It was Christ’s melted arms that finally pushed German toymakers geobra-Brandstaetter over the edge. They had known about Pastor Markus Bornhard’s Playmobil Bible for some time – but finally felt compelled to crack-down on the innovative minister.

And what sin had he committed? “We have ascertained massive manipulation of the figures,” the company said in a statement. “For example, their arms were deformed with a candle flame or hair dryer to nail them on the cross.” Brandstaetter demanded that the pastor take his website down. Apparently, they are concerned that the project encourages children to turn a naked flame onto their own Playmobil figurines.

The pictures on the Playmo-Bibel website, now renamed the ‘Klicky Bibel’ in an attempt to mollify the German toymakers, have proved a hit with kids – if comments on the site’s guestbook are anything to go by. Encouragingly, the company is now working with Bornhard to find a way to keep the site up and running.

To me, it all seems very heavy-handed and a missed opportunity. They could have embraced the pastor wholeheartedly - and even turned his work into a great marketing/profile raising opportunity for Playmobil. But no. Their first thought was to go legal and now they look like Goliath picking on David. Brandstaetter already manufacture biblical Playmobil characters - such as a nativity set – so why not just extend their range instead of having a fit?