Editing Jesus Christ Superstar (section)

=== Controversy ===
The Broadway show and subsequent productions were condemned by different religious groups. Tim Rice was quoted as saying, "It happens that we don't see Christ as God but simply the right man at the right time at the right place."<ref>''Time'' magazine', 9 November 1970. Rice went on to say "we are basically trying to tell the story of Christ as a man. I think he increases in stature by looking at him as a man."</ref><ref>''Life'' magazine, 28 May 1971</ref> [[Christians]] considered such comments to be [[blasphemy|blasphemous]], the character of Judas too sympathetic, and some of his criticisms of Jesus offensive.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.freepres.org/pamphlet_details.asp?superstar |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140413143744/http://www.freepres.org/pamphlet_details.asp?superstar|title=Free Presbyterian Church – Online Pamphlet |publisher=Freepres.org |archive-date=13 April 2014}}</ref> The musical's lack of allusion to the [[resurrection of Jesus]] has resulted in criticism similar to that of fellow musical ''[[Godspell]]'', which also did not clearly depict a resurrection.

At the same time, some [[Jew]]s claimed that it bolstered the myth of [[Jewish deicide]] by showing most of the villains as Jewish ([[Caiaphas]] and the other priests, Herod) and showing the mob in Jerusalem calling for Christ's crucifixion.<ref>[https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9904E3DD103DE63ABC4053DFBE668388669EDE Superstar Film Renews Disputes: Jewish Groups Say Opening Could Stir Anti-Semitism Reasons Given Company Issues Statement], ''The New York Times''</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0345,winter,48380,6.html |title=Mel Gibson's Jesus Christ Pose |author=Jessica Winter |publisher=village voice |date=4 November 2003 |access-date=21 November 2013 |archive-date=15 June 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080615134249/http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0345,winter,48380,6.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The characterization of Mary Magdalene as a former prostitute is inaccurate and frowned upon.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.chicagocatholic.com/other-authors/-/article/2018/04/25/reclaiming-mary-magdalene-in-jesus-christ-superstar- |title=Reclaiming Mary Magdalene in 'Jesus Christ Superstar' }}</ref> The conflation of Magdalene's past is believed to be originate from a sermon given by Pope Gregory I (c. 540-604) in which he connects Mary Magdalene to "She whom Luke calls the sinful woman, whom John calls Mary, we believe to be the Mary from whom seven devils were ejected according to Mark." <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/who-was-mary-magdalene-119565482/#ixzz2PdkNRoyp |title=Who Was Mary Magdalene? }}</ref>

The musical was banned in [[South Africa]] for being "[[Irreligion|irreligious]]",<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.reallyuseful.com/rug/shows/jesus/facts.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081011163830/http://www.reallyuseful.com/rug/shows/jesus/facts.htm|url-status=dead|title=Jesus Christ Superstar: Show facts and figures|archive-date=11 October 2008}}</ref> and in the [[Hungarian People's Republic]] for "distribution of religious propaganda".<ref>{{cite book |last=Miklós |first=Tibor |year=2002 |title=Musical! |language=hu |location=Budapest |publisher=Novella Könyvkiadó |isbn=963-9442-04-6 |page=9}}</ref>