Brazil's Supreme Court has reversed a ruling that would have required Netflix to remove a satirical film depicting Jesus as gay.
On Wednesday, a judge in Rio ordered the streaming service to ax the Christmas-themed comedy, The First Temptation of Christ, citing a conflict with the nation's Catholic values.
Millions of people signed a petition calling for the film's removal, and on Christmas Eve, protesters fire-bombed the headquarters of the comedy group that produced it, Porta dos Fundos.
Netflix quickly appealed the judge's decision, leading to Thursday's decision from Supreme Court President José Antonio Dias Toffoli.
“It is not to be assumed that a humorous satire has the magic power to undermine the values of the Christian faith, whose existence goes back more than two thousand years,” Dias Toffoli wrote.
More from the Associated Press: Still, the Rio judge's ruling has revived scrutiny on what his critics call censorship under the far-right government of President Jair Bolsonaro. His administration has vowed to fight “cultural Marxism” and openly supports Christian values. Several shows, plays and conferences have been canceled since Bolsonaro took office just over one year ago. On Wednesday, judge Benedicto Abicair ruled against the film following a petition by a Brazilian Catholic organization that argued the “honor of millions of Catholics” was hurt by the airing of “The First Temptation of Christ.” … In its complaint filed to the Supreme Court, Netflix's lawyers argued that the judge's decision amounts to censorship and has an impact “equivalent to that of the bomb used in the terrorist attack against the headquarters” of the comedy group. “It silences by means of fear and intimidation.”
