Meanwhile, Porta dos Fundos, which has over 16.2 million YouTube subscribers and 9.3 million followers on Facebook, has defended the film. He further said Netflix should publicly apologise to the Christian community and withdraw the film from its platform. Mathai termed the Christmas Special as an "abomination that implies homosexuality being the central pillar of the Christian faith, under the pretext of parody". While as a community we may enjoy this medium, but, what we will not tolerate is someone rewriting history especially in such bad taste," he said. "In the 21st century, where the digital wave has brought the world to our fingertips, we are exposed to a Pandora's Box of information, both historic and futuristic. "Even though freedom of expression is a fundamental and constitutional right, but using the same liberty to offend the sentiments of members of a particular faith persuasion is highly abhorrent and absolutely unacceptable.
Though the film is not yet available on Netflix India platform, a Christian group has raised objections over it.Ībraham Mathai, president of Indian Christian Voice, has sent an open letter to Netflix founder and CEO Reed Hastings, calling the film "blasphemous, vulgar and disrespectful" and "highly offensive to the sentiments of the Christian community". We also want public retraction, as they have seriously offended Christians," read the plea. "For removing the film from the Netflix catalog and for the Backdoor to be held responsible for the crime of villainous faith. It calls upon Netflix to remove the movie, made by comedy sketch group Porta dos Fundos (Backdoor in English).
The petition, started on, has so far collected 1,529,504 signatures. A new Netflix Christmas Special titled "The First Temptation Of Christ", which shows Jesus Christ in a gay relationship and Mary as a weed-smoker, has angered millions all over the world.