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.”
Or to those who Christ gave His authority. "John 20:22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."
I don't think he (altho we should be talking about the writers) does. Where did you get that?
I do however think the intent of the writers was to mock God, because I think they do believe, they would not have picked so calculated a setting if they didn't want to figuratively flush Christ down the sewer, but that's their spiritual problem.
Actually they also like to desecrate the Body and Blood of Christ aswell. But that, I suppose, is ok in your book.
Well, there's your answer. To the extent they had pernitious intent, it is their problem - not yours. Your problem is seeing to their soul, not your feelings. Just try to keep some perspective. I get angry when people purposefully blaspheme and I do understand that; but, even that has limits.
If they lied about the tenets of Christianity, I'd be upset.
I think you know I'm nothing if not a dogged defender of Christianity. We've been head to head and you lost (lol) so don't be mad.
What is your point. I think I covered this ground before.
All well and good, but you pride yourself on naming The Enemy your personal enemy, as if you were equals. And that, since he is your personal enemy, all who disagree with you must be his creatures.
But Havoc, no one who has suffered greatly would talk like that, at least no one who was truly aware of their suffering. The Enemy of course IS your enemy, in the same sense that a cat is the enemy of a lame squirrel.
Flee him, do not pride yourself on being strong enough to face him, or being astute enough to see his works. The Enemy can, and has, used even scripture to justify himself (and that is in scripture).
We've been head to head and you lost (lol) so don't be mad.
Given what you think of my Intelligence I'm a little surprised you'd boast.
I once watched that show for about 4 minutes. Then I realized it would be more entertaining to stare at a blank screen.
Havoc: What is your point. I think I covered this ground before.
Ok, given your feelings about this "bread" and "wine" I wonder what you would say if someone had come in and taken the bread from Jesus and thrown it down and trampled it into the floor at the Last Supper? Just wondering.
I'd say the kid needed straightened out on messing with things that weren't his and on being a nuisance. That isn't what happened here, though, is it.. lol.
" It seemed to me that the point of the show was that the characters were very concerned about NOT disrespecting the host."
Exactly. I think I have made the point at least 25 times in this thread, but nobody is reading them. I even posted it once in size 8 text and was chastised by a net-cop for doing so.
People continue to read the first sentence of the article and become horribly offended and get in a froth about the show. It's a stupid show, but there's nothing sacriligious going on there.
hmm...interesting verse.
Thanks for that. I will have to study that one further. Maybe I will change my mind on this one....seems like a pretty clear-cut verse.
But, I will have to look at it more.
We've read it but it is not significant. The complaint has been against the writers of the show who thought the situations up, not the fictitious state of mind of some fictitious characters. If they were just trying to not be disrepectful they should have just brought it back to the priest. Any sane person would. Of course, in the good old days when there were altar rails and obvious tabernacles in Catholic Churches this would not have been a realisitic situation.
The fact remains though that the writers were most likely going for a diliberate slap at Catholic belief if not Christ Himself, because the solution for this potential situation is so obvious it strains the imagionation. So, the only conclusion most of us can draw is that this must be an attempt at a not so clever set up for the writer's opportunity to "flush Christ down a toillet." And the state of mind of the characters themselves is incidental as they are just a means to an end.
My question wasn't related to this particular incident, i.e. the show. I was just wondering how you feel about the significance of the bread which Christ called His body. And, if you believe blaspheming it constitutes profaning His body as is clear from scripture.
You are right. (Even for non Catholics) it would be akin to them receiving "protestant" grape juice at holy communion, and then flushing that down the toilet or throwing it out the window. This sounds about as stupid as it can get.
I would assume that every Catholic (excluding trolls) posting on Free Republic is not "voting for pro abortion demrats".
Pray for W and Our Troops
Pray for W and Our Troops
Polybius, they probably think we are trolls.
IT DIDN'T HAPPEN ON THE SHOW. THE ARTICLE IS WRONG!!!!
Don't shout!!!!!!!!!
Maybe you ARE the only one who saw it...I don't know. I went by what I read because I certainly would NEVER watch any network much less NBC. From what was said if it WERE true, the handling of the Eucharist would indeed been sacrilegous to us CAtholics.
To you...NOT to us. Amen.
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