Posted on 11/25/2007 5:47:35 PM PST by chasio649
Knowing that I’m a religious person, my children have occasionally been curious about how I react to some of the current cultural icons: South Park for instance. Being home for Thanksgiving this week, and apparently bored, they were eager to have me watch some YouTube clips of episodes lampooning Scientology and the Mormons. In the past, I’ve seen other episodes taking on traditional Christianity, so I know that the writers of South Park are fairly evenhanded in their mockery.
Let’s be clear. By the standards I grew up with, South Park is a consistently crude and offensive program: definitely not for the feint of heart. Nonetheless, it contains some of the sharpest and funniest social commentary I’ve seen anywhere. Every time I find myself watching some bit of it, my initial reaction is to find something better to do. But my children and all their friends seem to think it’s hysterical, and since they are already out of their teens, I’m well aware that any negative reaction on my part will fall on deaf ears.
I try not to be too critical though. I remember one time sitting down to watch a movie with my grandmother. We had been hunting through the TV Guide for something of interest to both of us, when I noticed “The Graduate” was playing. I was effusive in my praise for what I thought was a generation defining film. We got no further than the scene with Mrs. Robinson however, when my beloved grandma drew herself up in horrified indignity and said, “This – Is – Trash.” Needless to say we turned it off. But not all was lost. We ended up having a wonderful conversation about generational changes of values and assumptions. It was one of the last truly meaningful talks my grandmother and I had before she died. So, with that in mind, and with ambivalence, I watched South Park.
Let’s face it. When it comes to the business of lampooning, religion is an easy target. Once people started getting used to the idea that they wouldn’t be struck by lightening for making fun of God, it was open season. And truthfully, some of the roasting is well deserved. Without mentioning any particular sect or doctrine by name, religion provides an almost bottomless supply of material. When we take ourselves too seriously, or too literally, as we so often do, we might as well be extending a gold embossed invitation to rake us over the coals.
Honestly, I enjoyed the episodes I watched. We all had a good laugh. But then, I find it easy to see the absurdities and laugh at the jokes made at the expense of Scientology. When it comes to my own faith I’m immediately defensive. And isn’t that the way. I suppose at least part of the message of South Park is that some things don’t deserve to be taken seriously. Despite the crudeness of the presentation, that is a message I can live with.
I come away though, with a niggling discomfort that we have gone way overboard on mockery. Both as a religious professional and a father, I can’t help feeling that my children’s generation is engaged in the time honored tragedy of throwing the baby out with the bathwater. They have become so accustomed to having religious faith presented as absurd, that I fear they won’t be open to the possibility that there might just be something there worth preserving. I’m all for popping the bubble of our over inflated egos, but I fear for a world in which nothing is sacred.
Rev. Kevin
Excellent!
I appreciate the explanation.
They were deliberately illustrating the fact that we can dump on Bush and Christianity and the censors will give us a pass. But if we dare dump on Islam, forget it.
That’s actually good sense. Bush and Christians won’t harm us if we ridicule them. They may get upset, but they won’t harm us.
However, radical Muslims we kill us if we ridicule them.
Well, you know, God created laughter too. I think I feel closest to God when I am laughing. When I laugh, there is no me so God has no resistance to me.
When I laugh, God is free.
No problem. There's no question the scene was in very poor taste, but I think they made a valid point. They actually fought with Comedy Central over being able to show Mohammed at the end, but they lost that fight. Funny thing is, Mohammed is shown in the opening credits for the show in some seasons, and there has never been any objection.
This was one of those 'defining' moments shows. Think back to the time when this episode first aired. A cartoon of Mohommad (with a bomb in his turban) was causing riots, deaths, bombings, etc. in the Netherlands. Comedy Central, IN FEAR OF REPRISAL caved into the followers of Mohammad and CENSORED (in country a with freedom of speech) any cartoon representation of Mohommad. The SP characterization was just going to have him come to the door...but that was considered too much, to blasphemous. What Matt and Trey did (to show the hypocrosy of Comedy Central and the fundamental cultural differences of Judeo/Christian vs. Islamic) was to show the most profound symbols of our culture (Jesus, our flag, our political leader) doing the most disgusting act and NOT GENERATING ANY CENSORSHIP; ANY RIOTS; ANY BOMBINGS; ANY DEATH THREATS. That is what they were trying to present...not to insult Americans or Christians but to point out the hypocrosy of PCing Islam.
I think Mohommed was there (in the opening) and nobody (who would make it a problemo) noticed it. It was only after the Netherlands were quaking and Comedy Central was shaking that Mo got the heave ho. That is also why I think the Ms. Garrison, ahem, sex scene is in some of the openings...like Trey/Matt are saying 'we can show this, but we can't show (you know who.)
"That is what they were trying to present...not to insult Americans or Christians but to point out the hypocrosy of PCing Islam."
Ya.... Im glad I read this thread, xjcsa and EveningStar ran it down to me too. I appreciate it, I feel a little better about the show now.
If you get a chance to watch any of season 11, try to watch the Guitar Hero one:)
Actually Mohammed has still been in the opening credits after that incident. I think that may have even been when they added him in.
Seems to me this season they took their own advice and quit being so preachy and up their own ass with messages. None of the episodes this season seemed incredibly political to me. Even with Al Gore showing up a few times.
“Hippitus, Hoppitus”
I think you missed the point of the episode. Comedy Central would not show a cartoon of Mohammed but Jesus, Bush and anti-Americanism were fair game. Trey and Matt were demonstrating the absurdity of Islam and the american media.
It seems that context is everything, isn’t it?
Obviously, if you described that scene to anyone, or just saw that scene and didn’t understand the background, it would be highly offensive.
I doubt if the members of the ROP(tm) got the biting satire against them, though, from a comparison of a scene that is highly offensive to Western Christians vs their immature thinskinned reaction to anything about the ROP(tm).
Heck, Alore putting on a cape and making swooshing sounds as he runs around is enough political satire to fill a season.
Excelsior!
The "Tourette's" episode immediately springs to mind, wherein Cartman, in the presence of the Broflowskys, mutters "Fat jew bitch" in regard to Mrs. Broflowski.
Cartman is always making anti-Semitic comments, I’m talking about programs that targeted Judaism and Jews.
The only ones I can think of are “Kyle and Ike go to Jew Camp” and the spoof of “Schindler’s List,” the latter is IMO one of the greatest SP episodes of all time.
The frame where they said Cartoon Network was censoring Mohammed was not a joke. the network indeed censored it but allowed the next profane act to be aired.
The episode is titled “Jewbilee” and “Death Camp of Tolerance”
You vill draw a picture depicting people of all races, ethnicities and lifestyles, ya!
I also liked the subtle jab they throw at anti-smokers.
I remember as a teen someone showing me a copy of Dianetics and telling me that “This is the best!”
I thought to myself, “Hey, I’m fit - what do I need a diet book for?!”
Man, I really dodged a bullet there!
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