Posted on 03/13/2015 5:41:49 AM PDT by Kaslin
TV and movie producers rarely focus on Catholic priests in their plots, let alone use them as central characters, as in "The Father Dowling Mysteries" or "Father Murphy" in the 1980s. Maybe that's a good thing, because when Catholic priests are part of the plot these days, there is an unmistakable odor of aggression -- mocking, vilifying, and disparaging not just Catholic priests, but the priesthood itself.
On March 4, on the nation's most religion-mocking channel, Comedy Central, the late-night game show "@Midnight" featured the comedian Neal Brennan. Host Chris Hardwick asked a question about confession, to which Brennan responded, "Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned, I went to Catholic school growing up. While I was never molested, I did f---- a few priests."
The Catholic League points out this isn't original for Brennan. On the premiere of his own standup show on Comedy Central, which aired Jan. 19, 2014, Brennan commented that he went to Catholic school for 12 years. "No, I didn't get molested, I f----- a few priests, but I didn't get molested."
The Fox comedy "The Mindy Project" on March 10 featured a priest played by ... Stephen Colbert. Colbert's priest was a man who turned away from a very sinful past, which is certainly possible. A turn from moral degradation to holiness might even be inspiring. Not so with this one. This priest began his sermon by boasting he'd had sex with 275 women and had used "crazy drugs." He chest-thumped about this at a funeral Mass.
Colbert's priest was the usual Catholic nightmare, all about punishing, even excommunicating believers for using birth control and having premarital sex. "Trust me," he sermonized, "these little sins are just a straight a path to hellfire as all that really cool stuff I used to do."
Then there was the Feb. 26 season finale of the ABC drama "How To Get Away with Murder." A priest was accused of murdering another priest. The guilty priest told the defense team he killed an older priest in his parish by pounding his skull in with a blunt golden object -- the thurible, which holds the incense used in the Mass. They showed one of the show's law-student characters insisting, "Not all priests are pedophiles," with another shooting back, "Since when?"
The priest who was killed had confessed to abusing a teenage boy who later hung himself. The plot is not just offensive. It's dishonest. After a decade-plus of reform by the Catholic Church -- including an order to priests to break the seal of confession to report child abuse -- the priest still says, "I thought about breaking the sacrament, reporting what he told me, but I know they'd just transfer him."
TV producers insist their stories "reflect reality, claiming even they're "ripped from the headlines." Well, there are other religious traditions that collide with human frailty.
In recent weeks, newspapers have reported some eye-opening stories: the Washington rabbi who admitted to taping a large number of married women getting naked in the ritual bath called a mikvah; the female Episcopalian bishop in Baltimore with a history of drunk driving who struck and killed a bicyclist; and a Chicago imam charged with a pattern of sexual abuse of women and girls.
There will be no Hollywood plot lines based on these headlines. Tinseltown tradition suggests these real-life plots just aren't "real" enough -- which is to say, interesting enough -- for television. Were these offenses committed by Catholic priests, it would be a different story altogether. They are in the Hollywood bull's-eye at all times.
Nothing new really, but thanks for the warning.
Freepers who spam the religious forums could make this a hit!
I can’t remember the last time I watched “Comedy” Central. If they want to be vulgar and act like white trash, its their business. Its always easier to get a laugh from dolts when you spew profanity than it is to work on real comedy.
Yeah, I haven’t bothered with them for years. MeTV and the old classic TV shows are better humor than a lot of what’s on Comedy Central nowadays.
You mean the “faith-baiters,” the religious form of race-baiters?
We were watching a MIDSOMMER MURDER last evening and one of the characters was very religious. I turned to the wife and said he is the killer.
It seems anytime they have a religious person on this show they are most likely to be the killer.
(I was proven correct)
Hollyweird would never put an Imam in such a storyline or joke.
To the point where anytime a Catholic Priest is portrayed accurately and respectfully on TV or in movies, it makes me do a double-take.
It’s almost comical how liberals who trash “Faux News,” will often cite commentary and “reports” coming from Comedy Central.
As Bishop Sheen observed, “There’s no anti-Catholic like a former Catholic.”
If anything is “Faux” News, it’s the All Barack Channel, CBS, the commie news channel, and PMSNBC, but not Fox News
Yes; they must be sleeping in this morning!
I have never watched it and never will
Movies and TV have portrayed Christians as evil and villains for years. I remember watching the 1980’s movie Misery and the evil woman character (Kathy Bates) was of course wearing a cross. It was common back then.
I notice that this doesn’t stop people who claim to be Christians from watching the shows and going to the movies. People seem to have not the slightest idea that it’s bad for their children to watch this stuff. I’ll add the clergy to that. I’ve heard not a single homily on raising children to be Christian and that TV is one of the enemies of that.
On the plus side, this is the only negative portrayal of homosexuality in the media.
Remember when Hollywood gave us “The Fugitive” from John Ford? Henry Fonda? Any Catholic should see that. And anyone else broadminded enough to realize that that story could feature any stripe of Christian should see it too. Chilling how far we have moved down that road.
Times sure have changed.
Is this "kosher?" I thought the seal of confession was absolutely inviolable for any reason and that any priest who broke it was excommunicated with anathema.
This is the first time I've ever heard of an order to violate the seal of confession.
The seal of confession is absolute, no priest can violate it.
Do you mean The Fugitive with Harrison Ford? not John Ford. The only “The Fugitive” I am familiar with the TV series with David Janssen
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