Blasphemy? Yes, that and more... .

I will admit I don't always understand art.

And I believe in freedom of speech and expression -- really I do, and not just for people who agree with me.

So I would not ban the piece "Zuerst die Fuesse," (Feet First); but I certainly would oppose any taxfunding for it. Whether the Pope is right that the piece is blasphemous (well, there isn't a lot of doubt on that score), I just think it's really silly and rather disgusting.

If you want to buy it fine ... .

By Philip Pullella

ROME (Reuters) - An Italian museum Thursday defied Pope Benedict and refused to remove a modern art sculpture portraying a crucified green frog holding a beer mug and an egg that the Vatican had condemned as blasphemous.

The board of the Museion museum in the northern city of Bolzano decided by a majority vote that the frog was a work of art and would stay in place for the remainder of an exhibition.

The wooden sculpture by the late German artist Martin Kippenberger depicts a frog about 1 meter 30 cm (4 feet) high nailed to brown cross and holding a beer mug in one outstretched hand and an egg in another.

Called "Zuerst die Fuesse," (Feet First), it wears a green loin cloth and is nailed through the hands and the feet in the manner of Jesus Christ. Its green tongue hangs out of its mouth.

Full story here:

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/reuters/080828/n_odds_reuters/odd_frog_odd_dc