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Madonna draws ire of Catholic League

‘Knock off the Christ-bashing’ says league in response to concert crucifixion

APTOPIX MADONNA CONCERT
Chris Pizzello / AP
Madonna performs during her concert at the Great Western Forum in Inglewood, Calif. on May 21, 2006. The concert marked the kick-off of the North American leg of her Confessions tour.
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updated 9:53 p.m. ET May 22, 2006

LOS ANGELES - Less than 12 hours after Madonna crucified herself on a mirrored cross, the Catholic League expressed its discontent with the concert stunt.

The controversial diva wore a crown of thorns and sang while hanging from a cross during Sunday night’s opener of her “Confessions” world tour at The Forum in Inglewood.

“Knock off the Christ-bashing,” Catholic League president Bill Donohue said in a statement Monday. “It’s just pathetic.”

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Though Donohue said that Madonna “has been spicing up her act with misappropriated Christian imagery for a long time,” he thought that her faith in Kabbalah might inspire new respect for religion.

“I guess you really can’t teach an old pop star new tricks,” he said. “Poor Madonna keeps trying to shock. But all she succeeds in doing is coming across as a boring bigot.”

A message left with Madonna’s spokeswoman was not immediately returned.

The “Confessions” tour continues through Sept. 4 with dates throughout North America and Europe.

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