Britain's 24,000 Seventh-day Adventists were among many in this nation of 60 million who saw little humor in a recent television portrayal of a controversy between Christ and Satan. Instead, they saw blasphemy.

A British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) telecast of "Jerry Springer -- The Opera," taken from a hit musical stage play in London's West End, reportedly featured an obscenity-laden "shouting match" between a diaper-wearing actor portraying Jesus Christ and another portraying Satan. Such imagery, and language, didn't sit well with many of Britain's Christians, including Adventists.

"Many of our members are disappointed that the BBC seems to be lowering its standards with respect to foul language and, arguably, blasphemy," Pastor Cecil Perry, president of the Adventist Church in Britain, wrote in a letter to the BBC. "Some of our leaders and ministers would have liked us to write to all of our members to ask them to complain individually to the BBC. However, we have resisted this approach as we do not want to give the program more publicity than it deserves."

"The program was blasphemous and deeply offending to Christians at large," John Surridge, communication director for the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Britain, wrote in a complaint letter. He added that if the Islamic prophet Mohammed had been mocked in a similar way Muslims would have been deeply offended.

Along with protests from Adventist church leaders and members, 50,000 evangelical Christians demonstrated outside BBC offices across Britain, according to Christian Today, a local news service.

The Seventh-day Adventist Church has long promoted religious tolerance and understanding among peoples. [Editorial work from ANN Staff for APD]