Pennsylvanian was charged under a rarely used 1972 law that makes it a crime to desecrate a venerated object after he posted the pictures online. The teen did not damage the statue, but simply posted a picture that some find offensive. The statue of Jesus kneeling in prayer belongs to Love in the Name of Christ, a Christian organization with a branch of Everett.
Gay rights activists have expressed outrage at the decision to give a boy a criminal record for something as ridiculous as this. ‘This is a blasphemy law, pure and simple, and it is in clear violation of the Establishment Clause of the United States Constitution,’ said Truth Wins Out Executive Director Wayne Besen.
‘If the kid had destroyed or damaged the statue, he would clearly deserve to face consequences. But taking a picture that offends somebody’s religious sensibilities? This is not Russia or Iran; this is the United States, where we’re supposed to value freedom of speech. Pennsylvania should be ashamed of itself for so clearly violating this kid’s constitutional rights.’
He added: ‘The Establishment Clause, part of the First Amendment, states that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” ‘Nowhere does it say that religious people reserve the right never to be offended by anything.
‘This child has not committed a criminal act, and Truth Wins Out strongly believes that the family court with jurisdiction is abusing its power by prosecuting a kid and potentially marking him as a criminal simply because somebody was offended.’
