Aggression plays a big part in football

NEWS that the American singer Barry Manilow had finally outed himself as gay at the grand age of 73 was helpful in reminding me that he was still alive.

I’m still trying to live down the fact that I once attended one of his concerts in Birmingham years ago. But what made me smile was his suggestion that he hadn’t wanted to out himself because he “thought I would be disappointing my fans if they knew I was gay”.

It was just the same with George Michael and his romantic ditties. But it’s the songs we care about, not the artists. EVEN the cast of Monty Python might have struggled to think this one up.

The Guardian reported on Wednesday that “a fundraising plan to hold a mock crucifixion of members of the public in Manchester city centre has been cancelled after Church of England clergy raised concerns it was blasphemous and unsafe”.

Organisers of the Manchester Passion Play, which will tell the story of Christ’s crucifixion, offered “the full crucifixion experience” for £750.

The full crucifixion experience, eh?

I can sort of understand why some Christians might possibly want to experience such an excruciating experience, including having nails driven into their wrists, as a way of trying to grasp the full horror of their Saviour’s fate. But to offer it up as some kind of ‘bucket list’ entertainment is understandably distasteful for many Christians.

My favourite line though came from the organiser, Alexander Stewart-Clark, who said there were plenty of other bad fundraising ideas that were scrapped, including charging people a fee to sit next to the bishop to watch the play.