nabraxas Posted July 23, 2011 The Indian outrage over a racy swimsuit depiction of Indian goddess Lakshmi during Australian Fashion Week 2011 has escalated to diplomatic levels, reports smh.com.au. The Indian Government has made an official complaint to the Australian High Commission. The Indian Consulate General in Sydney has taken the matter up directly with the designer. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs “conveyed its deep concern” and asked “that all concerned be apprised of the Indian religious sensitivities in the matter,” a statement said. Over the weekend, as reported by CNNGo, members of the Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party burned Australia's national flag in southern Hyderabad. In north-western Armritsar, Punjabis took to the streets for prolonged protests. Byron bay-based designer Lisa Blue offered an apology on her Facebook page: "We would like to offer an apology to anyone we may have offended and advise that the image of Goddess Lakshmi will not appear on any piece of Lisa Blue swimwear for the new season, with a halt put on all production of the new range and pieces shown on the runway from last week removed. This range will never be available for sale in any stockists or retail outlets anywhere in the world.” http://www.cnngo.com/sydney/shop/lakshmi-swimsuit-outrage-escalates-diplomatic-levels-878375#ixzz1SyGvDsMA Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
7baz Posted July 23, 2011 (edited) seriously whats wrong with these people ? it could have been " man thats awesome , let us make this here in india" it could have turned into a economic boast for india. but no they want to cry over something so meaningless and utterly pointless. Edited July 23, 2011 by 7baz Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nabraxas Posted July 23, 2011 but no they want to cry over something so meaningless and utterly pointless. obviously they consider it disrespectful to one ov their goddesses & far from meaningless and utterly pointless. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ThunderIdeal Posted July 24, 2011 it's a tricky issue, i can see both sides. i'd like to think that if i wore a t-shirt depicting jesus as a gangster, that it would be okay, although if the image of jesus meant a lot to me i would find it offensive, and to be honest i do find the swimwear a little bit offensive although it seems to be fine to use those types of images on a t-shirt so i dunno. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ballzac Posted July 24, 2011 I've been trying to find something said by John Shelby Spong that is somewhat fitting, but I haven't had any luck. Anyway, it was about how so many religious people think their God/gods is/are so feeble that followers need to jump to His/Her defence at the slightest hint of affront. I'm going to keep trying to find it, because I'm sure he puts it better, lol. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ballzac Posted July 24, 2011 (edited) I remember the day when I suddenly discovered that God did not need Jack Spong to defend God. And I wish the church and some of its leaders would realise that God is not so fragile that when somebody articulates a different point of view from the traditional way, that somehow God needs the church to rush to God's defence. God can get along quite well, and it'd be a rather pitiful god I think if this god had to have certain ecclesiastical figures constantly defending God from the questions of modern men and women. source: http://www.abc.net.au/compass/intervs/spong2001.htm Edited July 24, 2011 by ballzac 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Moses Posted July 24, 2011 , and to be honest i do find the swimwear a little bit offensive although it seems to be fine to use those types of images on a t-shirt so i dunno. the image of their goddess smiling from some chicks ass crack would have to be offensive to most of a religious fanaticism(not for me ) and are they not against the showing of womans bodies so even though the swimsuit body is quite innocuous it would be a hanging/caning offense to them i think burning our flag is a bit extreme though. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Moses Posted July 24, 2011 I've been trying to find something said by John Shelby Spong that is somewhat fitting, but I haven't had any luck. Anyway, it was about how so many religious people think their God/gods is/are so feeble that followers need to jump to His/Her defence at the slightest hint of affront. i wouldnt have thought they consider them feeble, i've always got the impression gods are to be feared and are cruel mean tempered egotists who expect you to stand up for them or they will make your life shit. Much like a bully. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ballzac Posted July 24, 2011 I agree that God is presented - within the context of fundamentalism - as a bully. But I also agree with what Spong said. I think it reveals a fundamental insecurity that these people have about their beliefs if they cannot allow those beliefs to be questioned. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kee Posted July 24, 2011 Looks like a pretty bangin swimsuit to me. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tripsis Posted July 24, 2011 (edited) People need to remember that women in India are expected to dress modestly, and only wealthy Indian women in cities would ever wear something as revealing as a swimsuit. So the depiction of one of their gods on what is basically underwear coupled with the fact it's being depicted on a woman who is dressed so immodestly would be seen as an insult and very disrespectful. Edit: Personally, I think the result is pretty funny. Very Indian! Edited July 24, 2011 by tripsis Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
7baz Posted July 24, 2011 god.. just imagine the reaction had it been a middle eastern woman with Mohammed on her ass....... bet it be a totally different story..... 500 men using a cable to whip lisa blue ? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Quill Posted July 24, 2011 I have seen the face of God in similar places (mostly round the front though) 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ballzac Posted July 24, 2011 I'd be guessing that the people getting upset about this are probably a fanatical minority, but I think they should perhaps look at some of the shit they've got in their own backyard before looking internationally to find something to get upset about 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
botanika Posted July 24, 2011 I reckon it's awesome. If it looks good, it is good. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tripsis Posted July 24, 2011 I'd be guessing that the people getting upset about this are probably a fanatical minority, but I think they should perhaps look at some of the shit they've got in their own backyard before looking internationally to find something to get upset about Black people can call each other 'nigger' and get away with it. Indians can depict whatever they like in their religion, because it is their religion. If a person calls a black person a nigger, it's racism. If Australians depict an Indian deity in a way that Indians deem disrespectful, then it is disrespectful. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Moses Posted July 24, 2011 I think it reveals a fundamental insecurity that these people have about their beliefs if they cannot allow those beliefs to be questioned. insecurity of their beliefs or themselves? i would think they are fairly secure in their beliefs otherwise it would be hard to exude such fanatiscism. by questioning that belief you are getting them in trouble with "god" and it is their "duty" to "it" to punish you or they will suffer and be denied their just rewards , most religous practioners see themselves as insignificant to their lord and must daily pay homage to stay in favour so will vehemently protect what they expect is their due for such a shitty existence. well that's how i see them Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ballzac Posted July 24, 2011 insecurity of their beliefs or themselves? i would think they are fairly secure in their beliefs otherwise it would be hard to exude such fanatiscism. I dunno. I see it kind of similar to men who are really homophobic and get angry and violent if anyone questions their sexuality, but it turns out they suck dick whenever they can. I'd take Ted Haggard as a good example of both. People who are secure in themselves and their beliefs are generally quite happy for others to question them. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ballzac Posted July 24, 2011 Black people can call each other 'nigger' and get away with it. Indians can depict whatever they like in their religion, because it is their religion. If a person calls a black person a nigger, it's racism. If Australians depict an Indian deity in a way that Indians deem disrespectful, then it is disrespectful. I wasn't claiming that they insult their own Gods, but some people regardless of race or religion probably find depictions of bestiality offensive. Seriously, a lot of art in India - much of it presumably Hindu in origin - is very sexually oriented. How are people meant to know exactly what is going to cause offense and what isn't. Granted, if we avoid talking about, or portraying, religions or their deities, then we should be okay, but that seems a bit extreme to me. In a lot of these cases, Jyllands-Posten cartoons notwithstanding, the offense caused is completely accidental. In this particular case, the designer has apologised for causing offense to people and withdrawn the line in question. I don't think you can really compare someone using an image that they clearly find beautiful, as a decoration on an item of clothing, to someone calling a person nigger. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ThunderIdeal Posted July 24, 2011 that is one tiny horse. it has a saddle, would people actually ride (on it's back) such a small horse? i suppose hinduism, being a religion that does not spread aggressively and mainly exists in one place, has not been the target of the same negativity that gets directed towards christianity and islam for instance. maybe they are a bit insulated. they might have to start getting used to this sort of thing, it's not exactly on par with a popular cradle of filth t-shirt "jesus is a cunt". they are exquisite images anyway. i would be thrilled to see them getting around on clothing more often. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tripsis Posted July 24, 2011 True, the line isn't clear, and the reaction is an overreaction, but it is still the prerogative of the people whose religion is is to decide what is and isn't offensive. Of course, the people doing the flag burning and arm shaking probably do not represent Hindus as a whole, and are probably just crazy fundamentalists. The comparison to calling someone a nigger is a fair one though. In this modern day, we are often exposed to popular black culture using the word nigger in a way that makes it seem cool and alright to use. Yet if a white person was to use the word to a black person, even if they were under the impression that it's acceptable as they see black people on TV calling each other nigger all the time, it's suddenly overstepped an invisible boundary. Without knowing the historical usage of the word, how are people supposed to know it's fine for black people to use the word but not white people? Really, it's cultural double standards that are the problem. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ThunderIdeal Posted July 24, 2011 do i/we actually care if it's offensive though? this particular fashion designer obviously felt it was prudent to respect their wishes, they might have just as easily thought 'this product is marketed at rich australian beach goers maybe with a bit of a new age leaning, maybe not. get upset all you want, i'm not breaking any laws.' appreciation of hinduism from the bottom of my heart aside, i still feel that a gangster-jesus t-shirt would look good on me. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Distracted Posted July 24, 2011 Sand in their vagina. If I had the money i'd put sacraligious billboards all over the world just to piss people off, just so they know it's alright to be pissed off. Having something piss you off is natural, you don't need to protest it, for the 10 things that piss you off that you know about, there's 10,000 things that are worse you don't know about. So you're either gonna dedicate your life putting a stop to everything that pisses you off or just chill the fuck out and live your life like you were going to do anyway. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
7baz Posted July 24, 2011 ok how about a alternative ? 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
