Why a Goa Church Called an Event Ad Deeply Hurtful: The 'Kamasutra and Christmas' Controversy Explained

The Goa Church condemned an event titled “Tales of Kamasutra and Christmas Celebrations” after its online advertisement linked Christmas with explicit themes. Following a complaint from NGO ARZ, Goa Police cancelled the event.

The Goa Church has strongly criticised a proposed December event titled 'Tales of Kamasutra and Christmas Celebrations', saying its promotional advertisement on social media was deeply hurtful and disrespectful to Christian beliefs. The event, promoted under the Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh Foundation, has now been cancelled by Goa Police following a formal complaint.

Event cancelled after police receive NGO complaint

The four-day event was scheduled to take place in Goa next month. However, police ordered its cancellation after receiving a complaint from ARZ (Anyay Rahit Zindagi), an NGO.

In a statement, Goa Police said the organisers were instructed not to go ahead with the programme due to concerns raised about its nature and its online advertisement. The authorities acted after examining the complaint and reviewing how the event was being promoted.

Yuri Alemao, a Congress leader and a member of the Goa Legislative Assembly, representing the Cuncolim Assembly constituency, also condemned the ad, event and urged police to take strict action.

Church says advertisement disrespected Christmas

The strongest response came from Archbishop of Goa and Daman, Filipe Neri Cardinal Ferrao, who issued a detailed statement expressing 'deep anguish and profound hurt' over the advertisement.

He said the social media content irresponsibly connected the sacred celebration of Christmas with explicit and unrelated themes, calling the link 'deeply offensive'.

The Archbishop stressed that Christmas is a holy time for Christians across the world, marked by peace, joy, and reflection on the birth of Jesus Christ. He said associating it with themes far removed from its spiritual meaning showed a serious lack of respect.

Concerns over respect and harmony in society

Cardinal Ferrao said such portrayals harm not only Christian sentiment but also damage the values of mutual respect and decency that India’s diverse society must protect. He urged the creators and promoters of the advertisement to think about the hurt caused and withdraw the content immediately.

He also requested that authorities conduct the necessary enquiries into the event and take appropriate action. “Freedom of expression carries the responsibility to respect the sacred convictions of others,” he noted.

Church urges Catholics not to support disrespectful events

The Archbishop appealed to all Catholics in Goa to stay away from any event that does not respect Christian values. He also called on people of all faiths to work together for understanding, respect, and harmony.

He said the incident should remind everyone that celebrations with religious meaning must be treated with care and dignity.

(With inputs from agencies)