From Madonna to Sam Smith – Why do pop stars suddenly think blasphemy is acceptable?

The cross provokes big emotions of every kind, so we shouldn’t be surprised when celebrities despise it. But free speech is a two-way street, says Tony Wilson

I was chatting with a friend when the conversation turned to some of the imagery in popular culture. She was outraged that Madonna should feature on the cover of Vanity Fair in a mockery of the Blessed Virgin Mary and that Demi Lovato’s recent album cover uses the cross irreverently. This is before you get into the content of Sam Smith’s new music video.

She pointed out that bringing up her children within a Christian household is tough enough without these negative messages all over the place. “They don’t dare disrespect Islam” she added.