Dear Madam

I am writing to urge local clergy and Christians throughout Fermanagh and Tyrone to write letters of protest to the

Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure (DCAL). This body has allocated a total of £45,500 to the Outburst Queer Arts Festival for 2014-2015 to help them fund a play which portrays Jesus as a transexual. The very title of the play 'Jesus, Queen of Heaven' is surely deeply offensive to every Bible believing Christian regardless of their denominational affiliation. The organisation behind the play has also received financial support from Belfast City Council and the Department for Social Development to enable them to produce this play.

One wonders if the same bodies would be prepared to grant funding for a play which portrayed the prophet Mohammed as being transexual. I somehow doubt it! The Muslim community in Northern Ireland (and I would suggest further afield) would (quite rightly) be engaging in major public protest against such a play.

For too long Christians in our society have remained silent and refused to take a stand or make public protest against the ever rising tide of blasphemy within the spheres of the Arts and the Media. Surely it's about time Christians spoke out and made it clear that such blasphemy is grossly offensive to those of us who have a true love for Jesus. Do we have no rights as citizens? Is it now acceptable to cause deep offence to Christians? Have the Media and the Arts world come to the conclusion that it is okay to mock and offend Christians and Christianity simply because Christians by their silence seem not to care?

For the sake of the honour of Jesus and for the sake of the future well-being of our society I hope that there will be thousands of letters awaiting the secretaries of DCAL, The Department of Social Development and The Belfast City Council this incoming week.

Yours with deep sorrow

Rev Robert Robb

Enniskillen Reformed Presbyterian Church