SPCS Press Release 1 July 2008
John Mills, President of the Society for Promotion of Community Standards Inc, (SPCS) has hailed as “bold, morally courageous and legally sound”, the classification decision issued to him today by the Chief Censor’s Office, that permanently bans a T-shirt he argued was “grossly objectionable due to its obscene content” and “completely vilifies the central figure of Christianity”. The Censor’s Office agreed with Mr Mills, an elder at the Kapiti Christian Centre, that the T-shirt, worn and flaunted in a large public gathering on the Kapiti Coast and a part-image (censored) of which was published in the Kapiti Observer newspaper, should be classified “objectionable”.
The censor noted its sexually degrading image of a traditional Roman Catholic nun, and its grossly obscene and blasphemous language directed at the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ, Who is worshipped, adored. praised and revered as the central Person of Christianity. The use of vile Satanic imagery emblazoned on the T-shirt, including depictions of dripping blood, linked to the heavy metal band “Cradle of Filth” and lewd and inflammatory content directed at Christians, was also noted by the censors. (Mills praises the Kapiti-Observer for initially highlighting the nature of the offensive apparel).
In the classification decision (No. 800513) on the apparel entitled “Vestal Mastur#ation (Cradle of Filth)” dated 26 June 2008, signed by Ms Nicola McCully, the Deputy Chief Censor, it states:
“The injury to the public good that is likely to be caused by the availability of this T-shirt originates from the manner in which it associates an aggressive and misogynistic meaning of the “harsh, brutal and generally unacceptable” word c### with Jesus Christ, and depicts an image of a chaste woman engaging in sexual activity. A fair interpretation of the messages conveyed by this T-shirt is that Christians should be vilified for their religious beliefs, and that women, including chaste and celibate women, cannot stop themselves engaging in sexual activity…” (OFLC No. 800513)
John Mills points out that the Society itself was founded by a nun – the late Patricia Bartlett (d. 2000) – who regularly had to put up with anti-Christian vitriol from the Society’s detractors who promoted sexually offensive and degrading images of women (hard core pornography) that regularly represent them an inherently inferior. Mills says “I am shocked that censors, in particular female censors like McCully, can allow truckloads of hard core porn to be classified for adult home entertainment use in New Zealand, ‘for sexual titillation purposes’, when they all know that research shows that such images, repeatedly viewed, fuel a misogynistic and sexually depraved mindset that produces the bad fruits of rape, incest, pedophilia and a host of other morally depraved vices.”
For bacground to this complaint see: http://www.bayofplentytimes.co.nz/local/news/offensive-religious-t-shirt-angers/3674327/
See TV3 news report:
Chief censor bans heavy metal
T-shirt of filth
Chief censor bans heavy metal t-shirt of filth Wed, 02 Jul 2008 11:16p.m.  A t-shirt advertising a British metal group’s album has been banned in New Zealand. Chief censor Bill Hastings says it is the most offensive piece of clothing he has ever seen, “because it fuses religion with the most aggressive, misogynistic word in the English language, with sexual activity depicted on the front that implies even celibate women can not resist sex”. The top has been deemed ‘injurious to the public good’ and capable of inciting religious hatred. “It’s illegal to possess it, it’s illegal to deal with it in any way. Sell it, rent it, hire it, give it,” says Mr Hastings. The t-shirt advertises an album by extreme British metal group, Cradle of Filth. In Australia, a 16-year-old was arrested and charged with offensive behaviour for wearing it. Here, a member of the Society for the Promotion of Community Standards brought it to the chief censor’s attention. “The language used is totally unacceptable, and it’s always been regarded as obscene and whenever that word is used and directed at the founder of a belief system it’s sure to cause grave offence,” says David Lane. But highly offensive language by itself is not enough to have a publication banned. In this case, it is the sexually explicit imagery on the front of the t-shirt combined with those words which has made it illegal. Mr Hastings says while there is a chance to appeal the decision, so far no one has. 3 News
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The shirt would be considered offensive by christians, but then how can you possibly draw a line? Will the censor ban t-shirts with mohammad pictured on them? I hope lots of people import and wear this… in a free society you have to be prepared to be offended by people exercising their rights.
Well this is a change of tone from your normal Bill Hastings = fearless partisan of homosexual agenda / pornographer lord line of criticism.
I Agree With Josh, i Mean i was Baptised a Catholic, But Almost 16, i Say, It Was the Bands Decision To Produce a Shirt Like this. We all do things that not everyone is proud of or like, Cradle obviously have their opinions about this stuff and so do most christians, as they would. but people should be alllowed to wear what they want and be proud of what they like witha passion, If it offends you so much then get a t-shirt and offend us right back, thats the way the world works, and in this case, Cradle of filth and All their fans spoke out.
This t-shirt has been around for over a decade and NZ bans it just now.
COF are a great band and the shock value is part of their image. I’ve seen people wearing this shirt in NZ so banning it is futile. People who already own the shirt prior to the ban will wear it anyway. Totally daft.
From a biblical perspective it was written from the beginning that man was given by God free will in the form of deciding between right and wrong. The SPCS is effectively committing blasphemy in taking upon themselves the omnipotence and authority of the Almighty in depriving individuals of the right to choose. For it is written in the Book of Revelation, ‘Let Good do Good’ & ‘Let Evil do Evil.’ From the fall of Adam man has pursued evil in all its forms and for the SPCS to enforce ‘goodness’ upon society is surely a sin in the form of ‘self-righteousness.’
Be aware, SPCS, that whilst you may expect others to conform to your standards, the Lord your God will expect you to conform to His.
I think people just need to harden up…
ARE YOU SERIOUS…. I mean its just a t-shirt, yeah its offensive, so what? why so much trouble for a shirt that is going to wear out… Fans are still going to wear it and look for it. I am catholic myself and huge fan, also I would love to have such piece of clothing on me.
ps. just dont let little kids look at it nor wear it to church.