Nude Virgin Mary cover prompts Playboy apology

As if we didn't have enough reasons to despise the publication:

A nude model resembling the Virgin Mary on the cover of the Mexican edition of Playboy magazine, published only days before a major Mexican festival dedicated to the mother of Jesus, prompted the company's U.S. headquarters on Friday to apologize.

The magazine, which hit newsstands on Dec. 1 as ceremonies began leading to Friday's pilgrimage to the Mexico City shrine of the Virgin of Guadalupe, showed a model wearing nothing but a white cloth over her head and breasts.

She is standing in front of a stained glass window with the cover line, "We Love You, Maria" in Spanish. (Reuters)

Actually, the line reads "Te Adoramus, Maria." That has a slightly different flavor to it.

And the apology is completely unacceptable:

While Playboy Mexico never meant for the cover or images to offend anyone, we recognize that it has created offense, and we as well as Playboy Mexico offer our sincerest apologies," the statement said.

Raul Sayrols, publisher of Playboy Mexico, said in a statement, "The image is not and never was intended to portray the Virgin of Guadalupe or any other religious figure. The intent was to reflect a Renaissance-like mood on the cover."

Oh come on. I've seen the cover, and it's obviously trying to be provocative by alluding to the Virgin Mary. The trouble is, there's no point calling for a boycott here because no Catholic should ever buy Playboy in the first place.

I mean, it's not like Playboy has any moral integrity to squander.