Posted on 02/24/2005 7:06:21 PM PST by wagglebee
An episode of the NBC sitcom "Committed,” featuring two characters who flush a Communion wafer down a toilet, has created a firestorm of protest among Catholics.
During the February 22 broadcast, two non-Catholics are mistakenly given Holy Communion at a Catholic funeral Mass. As recounted by the Catholic League:
"Nate, who is Jewish, and Bowie, a Protestant, don’t know what to do with the Eucharist, so they make several failed attempts to get rid of it. For example, they try slipping it into the pocket of a priest, dropping it on a tray of cheese and crackers, etc.
"At one point, the priest, who is portrayed as not knowing the difference between the Host and a cracker, goes to grab the 'cracker' from a tray of appetizers; he initially balks when he discovers that it is the last one. Then he changes his mind, saying, "Oh, what the hell.”
"By far the most offensive scene occurs when Nate and Bowie accidentally flush what they think is the Host down the toilet."
Catholic League President William Donahue is demanding that NBC apologize.
"To say that Catholics are angry about this show would be an understatement - the outrage is visceral and intense," he said Thursday.
"NBC has made a direct frontal assault on Roman Catholicism, choosing to mock, trivialize and ridicule the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ," Donahue added. "More than an apology is needed. This episode should be retired for good, and that is what we will demand.”
**Would they dare to air something as offensive to Muslims? I think not.**
Bingo! Post of the day award!
I checked the original San Francisco Chronicle article, but I can't find it at the moment.
I personally called Catholic League to ask about this several times, both in the capacity of a private supporter and in my job as a journalist. I asked them to verify if the quote, and gave them every opportunity to correct it.
The bottom line is that the Catholic League claims to be a certain thing, and this position belies what they claim to be, and weakens the arguments for everything else they support. The Catholic Church is opposed to civil unions, and Donohue claims to be a defender of what the Church believes. The Vatican released a document on July 31st, 2003 calling on politicians not only to resist new civil union laws, but to repeal ones that already exist. How can Bill Donohue chastise politicians and others for opposing Church teaching, when he is opposing it himself. I used to support the Catholic League, so I was disturbed when I read this. Please call them up yourself, and let them know what you think.
" Now we have two conflicting accounts of whether the script actually called for a Host to be desecrated . . .
In that case, it may not have been violence offered to Our Lord . . . but it still qualifies as sacrilegious."
The host wasn't desecrated. The priest ate it. And when he ate it, it didn't have any cheese as the other crackers on the tray did. When I saw that I figured the writers were going out of their way to keep from insulting Catholics.
No violence was offered to your Lord and nothing sacrilegious was done. Oh... The host on the show was just a cracker because it wasn't real. The priest was an actor.
My only complaint about the show was that it wasn't as funny as the show usually can be. I suspect it was because they were trying not to offend anyone.
Catholics overwhelmingly voted for Bush. Why are you so uptight here? BTW, are you Catholic?
"**Would they dare to air something as offensive to Muslims? I think not.**"
Two numbers: 24
Here I thought I was having a reasonable discussion with a rational individual, and you come up with THAT screed. Don't know where you get your history, but that is a load of nonsense that could only have come out of one of your tracts.
*****
Yeah I know and Hitler didn't kill Jews either. Isn't it amazing how the TRUE Christians and Jews get slaughtered and its all a hoax and made up altho Christ told us we would be killed and Martyed.
President Bush and John Kerry: On the Issues Important to Catholics
"Seismic" Catholic Shift to Bush [Insight ]
Analyst cites abortion stance as some Catholic voters shift to Bush
Poll: Catholics Trending Towards Bush
Kerry Losing Ground Among White Catholics
Voting Our Conscience, Not Our Religion [Catholic Prof Says "Vote Kerry"]
Vatican: Kerry guilty of heresy; incurrs automatic excommunication
Should a Catholic Vote for Bush or Kerry?
Why is Bush getting the bishop's blessing?
Ambassador Ray Flynn in Cleveland 10/16/2004- "Vote 2004: The Catholic Factor"
John Kerry Flip-Flops on When to Use His Catholic Belief on Politics
Abortion is Turning Democrats Off to Kerry
Planned Parenthood Unveils TV Ads Backing John Kerry on Abortion
The army of God marching for Bush
The Catholics for Bush website is now live!
(Clinton Apointee Raymond)Flynn: Catholics must vote for culture of life
Priest: It's a sin to vote pro-choice
Some attempts to sabotage Catholic voters
Kerry Scolds Vatican Over Gay Marriage
Monsignor Jude O'Doherty and President Bush
Catholic bishops should beware of Kerry's 'respect'
_____________________________________________________________________
PRESIDENT BUSH WON CATHOLIC VOTE
Blame the Republicans? No, This Time It's the Christians
Faith Factor Proves Key in U.S. Elections
Election Reinforces U.S. Religious Divide
People of Faith Deliver the Election
Evangelicals Say They Led Charge For the GOP [GOTV effort = 79% Evangelical, 52% Catholic to Bush]
I think you misunderstand. It was pretty clear. Keep in mind, I first contected them about this last April. The article was published on February 27th, 2004, just a few days shy of one year ago. This is not a matter confusion.
You lose.
**I would like to know the advertisers for this piece of trash show,**
Good point. all of us should contact NBC and let them know that we disapprove.
Catholic = Universal, He founded ONE Church, a Universal Church. Get it?
"Good point. all of us should contact NBC and let them know that we disapprove."
Have any of you seen the show??????????????????
I don't understand your question. If you are asking which of the 4 I personally believe, I could play games and say that I believe in the real presence, but that would just eliminate 1 of the 4. I'm a Calvinist.
You're right. If I knew what a bunch of holier than thou judgmental Pharisees I was going to encounter in the Catholic Church, I would have never gone there in the first place.
Who said this?
Unless you stated that you weren't Catholic, nobody would even know.....except God.
I've never been to a mass where somebody announces "only Catholics allowed"
I think you made it up so you could pretend to be offended.
"Catholic = Universal, He founded ONE Church, a Universal Church. Get it?"
Yes. I'm not Catholic. My church obviously isn't the ONE Church. I can't go to heaven. Got it. Thanks.
"You know I'm not going to read all that."
Revel in your ignorance then.
There seems to be quite a bit of that going on within this thread.
** it IS the Body of Christ.**
This part some Catholics don't understand and non-Catholics definitely don't even come close to getting.
Yet there are more conversions to the Catholic faith these days than ever.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.