VIRGIN MARY DEFILED ON “SOUTH PARK”

Catholic League ^ | December 8, 2005 | William Donohue

[NYer]

Catholic League president Bill Donohue remarked today about last night’s episode of “South Park” (it will run again for the next three nights):

 

“A ‘South Park’ character gets a DWI and is ordered to attend AA meetings.  Told about the 12-step program, he concludes that he needs a miracle to cure him.  The plot then focuses on a statue of the Virgin Mary who is ‘bleeding out her ass.’  The Vatican dispatches a cardinal to investigate and he is sprayed with blood when he walks behind the statue.  He then declares this to be a miracle, which draws even more people.  The alcoholic, now in a wheelchair, is also sprayed with blood: he then claims he is cured and jumps out of his seat.

 

“Pope Benedict XVI goes to investigate.  He, too, is sprayed with blood when he walks behind the statue.  A reporter says, ‘The pope investigated further and determined that the statue was not bleeding out its ass, but its vagina.’  To which the pope replies: ‘A chick bleeding out her vagina is no miracle.  Chicks bleed out their vaginas all the time.’

 

“Comedy Central is a subsidiary of MTV, which is owned by Viacom.  On the board of directors of Viacom is a practicing Catholic and a distinguished public servant, Joseph A. Califano; he served under Presidents Johnson and Carter.  We are writing to him today requesting that he intervene in this matter.  We want a) an apology to Roman Catholics and b) a pledge that this episode be permanently retired and not be made available on DVD.  In the event Viacom does not cooperate, we are asking Mr. Califano to issue his own statement of condemnation.  We are asking our members to contact him as well.  Remember, they chose to insult Our Blessed Mother on the eve of the Immaculate Conception, and the holy day itself. 

“Joseph A. Califano is chairman of the board of The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse.  He can be reached at CASA, 633 Third Avenue, NY, NY 10017; phone, 212-841-5200; fax, 212-956-8020; email, employment@casacolumbia.org.”

[ConservativeGreek]

My sentiments exactly. Love the show but changed the channel at that point.

Yeah, it was creepy. Never felt that way with the program's attack before. This was "humorless."

[CounterCounterCulture]

Good and most-relevant post.

[Question_Assumptions]

Yes, I know South Park is a lot more thoughtful and nuanced than a lot of critics think it is (which is why I think I wound up on a South Park ping list -- which I don't mind). I'm just a bit tired of Fundamentalists and Catholics being bashed. It's old -- like my suggestion apparently was. Do something new already, like the NAMBLA episode.

[Question_Assumptions]

Don't worry, I'm getting a very important lesson from all of this. Don't make cheap obvious comments into controversial 500+ reply threads that you haven't read. :-)

[billbears]

You haven't addressed the main part of my post. South Park creators have covered Islam more than once. So apparently they're not very scared of it.

[HairOfTheDog]

Do something new already, like the NAMBLA episode.

But they've already done that... it's no longer new :~D

This season they've hit a lot of areas they haven't hit before... Our religions represent a huge part of the culture.... It's just simple math that there are more opportunities for humor there than have yet been done. To ignore them would be the insult :~D

[ecurbh]

Do something new already, like the NAMBLA episode.

You mean the National Association of Marlon Brando Look-Alikes?

[CounterCounterCulture]

to rwfromkansas: Were you there when Mary lost her virginity?

Mary had other sons and daughters besides Jesus, so Mary didn't die a virgin.

[Dog Gone]

You clearly miss the point, that being that this statue is representative of the very real Virgin Mary, and for the sake of a few laughs at those who might "flock to a bleeding statue or a piece of toast", by showing blood pouring out of various orifices (whether statue or not), indicates a presence of sacrilege. And that's NOT NICE.

Well, leaving aside for the moment that it was cartoon of a statue of a woman whom we have no clue of how she looked, the point was quite clearly making fun of those who see miracles performed by statues of Mary.

If you believe those miracles are real, you are going to be offended. If you think those miracles are hoaxes, the result of an over-imaginative perception, or have natural explanations, you won't be. Plenty of Catholics fit into the latter categories.

The point you miss is that this wasn't a diss on Mary. It was a diss of statue miracles.

If you don't see the distinction, then you're a good candidate to believe in healing statue tears, grilled cheese sandwich miracles, etc.

[HairOfTheDog]

Would have been kindof a bummer of a deal for Joseph, anyhow.

[SunnySide]

You contradict yourself

You have condemned both the show and the viewers. Thought you were a bit harsh on the audience.
....

No, you're another one of those hyper sensitive liberals.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

I guess this means you just can't answer yes or not, as to whether you believe a statue can weep or not, thanks anyway.

Statues can't weep, Bozo.

[SittinYonder]

You haven't addressed the main part of my post

It wasn't the main part as far as I was concerned.

[StoneColdGOP]

So what the hell are these supposed holier than thou Catholics doing watching South Park anyways?

I thought it was a hilarious episode.

[BJClinton]

I haven't read the last few hundred posts to this Hedonists vs. Idolators thread, but have we had the airing of grievences yet?

[mnehring]

to rwfromkansas: Were you there when Mary lost her virginity? Mary had other sons and daughters besides Jesus, so Mary didn't die a virgin.

I am curious about something. In the original writing of the scripture in the original language, did it really say that Mary was a physical virgin (virgo intacta) or just young woman (almah). How much are we looking at the Word through the glasses of tradition versus accurate translation?

It is like a previous poster who still has the image of Jesus as a 'hippie', when in fact, he was actually of royal dynastic descent directly from King David (Nazrie ha-Brit or mistranslated Nazerene) who came 'not as a peacemaker but with a sword.' (paraphrased)

Are people offended that their religion was offended or that their tradition was offended?

[mhking]

South Park is an equal opportunity offender.

[Dog Gone]

I haven't read the last few hundred posts to this Hedonists vs. Idolators thread, but have we had the airing of grievences yet?

Of course. Post 496, for example.

[BJClinton]

I miss all of the fun 'cuase of this "work" thing.

[Dog Gone]

A little after lunch, I said to heck with this. I don't want to work anymore today and left the office. I've got vacation to burn...