Kemmie T x10 wrote:
Marry. Me. Please.

In that see-through black lace dress?  I do!  =P

DVS wrote:
Her reply:

"The Virgin Mary is a model of MODESTY throughout the Church..."

Which Church?

Not the one with all those priests buggering the altar boys, right?

Caradoc wrote:
Which Church?

Not the one with all those priests buggering the altar boys, right?

Yes, that one.

DVS wrote:

In that see-through black lace dress?  I do!  =P

Sorry. Sold it on EBay.

DVS wrote:
Her reply:

"The Virgin Mary is a model of MODESTY throughout the Church..."

Caradoc wrote:
Which Church?

Not the one with all those priests buggering the altar boys, right?

I'd be happy to marry them. I'm an ordained minister.

People get sensitive about the Virgin Mary. If one doesn't buy the preposterous story that she told about getting knocked up by a holy spirit then one is left with the conclusion that she just whored around. So I never saw her as a symbol of modesty.

DVS wrote:
In that see-through black lace dress?  I do!  =P

Kemmie T x10 wrote:
Sorry. Sold it on EBay.

If I told you I bought it, would you wear it?  =P

Womack Photo wrote:
I just don't see why everyone want to turn nuns into porn stars...NOT funny/cute/edgy.

It's a little funny.

DVS wrote:

I take post-dated checks or fresh baked cookies!

Ok, what kind?

DVS wrote:

Yes, that one.

Most Offensive Halloween Party?

Curt Burgess wrote:

DVS wrote:
Her reply:

"The Virgin Mary is a model of MODESTY throughout the Church..."

I'd be happy to marry them. I'm an ordained minister.

People get sensitive about the Virgin Mary. If one doesn't buy the preposterous story that she told about getting knocked up by a holy spirit then one is left with the conclusion that she just whored around. So I never saw her as a symbol of modesty.

Actually a lot of scholars are begining to admit the consideration that she may have been raped by a roman soldier.

DVS wrote:
I recently decided to place a few of my matted images on eBay for sale including "Sacred Heart".  Apparently, someone doesn't like my art...

"These are disgusting and totally disrespectful to Catholics and Christians everywhere. Shame on you for displaying such vulgarity. Maria"

My reply:

"Hello Maria, Thank you for your email. Vulgarity, as is beauty, always lies deep within the eyes and mind of the beholder. Within mine, these images are adoring tributes to the traditional Virgin Mary/Sacred Heart icongraphy created within the bodily form we ourselves were created. Many artists in our great history have depicted scared imagery to include the natural and most beautiful human form. We are truly His greatest work. This is no different in my eyes. I sincerely feel that art is only disrespectful if the intent of its creation was that of disrespect. My intent was not and nowheres near such. I am truly sorry that you cannot see what I, the artist, see within it. The message still exists if you allow your eyes to open. DVS"

Her reply:

"The Virgin Mary is a model of MODESTY throughout the Church... are you familiar at all with the Church? You are aiming at the shock value of it- not the beauty... this is vulgar and will never be accepted - even as art- in the eyes of anyone who calls themselves Christian. They need to look up the meaning of the word if they think they are."

My reply:

"Very true. Within the orthodoxy, modesty has always been a factor within the Blessed Mary, but baring the breasts is not immodest. Conduct a search of Virgin Mary nursing and you will see many Christian art (some even sanctioned by churches) depicting a bare breasted Mary with the child Savior dating back as far as the 12th century. One specific church in Scotland also features a statue of a young Virgin wearing sheer garments with clearly erect nipples. Then there's the lactation miracle of St Bernard of Clairvaux where the Virgin Mary is literally squirting breast milk from her bare breast unto St Bernard's face and mouth. Are these considered vulgar as well? No and the Christin church never thought so either. And as far as acceptance of "my" art, "Sacred Heart" is actually my best selling piece and the one I won the most awards with. Not because they close-mindedly see it as "shock" as you do, but because they see the true divine beauty within it. ..as they will also see the divine beauty with my upcoming pregnant Virgin image."

Art is fun...at least she didn't call me a "pale ass motherf***ing douche bag" or a "funky d**kless wonder"...I miss that guy already.  =\

Maybe she will prove to be my new friend... =P

EDIT:  Oh yea, I put her email and my reply in the Q&A section of the auction for all to read. 

Wow... she should check out the "Good Friday" gallery at my website.

DVS wrote:
I recently decided to place a few of my matted images on eBay for sale including "Sacred Heart".  Apparently, someone doesn't like my art...

i like it.

Chris Addams wrote:
So I probably shouldn't post my photo of Mary holding a chained slave against her naked body, crucifying him with a cross? Ah, the statements I make in my photos... Blashphemy makes my cereal taste better.

Heehee...I did something like that ala Hellraiser for a fetish flyer a couple years back.  I don't see you in your port.  =\

Womack Photo wrote:
I just don't see why everyone want to turn nuns into porn stars...NOT funny/cute/edgy.

I've never done a nun...photographically that is.

Ivy Bressler wrote:

Ok, what kind?

Chocochip fudgy

Jeffrey McAlister wrote:

Wow... she should check out the "Good Friday" gallery at my website.

"Counting Beads"...naughty you.

Selina Kyle wrote:
Aww Anthony, how could anyone send you hatemail?

Everyone actually really really hates me...they do they do....

Lumigraphics wrote:
Dude your work is awesome. Who cares if one idiot doesn't understand it? Those of us who do applaud you

I actually don't care if someone has a different opinion...all are good, but it's also good fun to share the fun with the rest of MM. 

redghost wrote:
Your work Is not only beautiful, but very tasteful.

She Is probably the type of person to get easily offended any way.

Keep doing what you're doing, many of us enjoy looking at your photos.

Thank you...

DVS wrote:
Maybe she will prove to be my new friend... =P

You're my new best friend. Huzzah for thought provoking art!

DVS wrote:
I recently decided to place a few of my matted images on eBay for sale including "Sacred Heart".  Apparently, someone doesn't like my art...

"These are disgusting and totally disrespectful to Catholics and Christians everywhere. Shame on you for displaying such vulgarity. Maria"

My reply:

"Hello Maria, Thank you for your email. Vulgarity, as is beauty, always lies deep within the eyes and mind of the beholder. Within mine, these images are adoring tributes to the traditional Virgin Mary/Sacred Heart icongraphy created within the bodily form we ourselves were created. Many artists in our great history have depicted scared imagery to include the natural and most beautiful human form. We are truly His greatest work. This is no different in my eyes. I sincerely feel that art is only disrespectful if the intent of its creation was that of disrespect. My intent was not and nowheres near such. I am truly sorry that you cannot see what I, the artist, see within it. The message still exists if you allow your eyes to open. DVS"

Her reply:

"The Virgin Mary is a model of MODESTY throughout the Church... are you familiar at all with the Church? You are aiming at the shock value of it- not the beauty... this is vulgar and will never be accepted - even as art- in the eyes of anyone who calls themselves Christian. They need to look up the meaning of the word if they think they are."

My reply:

"Very true. Within the orthodoxy, modesty has always been a factor within the Blessed Mary, but baring the breasts is not immodest. Conduct a search of Virgin Mary nursing and you will see many Christian art (some even sanctioned by churches) depicting a bare breasted Mary with the child Savior dating back as far as the 12th century. One specific church in Scotland also features a statue of a young Virgin wearing sheer garments with clearly erect nipples. Then there's the lactation miracle of St Bernard of Clairvaux where the Virgin Mary is literally squirting breast milk from her bare breast unto St Bernard's face and mouth. Are these considered vulgar as well? No and the Christin church never thought so either. And as far as acceptance of "my" art, "Sacred Heart" is actually my best selling piece and the one I won the most awards with. Not because they close-mindedly see it as "shock" as you do, but because they see the true divine beauty within it. ..as they will also see the divine beauty with my upcoming pregnant Virgin image."

Art is fun...at least she didn't call me a "pale ass motherf***ing douche bag" or a "funky d**kless wonder"...I miss that guy already.  =\

Maybe she will prove to be my new friend... =P

EDIT:  Oh yea, I put her email and my reply in the Q&A section of the auction for all to read. 

not that you need me to tell you, but i think you handled that perfectly.

Mary Geraldine wrote:
I never get hatemail that good. The best I have gotten recently was when I was labeled a pedophile.

Haha...what did you do? 

Chick Habit wrote:
Sooooo waiting for her to write you back after she does her fact checking.

She wrote back but she doesn't get the "this is my art and those are your views and we have the right to both" idealism so I just ignored here.  She suggested I shoot more "nice" art.

Lovely_Real wrote:
some people are so touchy... people this closed-minded make me a sad panda.
it's a beautiful image, perfectly tasteful, and inspired by your faith. i'm not seeing the problem...

No sad panda, no sad panda! 

And I consider myself more Gnostic with a side order of Buddhist.

ebarb wrote:
You put up an obviously controversial picture....could there be any doubt that someone would be offended up it...heck part of the reason you pobably shot it was shock value..

You couldn't have been more wrong if you even tried to.  This image as well as the other iconic images in my portfolio are part of an spiritual exploration of self through a diversity of cultural, mythical and relgious idealisms and ideology.  I'm also an artists with a deep appreciation and adoration of all things feminine, which includes not only the divine beauty of the nude female body but also of the divine feminine principles.  The Virgin Mary, whether or not you believe in the immaculate conception or not, is not given nearly as much credit towards the faith of Christianity as she should have (nor did the Magdalean, but that's another story).  I have merely combined my adoration of her as a woman and as a divine essence. 

ebarb wrote:
What I'm really tired of is people shooting religious icons in a way that is sure to offend those who hold those icons dear, and then getting pissed when people are offended.

Get a thicker skin...you shot an image meant to insult someone's faith...

If you actually took the time to read my words, I was not offended nor "pissed".  I was merely sharing my emails for the amusement of others as I found her close-mindedness (as yours) amusing. 

No thick skin needed here...how YOU doin'?

ebarb wrote:
You put up an obviously controversial picture....could there be any doubt that someone would be offended up it...heck part of the reason you pobably shot it was shock value..

What I'm really tired of is people shooting religious icons in a way that is sure to offend those who hold those icons dear, and then getting pissed when people are offended.

Get a thicker skin...you shot an image meant to insult someone's faith...

His image is not insulting...maybe this one is but I have a feeling you'd find a lot of things insulting.