The Simpsons: sacrilege or satire

AP via Reading (PA) Eagle ^ | 12/8/01 | Richard N. Ostling

[foreverfree]

If Homer hadn't suddenly developed an unnecessary fetish for paper clips at the racetrack, Maude would still be living. "Neddy" all alone just doesn't compute with me. That was the last Simpsons episode I saw first run (although I'll occasionally watch reruns though not that particular episode. In fact I've watched less reruns since my local station all but stopped showing episodes from the 1989-1994 period. Why I stopped, I don't know.) foreverfree

[buccaneer81]

Among all denominations, liberal Unitarianism with its lack of doctrine may fare the worst. “If that's the one true faith, I'll eat my hat,” Homer exclaims.

Truer words were never spoken!

[rottweiller_inc]

Well, being a christian myself, who watches the simpsons, i think it is just reflecting how a good number of christians present themselves and christianity.

[jimtorr]

The best bible scholar I know absolutely loves The Simpsons. He graduated first in his class at the Yeshiva in NYC after becoming a christian during his last year. He says that first, he decided that he wasn't cut out to be a rabbi. Then, he decided that , whats-his-name, one of the old Priests in the Sanhedrin who probably was a secret Christian, (the one who said that if Christians were of God they would thrive, but it not the movement would die out), was right, and christianity had stood the test of time.

If you remove the absurd saintly episodes and the absurd evil episodes from the various characters - there seem to be each type with each character - you are left with just average people in an average town. Best of all, it seems as if justice is always seen to be done when characters have been naughty.

[Fiddlstix]

Bump

[eno_]

Whoever compiled the information for this article badly needs a hobby. So they point out that, in addition to bland droning generic Protestants, Jews, Hindus, Catholics, Unitarian get skewered too. As do deliquents, habitual criminals, old maids, public education in general and in detail, fat stupid donut-eating cops and their subnormal kids...

Yeah, The Simpsons is clearly out to get someone, maybe everyone.

[Trust but Verify]

The Simpsons is just plain funny. I see a satirzed version of someone I know in each and every one of the characters on the show. It might be the most harmless sitcom on TV.

[Mr.Clark]

Simpsons, one of the best show's ever, although it's been noticeably weaker lately. My favorite Simpson's episode dealing with religion was the one in which Bart sold his sould to Millhouse, aka Thrillhouse. Bart got in trouble for denying the soul in Sunday School class. Bart and Millhouse were cleaning the organ and Bart proclaimed that the whole thing was made up. Millhouse says, "Why would they lie Bart?"

And the shot goes to Rev.Lovejoy counting the contributions.

Now that's satire. That shot alone hooked in my atheist father.

[SShultz460]

The Simpsons is indeed a microcosim of the disfunctionality that has crept into everyday american life, basic apathy tword everything, includeing religion. I personally love the show but i also see what it is, mocking what is going on in our country, and for that i find it absolutely hysterical, but at the same time sad

[cibco]

Bump.

[ABG(anybody but Gore)]

Still some of the funniest satire on TV, although South Park is now the hardest hitting. Just don't let the kiddies watch.

[JoeSchem]

Precocious daughter Lisa is the mainline Protestant rationalist and preacher of social justice.

And now Lisa has become a Buddhist. The episode was saddening, but in a way, I felt it was a long time coming.

[B Knotts]

Rod: Keep firing; convert the heathens!
 [cut to a pixilated video screen.  Heathens cross the
 street, as a Bible gun shoots the Holy Book at them.  When
 a heathen gets hit, he turns into a conservatively dressed
 man with a halo]
 [cut back to the boys]
Bart: Got him!
Rod: No, you just winged him and made him a Unitarian.

[DallasJ7]

Yeah, she became a Buddhist in last night's new episode. It was kinda weird because she did it in response to what she didn't like about a single church, as opposed to the entire religion.

It was a lot like the episode where she became a vegetarian. She starts out pushy and intolerant to others about her newfound belief, like most liberals, but by the end of the episode, she learns to blend in with everyone else. So I think that's a pretty good message.

[RnMomof7]

A Homer bump..

[alaskanfan]

"A boy without mischief is like a bowling ball without a liquid center."......Homer Simpson

"I'd kill everyone in this room for one taste of sweet beer.".......Homer attends his first court ordered 12 step meeting