South Park Controversy

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Front page news this week in New Zealand is the controversy over the airing of a "South Park” episode that supposedly depicts Mary (Jesus’s mum) spraying blood all over the Pope. Local Christian groups are in uproar over it and many people are drawing comparisons with the recent furore over publication of certain cartoons that poked fun at Muslims. Is it OK to make fun of Christians but not Muslims? Should both South Park and the cartoons be banned? Why aren’t Christian countries boycotting trade with the countries that air South Park? Should this even be front page news at all?

 

South Park, and much of Comedy Central, have been making fun of Christianity for a long time. If people are upset about it, they should write Comedy Central, organize a boycott, make real news. As far as banning it, see my comment on the other cartoon thread. The one about American's making fun of themselves for years and about no cartoon being serious.
Do I think it is in poor taste? Yes. Do I think Mary, Joseph and (especially) Jesus are pissed with the Roman Catholic Church? Yes. Do I think this cartoon is worth being aired? No. Do I think this is newsworthy? No.
Do I think too much? That's a matter of some controversy, but at a guess, no.

 

I think the NZ Herald had to right in their editorial, which simply said "Offended? Use your remote."

 

It's okay to make fun of anyone. They can make fun of paraplegics for all I care; when all is said and done, they are only words.

For further context, it was a statue of Mary that bled out its a$$. When people went to check out the miracle, it would fart blood on them (complete with fart sound). The funny part is that people in the show actually lined up to get 'bathed' in this manner, thinking that it would heal diseases. At the end of the episode, it was disclaimed as a miracle because the Pope saw that the blood was not coming from her butt, but instead from...the other area. (Please don't flame me for this quote, it's not mine.) "And a woman bleeding out her snatch is no miracle." Nevermind that it was a statue bleeding.

 

The question shouldn't be should or shouldn't but can or cannot. Christians are not that easy to manipulate as Muslims.

Where do mulims live? Indoneisa, 3rd most populated country in the world, consitutionally Islamic and ..... 3rd world country, dun dun dun. Pakistan and Bangladash, populated Islamic countries and ..... 3rd world country, dun dun dun. See why the people in Brunei and Malaysia did not break out rush out to destroy stuff? There is a Carlsberg brewery in Malaysia, obvious target, Danish alcohol, nothing is more sinful than that. Let's just say Malaysia and Brunei muslims have adequate education, adequate healthcare, adequate access of information to the outside worlds etc, i.e. they are living good. Poor people in poor condition accept anything. If you are a 3rd world country leader and your people complains about livining conditions, just blame it to foreigners, it works, all the time. If you are a 3rd country opposition leader, just tell your people current government backed up foreigners and you get demonstartion, it works, all the time.

Of course, Brazil is also 3rd country and it is a Christian country, they should be easy to manipulate, yes? There is another element.

Now, Islam has glory history. They conquered everything. The europeans, the mogolians, etc. If they can't conquer it, they convert it. But then suddenly, the tide changes. You can see roughly this 1 - 1.5 centuries, the Ottoman empire fallen, all those Islamic countries became colonies of Christian countries, Jerusalam is being taken by the Jews, etc. Their violent behaviour comes from their inferiority complex.

Chinese has this kind of complex too, but milder. When the communists took over mainland, they started a series of campaigns. The tools, the mass; the objective, the foreign influence; the real objective, power struggle within the government.

1 + 1 = 2, thus mulisms in 3rd world country are easy to be manipulate as political tools. Look at Pakistan for example. Current government is an U.S. ally. If you can discredit U.S. and the western powers (which is rather easy), you win the heart of the people.

 

Such a revealing statement.

 

I saw that episode -- there is no doubt in my mind that it was and is blasphemous in the extreme. I was offended. So I changed the channel. I did not track down Matt and Trey, the writers, and try to kill them. Nor did I try to kill people who look like Matt and Trey. I didn't burn down any embassies, beat up random pedestrians, or go shoot up a television station.

My point? Being offended is your inalieble(sic) right. The killing, burning, assaulting and other stuff is not. I'm not surprised that Muslims get offended -- they have every right. What I WILL attack to my last breath is the mindless, knee-jerk violence SOME Muslims proceed to justify with their offense.

 

Oh for crying out loud, not again. Once again, some religion or other taking offence at something intended as a joke.

They really need to chill out.

 

Well, Barmy, I hear you, but wish to point out something -- not all jokes are funny.

Example: LKD walks into class. He sees a student whose mother was raped and murdered on the weekend. He says "Bonnie, look on the bright side -- you're mom will never criticize your wardrobe again!! Ha ha!!" Likely reaction: LKD loses job and is run out of town on a rail.

Now I'll be honest, as I said earlier I found the episode blasphemous, but in a stunning example of internal contradiction I also found the cartoon funny. The fact is, though, that not everyone shares the same sense of humor.

BTW, I did lose my job, but NOT for making a joke like the one used in the highly exaggerated parable above (lest anyone think I'm a psycho or anything )

 

Well, it's not really the same is it, LKD.

Taking the piss out of someones dead mother, and having a little pop at religion is hardly the same ball-park.

 

Its a joke, and it is not like the 'joke' LKD posted. If, for example, Mary had whipped out an RPG, blew the Pope's head off, and had an orgy in his pool of blood, then yes, people could get offended.

They are blowing this out of proportion, just as the muslims are with the Muhammed comic.

I suggest everyone who finds offense at harmless jokes chill out. Life is too short to flip out at words.

 

I'm stunned.

 

The point I'm making is that there are some things that many people feel should not be joked about -- ever. The Holocaust is one. Recently deceased people is another. For many people, (I'm not one of them, mind) God, Christ, etc are also things that should not be joked about.

It's funny you mentioned the orgy of blood - -in another South Park episode, the forest animals striving to bring about the birth of a Satanic saviour do indeed engage in an orgy in the midst of blood, and it takes a boy who has learned how to perform abortions to stop the birth of the Devil from inside the body of an unbaptized child (who is, of course, a Jew).

Now bear in mind - I'm saying that these things are in incredibly bad taste and that many people do not find them funny -- I'm not saying that because of them we should go commit crimes. It's also worth noting that as blasphemous as I found these shows, I also found them funny, in a rather sick way.

I will also mention that I would bet that there are other things that every single one of us here would not think are funny that others would consider a laugh riot. The idea of "appropriate time and place" pops into mind -- I think South Park is funny at 11pm. If it aired at 7pm when my kids might hit the station while I'm taking a pee, I'd find it significantly less funny.

Lastly, the two biggest comdey shows here in Canada have little caveats at the beginning "This program contains satirical analysis of current events. Not all viewers share this sense of humor." Translation: If you are easily offended, CHANGE THE CHANNEL!

 

The thing I like about South Park is that there is often a serious message beneath all the silliness. I haven't seen this episode, but could it actually be a statement against all the idolotry and superstitious nonsense one often sees religious folks -- including and maybe especially Catholics -- exhibiting? Could it be a statement that one is only truly saved through the blood of Christ and not some silly statue that cries tears of blood? Or some english muffin that some idiot claims to see the image of the Virgin Mary in?

Could true Christians actually find a very worthy message in this episode? Probably, but most will be turning the channel.

 

Yeah, South Park makes fun of everything. People who find it offensive because of the Christian jokes probably laugh at something else, which others may find offensive. Its all fun and games until you get hurt, in which case, the show should be banned, you should get monetary compensation, and everyone should grovel at your feet. Suck it up. If you don't like a joke, don't laugh, change the channel, and leave it alone.

You can't be racist or sexist or religion-ist if you make fun of everyone.

 

Well put, Sabre. Some are offended by joke "x" but when someone else is offended by Joke "y" they say "suck it up, it's just a joke!" I'm always willing to tell someone that my intent was not to insult them with my joke but rather to lighten a mood, but in any event if I'm offended I don't have the right to go commit a felony, and anyone else offended doesn't have that right either.

As for South Park, Fink has a point in that the "message" behind South Park episodes is usually a fair one, even if it is a little hokey. The episode with the statue of the virgin Mary bleeding was not only a mockery of all the cheese sandwiches witht he image of Christ being sold on E-Bay but also the almost mystical power some people ascribe to the "12 step" programs so predominant in our society.

That said, I don't think that South Park adds a great deal to any of the debates of the day, and it is juvenile, puerile, vulgar, and deliberately offensive to boot, but I certainly don't think it should be banned or the creators criminally charged.

 

Even the south park show starts with a message saying due to the offensive nature of this program it should not be viewed by anyone.

 

If they want to ban that, then will they be trying to ban this next? http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2566269671806009973