Lady Gaga’s use of religious imagery ‘not offensive’

LADY Gaga has “serious intent” and her use of religious imagery should not be viewed by Christians as offensive, an academic at a leading university has said.

Dr Pete Ward, a senior lecturer at King’s College, London, and author of a book on religion and celebrity, Gods Behaving Badly, said he believed the star was using religion as a “metaphor” and should not be denounced as heretical by Christians.

“She is basically saying what Jesus is saying — we should love God and love each other it seems,” he said. “I think what she is illustrating is people using a religious metaphor to talk about what they are doing. I quite like the idea that she has a serious intent.

“I like the way that she is not just another X Factor person trying to make loads of money — there is not that sort of vacuousness about her. I also like the fact that what she is doing is artistic, she is provoking and using religion as she uses clothes.”

He added: “I think Christians, rather than looking at someone like Gaga talking about religion and people talking about worshipping celebrity and dismissing it or deciding that we need to denounce this as heresy — the first thing we need to do is understand how complex and sophisticated all of this is and then to respond in an intelligent way.”

Dr Ward, who lectures in youth ministry and theological education and is an Anglican, was speaking after the US star appeared from a gold coffin wearing a fake pregnancy bump and wore knickers emblazoned with a crucifix when performing at the Radio 1 Big Weekend.