Jolanda, you are mistaken. You've bought the media and church (no doubt you belong to one) lies, aided by both our recent Prime Minster's overt religious beliefs. And that is sad. Very sad.

>"For goodness sake, we live in a twisted world where child sexual abuse is rife."

No we don't and no it's not. I can only think you are basing your opinion on the media. Furthermore, this has nothing to do with the exhibition. It's a completely irrelevent statement.

>"As adults it is our obligation to protect the children. Our children need to keep their clothes on it has to do with respect, morals and decorum.....It is as easy as that."

Listen, bigot. Other people do not think nudity is sinful. Period. Your talk of "respect, moral and decorum" are entirely subjective..To me, you are extremely improper and disgraceful questioning the judgement of the teenager and her parents. How DARE YOU question their parenting.

>"Children need to know that it is not okay for them to be naked in front of adults whether posing for pictures or not."

Why? Nudity is perfectly normal and natural state. Posing for art or otherwise is a virtue and a grace.

>"If we say it is okay sometimes then we are putting our children at risk."

AT RISK OF WHAT?!?!

>"It should never be okay for a young child to be posing naked. It is just WRONG...."

If you can't elaborate why it's wrong you really need to ask yourself where you got the idea. If you can't present a good reason for that belief (like all your others that are found wanting) then you have no point, only an emotional reaction of a common bigot.

Don't you think your ideas, which date back to the dark ages, are outdated? Children are naked in all sorts of paintings commissioned by the christian/catholic church. You have no clue whatsoever about what you are talking about, Jolanda. you should know better than to believe the media and you should be of stronger character to resist it's propoganda.

IM not sure its a good thing to be telling you that are trying to protect this pervert ,but its only fair you realise [YOUR emails between each other are being monitored]

Yes john howard passed a special legislation in the name of securing the home land from terror ,so those emails you been sending each other will be linked at bills trial ,its funny how we change when we know we are being watched, so its best you guys get to know now before you get to confident.

But do as you will ,only the guilty will need to worry, no doudt the character referances given to support the pervert [sorry 'arteest''will no doudt get their comunixcations back dated ,

But such is progress eh dudes [those who collude to decieve should well know their tails cant be erased ,dont say you wernt told [but sure go dig your grave a little deeper ,colluding to decieve to commit gross human indecencies against or by using children in the name of art is over.

But do as you like [even if you think god isnt watching know the police are] ,the perversion party is over ,wether you know it yet or not.
three cheers eh

The only perversion here is your religion and the absolute crap that you think passes for logic and rational debate. You people have a mental disease or some real personal issues. Believing everyone else including yourself are innate 'sinners' can't be helping you though. Believeing in a god that killed all people on the planet, including babies and the unborn, and innocent animal life just for the hell of it can't be helping you make sense of reality either.

responding to steel[details-below]

who posted this

''The_only-perversion here-is your-religion and-the-absolute-crap that you-think passes for logic-and-rational debate.'''

[as you havnt adressed any one personally i presume you address this at-any-who believe in god],

Your defending nakid children being gazed at by ADULTS
as normal ,

and insult those chosing to believe in religion ,
[like your allowed to believe perversion on children is fine?]

and used crude language ,

then dare to call your words as passing for rational and logical debate?
[de bait?]

[Bro , your so_lost your-just using reverse logic trying to excuse the inexcusable]

'' You-people have-a mental-disease or some real-personal-issues.''

[please note by far most of the ''you-people'' in this particular debate are YouR people
[ie defending the acts of a pervert ,
who produces pictures of nakid children]

[and i agree the defenders of this perv Might have some really serious issues with following the rules of civil behaviour]

'' Believing-everyone-else including-yourself are innate 'sinners' can't be helping you though.''

[just as religion has been taken over by satanists and athiests [so has this thread been taken over by weight of numbers]

to presume churches cant drive away the meek by animalistic attacks is to pretend your colluded attack on those defending the rights of children over that of perverts hasnt driven the meek away from this thread as well]

'' Believeing in a-god that killed all-people on the planet, including babies and the unborn, and innocent animal life just for the-hell-of-it can't be helping-you-make sense-of reality either.''

[Steel, god is love
he gave all life their lives

death comes not from god
its not rocket science
god gives dust life

satanists
[served by ignorant athiests seek to turn all life back to dust]

god is life [live with it]

death and perversion come from man [freewill]
god dosnt destroy LIFE
this is athiest insanity bro
you dont get god

thus accept you think yourself a god]
but your not

[response to post as per poster below]
Posted by Steel, Tuesday, 27 May 2008 4:03:06 PM

This may appear convoluted but yes these pictures do make me uncomfortable. Does the fact that I’m a parent of daughters contribute, yes probably.

But when I think about it I’m also uncomfortable about feeling uncomfortable. Ideally a naked body shouldn’t elicit this response in me, especially if treated artistically. My partner is a budding artist and regularly photographs and paints nudes, none of which have made me feel ill at ease.

Links from other blogs discussing Bill Henson’s work illustrate many other celebrated artists photographing children naked. I don’t think that before this controversy I would have found them especially confronting, now I’m not so sure.

Is it all the talk of perverts and paedophiles? Probably, and ultimately this is what is so sad about this whole debate. I do resent not being able to photograph my daughters at swimming meets or school sports days but I understand it would make other parents uncomfortable, as admittedly it would me if someone else were doing the same.

What would need to happen to reduce this level of discomfort for all of us? I’m not quite sure, but I don’t think locking up Mr Henson is going to help.

Intentionally or otherwise I think he has succeeded in delivering me a vehicle for introspection, however I do recognise the other half of the equation was the wider community’s response.

I suppose that is one of the values of art.

Steel. I am sorry to disappoint you but I am not religious and everybody is a Bigot - don't we all believe what we believe.

I just am a mother, a parent of 4 children and I have loads of nieces and nephews and friends and both my husband I would say the same thing children need to be protected from perverts and that is why they should keep their clothes on......We do not live in a perfect world. That is just the way things are and it is the job of adults to protect the children from perverts, pedophiles, abuse and harm.

You my dear come across as a pervert. Whether you realise it or not.