Posted on 03/28/2006 3:51:48 AM PST by franksolich
Otto Jespersen, one of Norway's most controversial comedians, has caused another stir by burning pages from the Bible in the heart of a conservative West Coast city. Comedian Otto Jespersen seems to enjoy stirring up controversy.
The city of Ålesund is already well-known for a fire that destroyed most of it at the beginning of the last century, and for rebuilding efforts that produced unique examples of Art Nouveau architecture.
Now some flames have thrust Ålesund into the headlines again, after Jespersen lit a fire in the center of town. The burly, middle-aged Norwegian seems to have a thing for fires: He's perhaps best known for an American flag-burning stunt on national TV three years ago, to protest the US-led invasion of Iraq.
This week, with the help of the local fire brigade, Jespersen lit a bonfire in front of Ålesund's city hall. With cameras rolling for his TV show "Rikets Røst," Jespersen first started burning some Norwegian books. Then, with the willing cooperation of Ålesund Mayor Arve Tonning, he threw paper money on the flames.
Tonning went along with the stunt to tease local residents known for their business sense and knack for making money. But then Jespersen ripped out several pages from the Bible's Old Testament and threw them on the fire. Tonning didn't like that and said he tried to stop Jespersen, but was ignored.
"I protested strongly and said I wouldn't go along with it," Tonning told newspaper VG. "But that guy (Jespersen) isn't easy to stop."
Odd Bondevik, the conservative local bishop, was also disgusted by Jespersen's stunt. "We've just been through a process in Norway about trying to understand how important it is to hold some things holy," said Bondevik, referring to the recent uproar over the publication of cartoons offensive to Muslims. "Otto Jespersen has lost respect for the holy with such an offense."
Bondevik said he won't pursue the matter, but hopes Jespersen's channel, TV2, will show "editorial responsibility" in the matter.
Tonning wants Jespersen's program stopped. Jespersen, meanwhile, claims he doesn't understand the uproar. At the very least, he succeeded in attracting plenty of publicity.
Ho-hum.
The Nazis forced the Jews of Vienna to clean latrines using their treasured Torah.....but as usual, the Torah endured, while its mockers are now dust.
This "funnyman" had better not burn the pages of the revered Koran!
Now ... let's see him do it with the Koran.
Lets see him burn a quran. Otherwise he is a gutless wonder!
Now try it with a Koran, funny guy!
Great minds think alike!
What would be hilarious is if someone started a rumor that that is in fact what he did.
Thats because he chose a civilized, tolerant, group pf people to try to offend.
It's easy to pretend to be a bully, when you know your target wont strike back.
Now let him pick on the less evolved muslims of norway, then, I might be impressed, and he'll probably be dead.
And Christians are calling for him to be beheaded? Right?
Right?
(Aren't "comedians" supposed to be actually funny...or something?)
What a pathetic ploy for attention.
But I, who have no special allegiance to the Bible but ~~do~~ have the deepest contempt for people who are always getting into other peoples faces with their disrespectful antics, would find it really, really funny if someone opened a vicious can of redrum on his butt.
That's why things such as this do not shock or bother me any more.
Let the intolerant and the ignorant have their "fun," because this is all they're going to get out of life anyway.
Now you're talking!
BTW, I hear that he peed on a Koran. ;-)
If he's so brave, let him burn the Koran in the streets of Paris. No that would get him on the news.
These people who like to burn American flags generally have a rabid hatred for the Bible and those who believe it.
Exactly. Christians will be disgusted, shocked and offended. They might even protest. But they aren't going to riot, burn buildings, or kill people. Although we don't want to see Bibles burned, the Word lives and cannot be destroyed.
Exactly. Christians will be disgusted, shocked and offended. They might even protest. But they aren't going to riot, burn buildings, or kill people. Although we don't want to see Bibles burned, the Word lives and cannot be destroyed.
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