Pluvius's Journal: Sony Ad Infuriates Catholics

According to Reuters, a recent ad placed by Sony in Italian periodicals has raised the eyebrows of certain national Catholic groups, leading to Sony apologizing and stopping the campaign. The ad, celebrating the tenth anniversary of the PlayStation in Europe, featured a young man wearing a crown of thorns, where some of the thorns were shaped like the distinctive symbols of the PlayStation controller's face buttons. The caption for the ad states, "Ten years of passion." This is a reference to the Christian Passion, when a crown of thorns was placed on Jesus Christ's head before His crucifixion. From the article: "'This time they've gone too far,' said Antonio Sciortino, editor of Famiglia Cristiana (Christian Family), a mass-circulation Catholic weekly. 'If this had concerned Islam there would have been a really strong reaction.'"