When People Accused “Life of Brian” of Blasphemy, Monty Python Wrote This Letter
Updated: Jan 17

When Monty Python’s Life of Brian was released in 1979, it was immediately surrounded by controversy. The film, which cleverly satirised organised religion and human behaviour, was hailed by some as a masterpiece of comedy and condemned by others as blasphemy. The controversy largely stemmed from religious groups and individuals who believed the film mocked Jesus Christ and Christian teachings, despite the creators’ insistence that the film was not about Jesus, but rather about human misinterpretation and institutional absurdities.

Life of Brian tells the story of Brian Cohen, a Jewish man born on the same day as Jesus, in a stable just down the street. Through a series of misadventures, Brian is mistakenly identified as the Messiah. The film’s humour is rooted in satire, lampooning everything from religious dogma to the dynamics of political resistance movements in ancient Judea.
The Pythons, who were no strangers to pushing boundaries, were keen to emphasise that the film did not ridicule Jesus directly. In fact, the scenes featuring Jesus were played straight, portraying him with dignity during the Sermon on the Mount. However, the proximity of Brian’s story to that of Christ, combined with its irreverent humour, led many to perceive it as an attack on Christianity.

Immediate Reactions
Upon its release, Life of Brian faced backlash from religious groups across the globe. In the UK, it was banned by several local councils, particularly in more conservative areas. Some countries, including Ireland and Norway, banned it outright for years. The Bishop of Southwark denounced the film as “a blasphemous libel,” and others within the Church of England echoed similar sentiments.
The Roman Catholic Church also expressed disapproval, with Vatican authorities labelling it blasphemous. These reactions led to heightened media scrutiny, with debates over the film’s moral and religious implications dominating headlines.
Memorable Protests
One of the most memorable public protests occurred in New York City, where demonstrators gathered outside cinemas carrying signs that read, “Stop Blasphemy Now” and “Keep Christ Sacred.” In the UK, vocal protests came from Christian groups such as the Nationwide Festival of Light, which had previously opposed what they saw as the moral decline represented in modern media.
In some areas, protesters succeeded in delaying the film’s release. For example, in Aberystwyth, Wales, the ban lasted until 2009, when it was famously lifted by the town’s mayor—former Python member Terry Jones’ own sister. The ban in Norway led to one of the Pythons’ most iconic marketing quips: the film was advertised in Sweden as “so funny, it was banned in Norway.”

The protesters claim is reinforced even more when several of the movie’s characters talk about crucifixion being not as bad as it seems. Brian asks his cellmate what will happen to him, and the cellmate says: “Oh, you’ll probably get away with crucifixion”, and when the old man Matthias, who works for the PFJ dismisses crucifixion as “a doddle” and says that being stabbed would be worse.
The following report was issued by Terry Jones, the director: “Any religion that makes a form of torture into an icon that they worship seems to me a pretty sick sort of religion quite honestly”.
Leaders from religious communities later responded by saying that Jones did not understand the meaning of the crucifix symbol or the significance to Christians as a reminder of the suffering and death Christ went through for their sake.

The Monty Python group argued that crucifixion was a standard form of execution in the ancient times and not just for Jesus.
The comedy group wrote a letter to all religious groups that accused them of blasphemy and had never seen the movie:
Dear __________
Thank you for your letter regarding the film Monty Python’s Life of Brian. Whilst we understand your concern, we would like to correct some misconceptions you may have about the film which may be since you have not had the chance to see it before forming your views. The film is set in Biblical times, but it is not about Jesus. It is a comedy, but we would like to think that it does have serious attitudes and certain things to say about human nature. It does not ridicule Christ, nor does it show Christ in any way that could offend anyone, nor is belief in God or Christ a subject dealt with in the film.
We are aware that certain organisations have been circulating misinformation on these points and are sorry that you have been misled. We hope you will go see the film yourself and come to your own conclusions about its virtues and defects. In any case, we hope you find it funny.
Best wishes,
Monty Python
The Pythons were proud of the historical research they did before they wrote the script.
Right after the movie was released, John Cleese and Michael Palin had a debate with the BBC2 program Friday Night, Saturday Morning with Malcolm Muggeridge and Mervyn Stockwood, the Bishop of Southwark, who gave arguments against the movie.
After the debate with Muggeridge and the Bishop, it was found out that neither of them were at the opening of the movie they missed the first 15 minutes in which it is established that Brian and Jesus were two different characters, and that is was a spoof of Christ himself.
Both Cleese and Palin felt that the sides a done a strange switching of sides in the debate, with the two young upstart comedians trying to make serious, well-researched points, while the Bishop and host laid out cheap jabs and point scoring.
The whole group of Pythons were extremely disappointed in Muggeridge because they had previously respected him as a pessimist.
John Cleese said that the reputation of Muggeridge in his opinion had dropped dramatically in his eyes, while Palin said that “He was just being Muggeridge, preferring a very strong contrary opinion as opposed to none at all”. Muggeridge’s stance on the film was that it was “Such a tenth-rate film that it couldn’t possibly destroy anyone’s genuine faith”.
The Pythons collectively deny that they were trying to destroy anyone’s faith.
The DVD commentary states that the film is heretical because it roasts the practices of modern organised religion, but it doesn’t blasphemously roast the God that Christians and Jews believe in.
Jesus does appear in the movie, played straight and narrow by Kenneth Colley, and is portrayed with respect.
The music and lighting show him with a genuine aura around him.
Very important to understand is that Jesus is distinct from the character of Brian, which is very clear when an ex-leper pesters Brian for money, while whining that he has lost his source of income in the begging trade since Jesus cured him.
James G. Crossley, biblical scholar, argued that the movie made the distinction between Jesus and Brian to contrast between the traditional Christ of both faith and cinema and the historical figure Jesus in critical scholarship and how critical scholars have argued that ideas later were attributed to Jesus by his worshippers.

Crossley pointed out that the movie used several controversial scholarly theories about Jesus, but regarding Brian, such as the Messianic Secret, the Jewishness of Jesus, Jesus the revolutionary, and having a single mother.
Not all the Pythons agreed on the interpretation of the movie. In 1998, in Aspen, Colorado, there was a brief exchange between the surviving members. In the part where they are discussing the Life of Brian, Terry Jones says, “I think the film is heretical, but it’s not blasphemous”. Eric Idle agreed, adding, “It’s a heresy”.
On the other hand, John Cleese disagreed and said, “I don’t think it’s a heresy. It’s making fun of the way that people misunderstand the teaching”. Jones responded, “Of course it’s a heresy, John! It’s attacking the Church! And that has to be heretical”. Cleese replied, “No it’s not attacking the Church, necessarily. It’s about people who cannot agree with each other”.
In a different interview, Jones said that the movie “isn’t blasphemous because it touches on dogma and the interpretation of belief, rather than belief itself”.
Some of the bans on the movie continued into the 21st century.
After winning the online vote in 2008 for the English Riviera International Comedy Film Festival, the Torbay Council finally allowed the movie to be shown.
In the Welsh town of Aberystwyth, the ban was finally lifted in 2009 and the first viewing was attended by Terry Jones, Michael Palin and the Mayor Sue Jones-Davies who portrayed Judith Iscariot in the movie when made.
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