The Simpsons: sacrilege or satire

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

[aomagrat]

In my best Comic Book Guy voice, "Worst episode ever." for last night's Simpsons. I can believe Lisa as a vegitarian, but as a Buddist? That's going to far. The hamster scene was way lame also. The whole show just wasn't funny. King of the Hill, now that was funny. Especially when Jimmy Carter found out his limo wasn't bulletproof, after Cotton Hill shot it full of holes with a nail gun.

[maxwell]

Well I was struck more by the commercialization of the Springfield church, with ropin' Jesus and all... Made me think of the Catholic church in town I go to once in a blue moon, with local business advertisements all over the bulletin...

It's not as though Buddhism was depicted as the one true faith or anything. I mean, it was Richard Friggin' Gerbil-boy Gere for god's sake... I think the satire was on Lisa this time, for deserting Christianity for something she thought was more enlightened...

[Junior]

"Worst episode ever."

[Dr.Deth]

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.

Buddhists and Methodists made the list yesterday... funny episode.

[pchuck]

Rod: No, you just winged him and made him a Unitarian.

Now that is comedy!

[Ligeia]

That scene with the Flanders children playing the Bible video game may have been from the episode that is one of my favorites. Marge and Homer take a much-deserved weekend away together and Grandpa Simpson comes to care for Bart, Lisa, and Maggie. The show skewers do-gooder social services who overreact to a messy home and send the Simpson children to the Flanders who act as a foster family.

The story ends with Bart, Lisa, and Maggie's having to choose which family, or path, they wish to follow. The Flanders family is surrounded by sunshine, chirping birds, angels singing, and all things goodness and light. Marge and Homer are surrounded by a bleak, surreal barren landscape void of life. The children were tempted, but chose their own parents. The Flanders were the obvious "Godly" choice.

[KneelBeforeZod]

South park is on comedy central which I am boycotting.

Why? because they have had 3 shows which were made up of mostly gays, and also they have movies which come from hollywood which has commies and also they have SNL reruns which sometimes has actors who are commies and also they have cast members who are sometimes commies and sometimes they have bands who are commies.

[pchuck]

Name any other television that shows the main characters actually attending Church?

Maybe that 7th Heaven because the guy is a preacher; although I have never watched.

[KneelBeforeZod]

the trampoline episode.... Rod and Tod on the trampoline "each jump brings us closer to God."

Then BAM! the smack into each other..."what did we do to make God angry?"

[Ligeia]

Oh, I know. Those two are too funny!

[KneelBeforeZod]

well... Tabitha Soren is going to pick up Michael Rivero and bring him over... and the three of us are going to check next week. ;o)

[KneelBeforeZod]

just for that "child protective services" episode alone, I'd think most FReepers would hold the Simpsons sacred!

[Rambro]

This was not exactly Homer's best line, or the worst shot at Unitarianism (I did whince at "Unitartian Stew": there's nothing in it). Of course Homer isn't much of an authority about faith of any type. However, I think the joke is SUPPOSED to be that, according to most Unitarians (including me) there is NO "one true faith"; God reveals himself to each of us as we are able to understand and comprehend Him. Therefore your faith is, presumably at least, as "true" as mine.

The final arbiter for all faiths is how well it works for and through you. Or as James, the brother of Jesus said, ". . .show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works. . .faith without works is useless." James 2:18 & 20.

[cardinal4]

Whats up,HP?While we are sharing favorite Simpsons episodes,my favorite was "22 minutes in Springfield"where Apu is washing his red Trans Am and singing Cheap Trick's"Dream Police"in that Indian Accent.

[weegee]

And now Lisa has become a Buddhist.

Maybe she'll uncover more DNC fundraising...

[Miss Mercy Miller]

Sad to see this show suck so many in. The Simpsons is a nicely packaged tool of the LIEberals.

[Timesink]

Unitarianism is to its followers what Claudia Schiffer was to David Copperfield.