A Netfix comedy depicting Jesus as gay caused heated debate in Brazil, with nearly two million people signing an online petition asking the platform to drop the comedy.

"The First Temptation of Christ" was created by Porta dos Fundos, a group of YouTube comedians who portray Jesus as a homosexual who brings home his boyfriend, Orlando, to meet his family. Holy.

Shortly after the comedy, an online petition was launched on Change.org stating that the 46-minute comedy should be removed from Netflix after insulting Christians.

Porta dos Fundos made a statement in which he "appreciated artistic freedom and humor through satire and the most diverse cultural themes of our society". The group added that it believes in freedom of expression, essential in a democratic country.

In Brazil, religion is highly respected and homophobia is a widespread phenomenon. The Catholic Church and the Adventist Church often criticize LGBT + rights.

President Jair Bolsonaro, who described himself as a "proud" homophobe, earlier this year suspended funding for a series of films, including those on LGBT + topics.

On Twitter, he called the film "garbage that does not represent Brazilian society."

Netflix has not yet responded to the criticism.

Source: Reuters, Business Insider