Art or blasphemy? Drag queen singing 'Ama Namin' remix sparks online debate

Filipino drag queen Pura Luka Vega sparked heated debates on social media after posting a video of herself singing an Ama Namin remix to a cheering crowd at a bar.

The remix was a punk rock version of the Catholic Mass worship song, and Vega performed this in an outfit that seems to portray Jesus Christ.

Her performance has elicited mixed reactions from netizens. Some asserted that what the former Drag Den Philippines contestant did was "offensive" and "blasphemous," while others were adamant in defending the drag artist against criticisms, saying that it was merely an "expression of art."

Thank you for coming to church! 🙏 https://t.co/aCw7fap3fH pic.twitter.com/nUKWV1M7PW

— Pura Luka Vega 🙃 (@ama_survivah) July 9, 2023

Commenting on the video, one user argued: "Prayer is not entertainment. The mass is not a costume party. The church is not a club."

Another one criticized the supposed hypocrisy of the act. "We know this is offensive to religious people, so why do we resort to this kind of entertainment? I know they have offended us many times due to their religion, but aren't we doing the same with this kind of gesture? Those people will hate us more, instead of them listening to us."

Others, meanwhile, urged that there should be limits to what drag artists can do with their craft.

"For the sake of the LGBTQIA+ community, we need to set limits on what we should and should not do. Yes, drag is art, but if we offend others because we are offended by them, we are being lower than them. Sad lang," they wrote.

However, not all were so keen as to condemn Vega for her controversial performance and have instead chosen to come to her defense.

One user emphasized how "art is meant to comfort the disturb and disturb the comfortable" and pointed out how the church has also spread discriminatory messages against the queer community.

"Sasabihin niyo 'this is not okay,' balikan niyo ako when you can say the same to your church who does not preach love, who does not see beyond gender. Balikan niyo ako when the Filipino church no longer sees homosexuality as a sin. Hurt na hurt kayo, tinatawag niyo pambababoy, eh di'ba ganun din tingin nila sa'tin?" they wrote.

Despite Vega's performance coming out as offensive to the religious, there are some who were not at all disgruntled by the act, such as that of another user who claims that they are an active church member.

"I’m a Christian, was a worship leader, and still attending prayer meetings every week. But, the LGBT+ community is literally being killed out there. I’m sure things like these won’t do no harm to us. Besides, our relationship with God will not be affected by what others do," they wrote.

'Expression of faith'

Speaking with PhilSTAR L!fe, Vega addressed the controversy surrounding her clip and emphasized that she did not intend to offend people with her act.

"I understand the sentiments, and I think they’re valid but as an artist, the perception of my art is beyond my control. However, my intent is clear and does not mean to offend," she said.

"It’s my way of expressing my faith, odd as it may seem. I deliberately chose Ama Namin for the message—a message of hope for the oppressed, particularly the LGBTQIA+ community."

When asked about what she meant to convey with her performance, Vega explained: "This is something that has been done before, it’s not very new, Jesus as a drag persona, I mean. Whenever I embody a character as a drag artist, the challenge for me is to embody the values associated with that character and incorporate them in a queer setting."

"I keep reminding myself, 'What would Jesus do?' and 'How can the act of expressing faith and worship intersect with queerness?' Hence the performance," she continued.

Moving forward, the artist highlighted that she plans to continue telling queer stories through her performances and is open to learning how to improve her craft.

What does the law say about blasphemy and freedom of expression?

In an interview with L!fe, Atty. Kenneth Manuel underscored that whether a performance is considered a form of blasphemy or art is highly subjective.

"There is no legal definition for what can be considered an art or an act of blasphemy," he said.

"Strictly speaking, there are no blasphemy laws in the Philippines. This is stemming from the fact that the Constitution protects the separation of Church and State, and that the Philippines has no official state religion," he added.

While this is so, Atty. Raymond Dominic Doctor discussed how the Philippines does have a law that penalizes the crime of offending religious feelings under Article 133 of the Revised Penal Code.

However, this is only punishable if the act "was performed either in a place devoted to religious worship or during the celebration of any religious ceremony, and the act must be notoriously offensive to the feelings of the faithful."

"If a blasphemous act does not fall under the exact situation defined under the elements of the aforementioned crime, it cannot be considered criminal," Doctor said.

But there is still a limit to what people can express regarding a certain subject.

While no less than the Philippine constitution guarantees Filipinos freedom to express, Atty. Ma. Bettina Parado pointed out how this right is not absolute.

"Its exercise must be done within the ambit of the law to protect social and individual rights. Hence, the Supreme Court treads carefully along a thin line when determining whether an expression is protected or not," Parado said.

"Strict standards are set for both the protection and restriction of the right of any individual to freely express themself," she added.