Pop star Madonna recently reposted an AI generated image of herself with Pope Francis and let’s just say, some fans aren’t happy.
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Rick Dick’s Instagram account originally shared the photo, which Madonna later posted to her own story. The singer tagged the creator of the image along with the caption, “Feels good to be seen.”
Dick’s caption read, “MA.I.DONNA AND THE POPE. Thank you @madonna.”
The AI image of the singer looks jarringly real, showing Pope Francis lightly touching Madonna’s arm as he leans his face against hers.
Although the photo was AI generated, some fans became outraged saying that it was “disrespectful.” Another person called the image “disturbing.”
Although there was a lot of backlash in the comment section, some fans found humor in the post.
One fan wrote, “Love it… at least someone with some guts! Support her, love her!”
According to Us Weekly, Madonna has yet to comment on any of the controversy surrounding the photo.
This isn’t her first time being criticized for “inappropriately” using religious symbols in her work. In 1990, the pope at the time boycotted her Blonde Ambition tour.
Madonna Addresses Spiritual Beliefs
Madonna has previously commented on religion and the purpose behind it in her music.
“I immediately realized that the problem was them, not me. The problem was them because they had not understood that my work as an artist united people, gave them freedom of expression, unity,” she told Vanity Fair last year. “It was the mirror of Jesus’ teachings. Whoever attacked me was just a hypocrite.”
“It is important to have a pattern of rituals and a spiritual life,” she continued. “But I also think that religion without understanding, without knowledge, without curiosity and inclusiveness cannot be considered religion.”
“Religion is not adhering to an exclusive or extremist group. Religion is respecting other religions,” she added. “Religion is encouraging people to understand what they believe and to study what they believe in instead of adhering to a dogma that without study and without understanding would be empty and sterile.”