Sarah Silverman has sparked fury among conservatives with a controversial joke about Jesus Christ.
The Grammy-nominated comedian had tweeted to her 7.5 million followers 'MERRY CHRISTMAS! Jesus was gender fluid!' on December 25.
The joke has triggered a fierce backlash online from Christians who were outraged at the suggestions that their Lord and Savior identified as both male and female.
MERRY CHRISTMAS! Jesus was gender fluid!
— Sarah Silverman (@SarahKSilverman) December 25, 2015While the message has been re-tweeted nearly 900 times and liked more than 2,500, hundreds have also replied attacking the actress for her 'offensive' joke.
Many complained the tweet was simply not funny and in particularly poor taste on Christmas Day.
Twitter user Cevert @Trumpenreich condemned the joke as being immature, writing: 'This is the type of joke I'd expect from a 14 year old trying to be edgy.'
Barry Morgenstein also called on the comedian to: 'Have some respect . Not even funny.'
Others claimed Sliverman was picking on an 'easy target' by insulting Christians.
Thomas Brecheisen said: 'Christians "turn the other cheek."Easy to make "jokes" about their religion.Take a stab at Islam and Mohammed, THAT'S edgy.'
Anton Rubaclini sarcastically added: 'So edgy! Its so dangerous to insult Jesus Christ on Christmas! Not safe like insulting Muhammad at Eid.'
Twitter user MBC added: 'Trolling people of faith is generally douchey. On X-mas? It's undeniably douchey.'
Website YoungCons.com claimed the tweet was a 'desperate attempt to remain relevant,' while others on social media even warned the 45-year-old would go to hell for the joke.
Silverman has taken the time to reply to some of her most angry responses, tweeting to one man's abusive and profanity-filled message: 'Oh sweetie. You deserve love. Please know that.'
But not everyone was against the Bedwetter author's controversial gag with fans tweeting in support of the joke and the 45-year-old's right to make it.
Twitter user Enigma Hood replied to the angry tweets: 'She can say something about jesus. Freedom of speech, look it up.'
The actress, who recently performed a stand-up set at the Hollywood Palladium, is in a two-year relationship with Golden Globe nominee Michael Sheen.
Before that, she had a highly publicized romance with late night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel, whom she dated for five years until they split in 2008.
This is not the first time Silverman has come under fire for her 'edgy' tweets.
In March the comedian, who currently plays a depressed suburban mother-of-two called Laney Brooks opposite Josh Charles in I Smile Back, sparked fury with a list of ten 'rape prevention tips' that she shared on Twitter, because they offer tongue-in-cheek advice to men.
The post, which has been retweeted nearly 5,000 times, includes points such as 'don't put drugs in women's drinks' and 'when you see a woman walking by herself, leave her alone'.
She posted a graphic of the tips, writing: 'These are great - send to all the men in ur life.'
But dozens of angry men on Twitter seized on her joke, tweeting in to call her 'sexist' and saying it was 'offensive' to imply that all men are looking for ways to rape women.
The sarcastic set of rules, which focus on the perpetrator of the crime rather than the victim, included 'if you are in an elevator and a woman gets in, don't rape her', as well as 'when you encounter a woman who is asleep, the safest course of action is not to rape her'.
Number nine on the list is 'carry a rape whistle. If you find you are about to rape someone, blow the whistle until someone comes to stop you'.
The set of tips was first shared in a blog on Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence back in 2011 by Leigh Hofheimer who said a co-worker had produced the set of rules.
The list has divided opinions with some feminists arguing it shows it is not victims who need to change their behaviour but the attacker.
D Kramer wrote: 'I get the point, we always tells the women they are responsible to prevent rape & not the men.'
However, men on Twitter have hit out at the list implying that it's all men who would commit such crimes.
Zac Lee posted: 'It's extremely offensive. It implies that it's common for men to think about ways to rape girls, when that's nonsense.'
In November last year, the 45-year-old comedian came under fire once again for tweeting a gag about being sexually assaulted by Bill Cosby.
By Hannah Parry
