Posted on 06/09/2005 11:50:50 AM PDT by Dancing Jane
CBS PETITIONED TO PROBE SHOWTIME
Catholic League president William Donohue explained today the league’s strategy for dealing with Showtime, the cable network that recently aired a hate-filled episode of “Penn and Teller”:
“On May 23, 24 and 27, Showtime’s ‘Penn and Teller’ aired the ‘Holier Than Thou’ episode that has so enraged Catholics, as well as people of all faiths (click here). The obscene assault on Mother Teresa, her Missionaries of Charity and the Catholic Church was arguably the most vicious anti-Catholic fare ever shown on television in the United States. An excerpt of this show was sent to 350 persons of influence, including every bishop who commands a diocese. Now we want results.
“Beginning today, we are launching a nation-wide campaign demanding that CBS initiate a probe into this matter. Why CBS? Showtime is owned by Viacom, and Viacom has many subsidiaries in the entertainment and communications industries, none of which is more prominent than CBS. Now it may be that those who work at CBS had nothing to do with the offending Showtime episode. Nonetheless, CBS bears corporate responsibility. Just as important, the famous CBS name has been sullied by what Showtime did.
“We are focusing our attention on two persons: Leslie Moonves, Chairman and CEO of CBS, and Nancy Tellem, President, CBS Paramount Network (Showtime is a Paramount TV studio that will remain with CBS even if Viacom splits into two entities this summer). The petition (click here) seeks justice: We want those responsible for this bigoted assault on Catholicism to be held accountable for the damage they have done.
“In addition to pushing this petition on our website, we will ask our members to get involved: the July-August edition of Catalyst, our monthly journal, will reprint the petition. We are most proud of the support that we have received from those outside the Catholic community. They know what’s at stake and they look to CBS to correct it.”
> Let me know when you found your mission caring for the sick and outcast, ok? I'll send $20 your way.
Cool. I'll spend it just as wisely as Ma T. I'm thinking pizza and beers.
> for everyone who is disaffected with the Missionaries of Charity, you can find 1,000 people who love them to the skies.
No doubt. That's the magic of good PR.
For every person you find who's had a bad run-in with John Kerry, you'll find a thousand Democrats who think he's the best thing since sliced bread.
The show was great, and the one on colleges was fantastic.
Donahue is a putz, he doesn't represent this Catholic.
Hmm, I'm not so sure about that. That would really be breaking new ground.
Islam, like gays, get a 100% free pass in the media so far.
Gee, I read the article and all I see is one nun complaining that she had to live out her vow of poverty while millions sat in the bank.
They weren't running a not-for-profit charity where directors pay themselves handsome wages - they're a community of NUNS.
What was wrong with asking for charitable donations of travel from airlines?
So far we have an atheist named Christopher Hitchens, atheists named Penn and Teller, and a disgruntled nun.
You can't be serious.
The most disturbing aspect of P&T's show isn't that they're out to expose some great wrong. It's that they are out to make light of something they don't understand. While they make light of Mother Teresa's accomplishments, do they acknowledge the greater evil of the caste system that created these poor and sick people? Do the bother to mention that the anti-Christian bias of the Indian government and society made it an even greater accomplishment that she was able to accomplish what she did? NO! Penn Gillette was more interested in goring an iconic figure for a cheap laugh and knee jerk acceptance of atheist who get pissed at the slightest positive acknowledgement of anyone who has even a hint of a religious affiliation. The fact is that Mother Teresa's missions were established with no fanfare and at the risk of her own personal safety. People like Penn can't get their tiny brains around that kind of personal scarifice, so they label it as either stupid or suspicious. If not for her religion, most of these nimrods would consider her a hero. But because she is (tee hee) a nun, her motives and practices are to be questioned and doubted. Penn should stick to card tricks.
That's not what you originally said. You said there are no Catholic terrorists. That's different than Catholic priests calling for the IRA to terrorize N.I. You've moved the goal posts now.
But if you want the US government can tell you about Catholic charities funneling money to the IRA. There's also plenty of evidence that Catholic priests in Ireland actively working with the IRA, hiding them, etc.
Gored your ox, did he?
"Ladies and gentlemen, let's have a big round of applause for Michael Moore! So tell us, Mike, is this you first time on Free Republic?"
"I'm not disputing the fact that IRA members are terrorists. I AM disputing the idea that they are Catholics and/or acting in the name of Catholicism."
Then you know nothing about what is going on in Northern Ireland.
Shhhh, don't confuse him with facts.
There are no such thing as Catholic terrorists
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Ever heard of the IRA?
> don't confuse him with facts.
As susbsequent posts have shown, he's already confused.
Er - uh - you mean like all the time President Bush wouldn't address the assertions that he knew about 9/11 beforehand? I seem to remember our beloved president side-stepping those insane accusations, as well. Was that okay in your book?
No, he repeated a lie, and I called him on it.
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