A Halloween display featuring a blood-stained Satan holding the head of Jesus, alongside a tombstone reading 'Hillary's emails' has sparked a controversy in Bucktown, a neighborhood in Chicago. Vic Miorana, the man who built the display, is now facing the ire of his neigbours for the macabre exhibit, ABC 6 reported.
Notably, the display shows a beheaded Jesus held in the hands of the devil who's surrounded by nuns and priests. The creator claimed that he spent months and thousands of dollars crafting the display, which, he claims, is meant to "make people scared" and "uncomfortable."
"This is just decorations for fun. It's not a real Jesus, these are foam props that I made. I'm sorry if this hurt anyone or if it caused anyone to feel sad," said Mr. Miorana, adding that the display doesn't reflect the family's personal or religious beliefs.
However, the prop has sparked a heated debate about freedom of expression and respect for religious beliefs. Many found it ''offensive'', ''blasphemous'', and ''disrespectful'' to their religious beliefs.
One neighbour said, "It's horrible to our religion, it's blasphemy, it's not right. Any other religion would have a problem with this." Another added, ''Look, I'm all about Halloween. I decorate. We all have scary stuff. This just is crossing the line.''
However, there were also some who voiced their support for him, appreciating his creative efforts, and said that they found nothing wrong with it.
Meanwhile, pictures of the display also went viral on social media, leading to a barrage of abuses and threats. Mr. Miorana claimed that his girlfriend received so many threats about losing her job that they ended up separating. Despite the threats and outrage, Mr. Miorana said that he would not take down the controversial display and cited his First Amendment rights.
Jefferson Parish code enforcement also visited his home to assess whether the display violated local ordinances. Their findings, however, did not indicate any violations of specific regulations.
