Posted on 12/30/2005 11:40:04 AM PST by NYer
“Several news stories today are reporting on the decision by Comedy Central to pull a scheduled rerun of the ‘Bloody Mary’ episode that was shown on ‘South Park’ on December 7-10. The decision reflects what I asked for in our news release of December 8. Therefore, I commend Comedy Central for finally making the right decision. That it aired in the first place, however, does not speak well for the bigots responsible for creating it.
“In our December 8 news release, I also said, ‘Remember, they chose to insult Our Blessed Mother on the eve of the Immaculate Conception, and the holy day itself.’ The episode in question featured a statue of the Virgin Mary spraying blood from her vagina. It was one of the most vile TV shows ever to appear, and that is why I asked Joseph Califano, a practicing Catholic and member of Viacom’s board of directors (Viacom is the parent company of Comedy Central) to issue a public condemnation of the ‘Bloody Mary’ episode; I also asked that he do whatever he could to pull any scheduled reruns of the episode.
“On December 9, the day Califano received our request, he released a statement condemning the episode. He also said that any further decisions would have to be made by Tom Freston, president and chief executive of the New Viacom. For the past few weeks, we have been in touch with Freston’s office awaiting his decision. Yesterday, we received a phone call from Tony Fox, executive vice president for corporate communications at Comedy Central, informing us that there were no plans to rerun ‘Bloody Mary.’
“Already, we are being deluged with hate mail that is as obscene as it is viciously anti-Catholic. All because we exercised our First Amendment right to request that Comedy Central not offend Catholics again! But we’re used to such things and will not be deterred.”
I've got no problem with you free speech
Really? "even shutting his own mouth" - just something you felt like typing but had nothing else behind it?
Just don't be surprised when you're ridiculed.
Like I really care? Surprised? Never, expect it. If they ridiculed Jesus for truth, who am I to expect anything more.
Hope your New Year is filled with wisdom and discernment.
Well, if you could point me to the Bible that forbids it, I would be appreciate. Anyway, just because you don't find it funny is no reason to get the network to pull it.
I hope that you have a wonderful New Year, as well.
Obviously you don't care, it resembles self-flagation.
Whatever you want it to resemble that makes you feel good - go for it.
Feeling good is more important than truth to you. So I hope your new year brings lots of good feelings your way.
just because you don't find it funny is no reason to get the network to pull it.
LOL! Really, I had nothing to do with the network not doing a re-run.
Thanks - 2006 will be a good year for us both!
South Park pries out irrational or bizarre practices from every group for ridicule. I think that the masses flocking to fluid dripping icons personify a primitive mystic side of an exceptionally productive and sophisticated theology. From what little I know, it borders on and icon worship and in some promotes it, appealing to the most base side of our spiritual instincts.
I suspect the Church supports it because it appeals to illiterate or troubled groups around the world. One down side is that it complicates their message in order to avoid apparent contradictions: strive for higher education, discipline, honor, social enlightenment, but if a statue drips fluids join a pilgrimage to pray at its feet for miracles. They may reach a wider audience by supporting that, but they likely plant seeds of confusion in many others. Another down side is that it sets a part of them up for this kind of ridicule.
I suspect 10 Catholics would have 10 differing opinions on how the above is wrong, but I think there’s a kernel of truth to it that’s what Parker and Stone consider worthy of targeting. I don’t even know what to call it. It’s not quite icon worship, but borders on it.
Is it harmless as you suggest? I think icon worship is to Catholicism as multi-level marketing is to Capitalism. As hedonism is to adventure seeking, as Enya is to music, as alien abduction is to the search for ET life, as freak shows are to circuses, ect… And all that’s exactly what South Park ridicules by taking to absurd levels each week. It’s probably not all fair or accurate, but neither are the claims of slander, malice or blasphemy by groups affected. South Park is frequently socially disruptive, but sometimes a little disruption is needed to pull people out of their ruts and make them think more freely.
Most terms are vague from a legal perspective until the courts define them. America lived with censorship since its inception till the fifties; somehow I think it will survive reinstatement of censorship.
Till then, organizations like Catholic League will use the free speech and free market approach to get rid at least of most egregious violations of decency.
Pornography and bad language was more widely censored prior to the 50s, but imprisoning violators of what each religious or ideological group claims is blasphemy would be without US president and regressive to the liberty that helped enabled our greatness.
I’m sure over half of South Park would be called blasphemous by members of some church or atheistic ideology. Maybe they could do an episode on an attempt to put that amendment through Congress. Then if it passes the it would be banned.
There used to be many states with laws against blasphemy.
It's amazing how folks get excited over NOTHING, isn't it?
Tempest in a teapot. :~D
I do not think they should be imprisoned, but that stuff should be off the TV, and the creators of South Park should be free to ply some other business. I'd like them do some farm work myself as digging in dirt and forking off manure seems a natural fit.
I'd like my political and ideological opposition off TV too, but know that outlawing them is worse.
That’s interesting. All I can find is one reference to a trial in the late 19th century, not sure how it was resolved.
The Catholic Church supports so-called statues that drip blood? Can you document that? Where did you get that idea from? I suspect you're incorrect about that.
The Catholic Church is extremely cautions about claiming miracles. Over the past 45 years the Catholic church has proclaimed only four miracles. All four miracles are related to scientific, medical advances that have given us the cures for diseases.
I think that the masses flocking to fluid dripping icons personify a primitive mystic side of an exceptionally productive and sophisticated theology. From what little I know, it borders on and icon worship and in some promotes it, appealing to the most base side of our spiritual instincts.
Catholic masses flocking to fluid drippings? I don't think so. I'm not sure how you come to such a belief. Hopefully it's not based on a faith in So. Park.
About icon "worship", I know plenty of Catholics and I don't know one Catholic who believes that an icon is a god. I've sat through plenty of Catholic masses. I've never seen anything that is part of a Catholic mass that recognizes that an icon is a god or even that the Virgin Mary is a god.
Sure, icons are treated with veneration and religious respect. That's because they are associated with what is divine and not because they are divine.
But, icon respect is not strictly Catholic in the least. It cuts across all human behavior. People respect pictures of deceased family members. People venerate wedding rings, cemeteries, battle fields and even winning lottery tickets. And then there is our flag.
These are all icons. These are things treated by people of all religions and even agnostics, with respect based on association and what these things symbolize.
Treating icons with respect is a normal activity and is as common in human behavior as dirt is on the ground. Having faith in a god and believing in what one can't prove -- such as miracles -- is also common behavior and it cuts across all religions. Such faith is worthy of mutual respect from people of all religions. Such faith is worthy of a uniform level of respect from those who have no religious beliefs.
So. Park is fallible.
You, used the biggest font size on the thread. You're amazing.
South Park is not political and ideological opposition, it is a dirty cartoon that aims to insult rather than to discuss. I agree that serious discussion should be held about religion, but censorship of undecent material contributes to such discussion as it clears up the channel for adult-minded participation.
Nothing amazing about it. It's just HTML.
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