Madonna "Crucified"

Her justification for performing a mock - double-meaning, perhaps? - crucifixion...

"It is no different than a person wearing a cross. My performance is neither anti-Christian, sacrilegious or blasphemous," she said in a statement.

"It is my plea to the audience to encourage mankind to help one another," the 48-year-old added.

"I believe in my heart that if Jesus were alive today he would be doing the same thing," she continued.

The crucifix segment shows the singer performing her song Live to Tell suspended from a giant cross wearing a crown of thorns.

- BBC News, Madonna defends gig 'crucifixion'

Obviously, she has no idea about the existence of this blog.