Posted on 12/28/2005 1:12:12 PM PST by FerdieMurphy
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- The president of the U.S. bishops blasted a recent episode of the cable television comedy "South Park" that he said showed Mary in "a tasteless and ugly fashion."
In a Dec. 14 letter to Tom Freston, co-president and chief operating officer of Viacom International, parent company of Comedy Central, the cable channel that shows "South Park," Bishop William S. Skylstad of Spokane, Wash., said the channel showed "extreme insensitivity" in choosing to show the episode.
The episode, which first was shown Dec. 7 and had repeat showings in the week following, was titled "Bloody Mary." During the episode, a "South Park" character claims to have been sprayed with blood from a bodily orifice of a Virgin Mary statue.
When Pope Benedict XVI investigates in the show, he declares that she was merely menstruating. The episode's premiere date came the day before the feast of the Immaculate Conception, a holy day of obligation for Catholics.
Family Guy is closer to stand up. The format is kind of like free association. For instance, something will be mentioned, then there will be a flash sideways to a small bit, before returning to the story. I find that new and refreshing.
I also like the idea of them being underdogs. Fox gave them $50,000 for the first episode, bought a few more for about the same price, then canceled the show. It was only brought back because of viewer requests.
I've been thinking. While it was hard on AA, it was far harsher on the people who believe that they're completely helpless against what ever addiction they are consumed by. And how they will often use that addiction as and excuse for destructive behavior.
And the only one in the episode with a modicum of intelligence was The Pope!
Mark
I have that often as well... Like just about every 6 minutes during "Woodland Critter Christmas," and from the Scott Tenemen Must Die Episode, "Don't do that, Horsey! He'll like that!"
Mark
you noticed :)
Well, while it's not making fun of Jesus, they certainly don't treat him with respect. On the other hand, I think that's exactly why they're doing it, as a view on how society is treating Jesus.
Let's go back to the early episodes... Jesus is a local TV talk show host on local access cable station... And he keeps getting pre-empted! That's more a slam on society than on Jesus.
And then there was the episode where Jesus is going to fight satan in the ring... I won't reveal what happened, but again, while they didn't really treat Jesus with a lot of respect, they certainly slammed everyone else!
Mark
And we learned the true meaning of Christmas...
Ham!
Mark
Ooh subtle! - Or is that CRUDE, VILE, BLASPHEMOUS? - so hard to tell when the subject is South Park.
Sure. Just PM me your address.
Such as you may not chastise such as me.
Well, for the most part, the only time you hear farting noises or fart jokes is while the kids are watching their favorite cartoon, "Terrance and Phillip."
Although Cartman did have a series farting problem in one of the earliest episodes, "Cartman's Alien Anal Probe."
Mark
You got a thing against bears bub?
If that is all you have gotten from these HUNDREDS of posts(many of them stating parts, or all, of specific episodes), it is safe to say, yes, you are uninformed about the show.
No, they are dandy marinated in cream and grilled slowly.
Pal.
Family guy: None of the swear words of South Park (FG is a Fox show), but all the vulgarity and twice as many fart jokes.
streetpreacher, I would love to watch this theater.
Let me know when you are going to try to stone humblegunner. In this world or the next.
I would bring smooth stones if I was you as they will probably be easier to swallow.
If that is the insertion route that he choses.
You've arrived at a false conclusion. I'm not sitting here posting while seething with anger. Am I disappointed and saddened by the ignorance I've read? You bet. You'd think that people living in the 21st century would be smarter than those living in the fourth. Particularly those who profess to be followers of people like Luther, Calvin, Zwingli and numerous others who believed in and taught that Jesus was an only child and His mother was a perpetual virgin. How many of their disciples are aware of those teachings? I'll bet that it's very few. These are the same people who claim that Catholics add to Scripture then they turn around and engage in the very act they falsely accuse the Church of. Obviously, hypocrisy is relative. I'd be willing to venture though, that if their own biological mother was being parodied in a vulgar manner that many of the folks on this thread defending the broadcast garbage known as South Park would probably be livid. Yeah, if Calvin, Luther or Billy Graham were portrayed engaging in a homosexual orgy or bestiality or defecating on copies of Scripture they'd be right there slamming a beer and cutting up thinking it's hilarious. It's alright though if the Mother of Christ, the woman that all generations are to call blessed, is being disrespected. Makes one wonder how sincere their faith really is. That's what moral relativism is all about. I suppose they'd be able to rationalize just about any type of behavior.
Strangely enough, few if any of them realize that they'll have to answer for their defense and support of these "artists". Wonder what their explanation will be then for enabling the secularists.
I'm still lost at how having conjugal relations with one's own wife can be considered adultery?
The spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary was the Holy Spirit. St. Joseph knew this. St. Joseph also knew that his responsibility was to care for and protect her and Jesus, not to procreate with her. She was no ordinary wife and Jesus was no ordinary step-son. That's what distinguishes the Holy Family from the rest of us. They were unique. As a faithful Jew he knew that engaging in conjugal relations with the Blessed Mother would constitute adultery.
When I was in college, many many years ago when humanities courses were something more than gay Stalinist propaganda, I took a class in "History of English Drama." One of the texts we studied was the script of a "Nativity Play" that was performed at some Abbey, written by some monk at the abbey, performed by monks to an audience of pilgrims who came for Christmas services and to view the play. This was about the same time or maybe some decades before Chaucer, and if you have ever studied Chaucer, he was "South Park" in ye olde Englishe.
But to continue. This Nativity play contained some pretty vulgar jokes. The sheperds made fun of the "Wise men" who made wisecracks, and infant Jesus piddled in everyone's faces. There were also some very lofty poetical and reverent scenes.
These monks understood that people came from miles around to see this play and didn't want to be fire and brimstoned at.
It depends on their ages... I wouldn't watch "Saving Private Ryan" or "The Passion of the Christ" with a child... On the other hand, I have no problems watching South Park with my adult friends and their adult or (older) teenaged children.
Mark
It depends on their ages... I wouldn't watch "Saving Private Ryan" or "The Passion of the Christ" with a child... On the other hand, I have no problems watching South Park with my adult friends and their adult or (older) teenaged children.
Mark
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