The First Temptation of Christ: Brazil forces Netflix to remove comedy depicting Jesus as gay

Film sparked outcry among conservative Christians following its release last month

Netflix in Brazil has been ordered to remove a comedy that shows Jesus Christ in a gay relationship.

A judge issued a temporary injunction against controversial film The First Temptation of Christ, which is a religious satire made by YouTube comedy channel Porto dos Fundos.

It shows Jesus bringing home a romantic interest to meet his family.

Following its release on 3 December, the film sparked outcry from the country’s conservative Christians and more than a million people signed a petition calling for Netflix to remove the film.

On Christmas Eve, the Brazilian comedy troupe’s headquarters in Rio de Janeiro was bombarded with Molotov cocktails. No one was harmed in the incident.

Judge Benedicto Abicair said Wednesday (10 January) he was ordering the film to be pulled temporarily until the courts can consider further action.

“The right to freedom of expression... is not absolute,” the judge said.

Catholic association, the Don Bosco Centre for Faith and Culture, filed the suit against the film.

Netflix and the film’s production company have said they are yet to receive the judge’s order, which can be appealed.

According to AFP, Henrique Soares da Costa, a bishop from the state of Pernambuco, wrote on Facebook that he has cancelled his subscription to the streaming service, denouncing the film as “blasphemous, vulgar, and disrespectful”.