# Italian Museum Defies Pope Over Crucified Frog **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 28, 2008, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/italian-museum-defies-pope-over-crucified-frog/461578 "2008-08-28T17:54:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ratatoskK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ratatoskk/32/2987_2.png) [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2008, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/italian-museum-defies-pope-over-crucified-frog/461578/1 "2008-08-28T17:54:45Z")
This [report in the NY Times](http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/world/international-italy-frog.html) says (in part): > [@](#): > > An Italian museum on Thursday defied Pope Benedict and refused to remove a modern art sculpture portraying a crucified green frog holding a beer mug and an egg that the Vatican had condemned as blasphemous. [Here is a picture of the crucified frog](http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3071/2615932627_6a37326070.jpg?v=0) for your enjoyment. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2008, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/italian-museum-defies-pope-over-crucified-frog/461578/2 "2008-08-28T18:11:48Z")
The Pope: “You went against me on _whose_ authority?” ---
**Author:** ![Flander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8c91f0/32.png) [@Flander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flander)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2008, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/italian-museum-defies-pope-over-crucified-frog/461578/3 "2008-08-28T19:30:58Z")
The egg is blasphemous? Why? Band name or Doper name : Blasphemous Egg! ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2008, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/italian-museum-defies-pope-over-crucified-frog/461578/4 "2008-08-28T19:32:35Z")
The beer is blasphemous? Why? ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_fight\_the\_hypothetical](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/59ef9b/32.png) [@Don\_t\_fight\_the\_hypothetical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_fight_the_hypothetical)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2008, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/italian-museum-defies-pope-over-crucified-frog/461578/5 "2008-08-28T19:35:48Z")
Clearly that’s a Sumo wrestler. ---
**Author:** ![Oredigger77](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oredigger77/32/3181_2.png) [@Oredigger77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oredigger77)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2008, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/italian-museum-defies-pope-over-crucified-frog/461578/6 "2008-08-28T19:41:51Z")
I want one for my office. ---
**Author:** ![Terrifel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c68b51/32.png) [@Terrifel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terrifel)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2008, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/italian-museum-defies-pope-over-crucified-frog/461578/7 "2008-08-28T22:36:36Z")
I’d have thought that art condemned as blasphemy by the Pope would be more interesting. Note to Pope: people all over the world have now learned about the “Passion of the Kermit” sculpture thanks to you. Save the official blasphemy denunciations for art that people already care about anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Pithy\_Moniker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8dc957/32.png) [@Pithy\_Moniker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pithy_Moniker)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2008, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/italian-museum-defies-pope-over-crucified-frog/461578/8 "2008-08-28T22:38:27Z")
[QUOTE=Terrifel] I’d have thought that art condemned as blasphemy by the Pope would be more interesting. [/QUOTE] Yeah, no kidding. I have several older relatives that would probably stick this in their gardens. ---
**Author:** ![Marlitharn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/779978/32.png) [@Marlitharn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marlitharn)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2008, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/italian-museum-defies-pope-over-crucified-frog/461578/9 "2008-08-28T22:43:56Z")
That looks like something you should be able to buy at your neighborhood truck stop. Does the Pope ever go to truck stops? He’d see all kinds of stuff to upset him there. ---
**Author:** ![Hockey\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a183cd/32.png) [@Hockey\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hockey_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2008, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/italian-museum-defies-pope-over-crucified-frog/461578/10 "2008-08-29T01:35:36Z")
Why was I expecting a real frog? Am I that sick? Apparently. Oh well, I’m glad it’s not a real frog, and I want one for my office. And Blasphemous Egg is totally a sweet Doper name. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2008, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/italian-museum-defies-pope-over-crucified-frog/461578/11 "2008-08-29T01:42:09Z")
Was I the only one who was “defied” as “deified”? Yes? I’ll be here in the corner, then. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2008, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/italian-museum-defies-pope-over-crucified-frog/461578/12 "2008-08-29T01:45:11Z")
What’s the deal with the egg? Why is it the color of an actual egg, while the beer mug is just the same color as the frog? ---
**Author:** ![Terrifel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c68b51/32.png) [@Terrifel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terrifel)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2008, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/italian-museum-defies-pope-over-crucified-frog/461578/13 "2008-08-29T02:24:05Z")
It is the Blasphemous Egg. Blasphemous = profane = worldly = material = naturalistic. So of course it looks like a real egg. If it looked artistic, it wouldn’t be blasphemous. Do not underestimate the intricately layered semiotic iconoclasm of _Frog on a Stick_. ---
**Author:** ![Hockey\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a183cd/32.png) [@Hockey\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hockey_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2008, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/italian-museum-defies-pope-over-crucified-frog/461578/14 "2008-08-29T02:42:55Z")
[QUOTE=Terrifel] It is the Blasphemous Egg. Blasphemous = profane = worldly = material = naturalistic. So of course it looks like a real egg. If it looked artistic, it wouldn’t be blasphemous. Do not underestimate the intricately layered semiotic iconoclasm of _Frog on a Stick_. [/QUOTE] [Jeff Dunham]Frog on a Steeeeeeeek![/Jeff Dunham] ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2008, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/italian-museum-defies-pope-over-crucified-frog/461578/15 "2008-08-29T02:48:05Z")
“Modern art”? Phhhht! Aleister Crowley was working with the real thing when he was a youth. ---
**Author:** ![HazelNutCoffee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@HazelNutCoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HazelNutCoffee)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2008, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/italian-museum-defies-pope-over-crucified-frog/461578/16 "2008-08-29T03:09:04Z")
[QUOTE=Hockey Monkey] Why was I expecting a real frog? Am I that sick? Apparently. [/QUOTE] I was expecting a real frog too. Actually, the description reminded me of a series of photos I saw at an exhibit in Norway, of a rat being crucified and sliced apart. Grossed me out. That frog is underwhelming. ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2008, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/italian-museum-defies-pope-over-crucified-frog/461578/17 "2008-08-29T03:09:08Z")
[QUOTE=Freudian Slit] Was I the only one who was “defied” as “deified”? Yes? I’ll be here in the corner, then. [/QUOTE] Joining you in the corner (although I was wondering _why_ they’d deify the Pope, exactly. Something to do with that beer he likes?) ---
**Author:** ![MissMossie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@MissMossie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissMossie)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2008, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/italian-museum-defies-pope-over-crucified-frog/461578/18 "2008-08-29T12:28:12Z")
The frog and the egg both remind me of springtime and new life. I thought they were somewhat fitting for such a sculpture. I’m a bit lost on the beer, but that’s okay. It’ll give me something to ponder. Does anyone else want to send the pope a copy of “Half Asleep In Frog Pajamas” by Tom Robbins? ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2008, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/italian-museum-defies-pope-over-crucified-frog/461578/19 "2008-09-03T00:20:56Z")
For some reason, I can’t help laughing when I look at the crucifrog. I was expecting realism, not a Bullywug on drugs. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2008, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/italian-museum-defies-pope-over-crucified-frog/461578/20 "2008-09-03T14:23:27Z")
> [@Oredigger77](#): > > I want one for my office. I want one painted on black velvet for my office. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/italian-museum-defies-pope-over-crucified-frog/461578.md?page=2)