Religion in South ParkAnti Catholic, anti religion?

Jesus lives in South Park

• Jesus in South Park• Host of phone in public access radio show “Jesus and

Pals”• Son of God• Super Hero rather than Savior?• “A really, really nice, ordinary guy?”• Jesus dies saving Santa from the Iraquis (“Red Sleigh

Down.”

Jesus lives in South Park

• What does Jesus teach on South Park?– "God can't answer every prayer and suddenly give you everything you

want," Jesus explains to the waiting, restive crowd. "That takes all the living out of life... If God answered all our prayers there'd be nothing left for us to do ourselves. Life is about problems and overcoming those problems and growing and learning from obstacles. If God just fixed everything for us there'd be no point in our existence

– "God doesn't want you to spend all of your time being afraid of hell or praising his name. God wants you to spend your time helping others and living a good, happy life. That's how you live for him."

– Is this “anti-Christian?”

God in South Park

• An animal hybrid?

• A Buddhist• Heaven filled

with Mormons?• What might this

portrayal of God imply?

Satan

• A nice, easy-going guy doing a difficult job?

• Satan vs Jesus - who wins?

South Park vs Catholicism

• Everyone who is not Jewish in South Park is apparently Catholic.

• “Red Hot Catholic Love”– Condemnation of the clergy

sexual abuse scandals.– Condemnation of Catholic

celibacy?– Condemnation of Catholic

theology regarding Papal infallibility?

• Would you say this episode of South Park is “anti-Catholic’?

South Park vs Catholicism

• Bloody Mary• December 7, 2005 - day

before Catholic Feast of the Immaculate Conception

• Catholic League for Civil and Religious Rights demanded an apology, and that the episode be “retired.”

• Catholic groups in New Zealand and Australia attempted to halt broadcast of episode in Feb. 2006 - it aired anyway, gaining 6 times the number of normal viewers.

South Park vs Mel Gibson

• South Park’s episode “The Passion of the Jew” takes on Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ

• Controversy over Gibson’s film - gratuitous violence

• “Snuff film”?

• Anti-Semitic? Are there any positive images of Jews in this film?

• Are the Jews in this film held to be totally responsible for Christ’s death?

South Park vs Mel Gibson

• Episode: The Passion of the Jew– Kyle sees Gibson’s film, and

becomes convinced that Jews really were responsible for Christ’s death - tries to get Jewish people to apologize for killing Christ

• Does the portrayal of Gibson in this film make the episode “anti-Catholic”?

• Is the episode anti-Jewish?• The moral: focus on

teachings, not death - is this a “pro-Christian” or “anti-Catholic?” moral?

Islam - background

• The Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy

• Qu’ran prohibits depictions of Mohammed.

• “equal opportunity satire?”• Self-censorship out of fear -

terrorism wins?• Impact - 139 dead, $11

million price put on cartoonists heads.

• $135 million lost to Islamic sanctions against Denmark

Islam inSouth Park

• Censorship issue• “Cartoon Wars Part I & II” (Season 10)• William Donohue, of the anti-defamation

group Catholic League, argued that Stone & Parker should resign out of principle for being censored, stating, "The ultimate hypocrite is not Comedy Central...it's Parker and Stone. Like little whores, they'll sit there and grab the bucks. They'll sit there and they'll whine and they'll take their shot at Jesus. That's their stock in trade."[2]

• According to Trey Parker, after this episode aired the people behind The Simpsons sent flowers to the South Park staff and the people behind King of the Hill called to say they were "doing Gods work."

• In an interview on Nightline the creators said that by defacing Jesus in the episode it was showing how anyone can make fun of Christianity and its no big deal, but to deface Islam if forbidden. If one religion must be respected they all should, or the rules go out the window.

Judaism in South Park

• Is South Park anti-Semitic? Or is it anti - anti-Semitic?

• Cartman hates Jews - what message does this aspect of the show send?

• Episode: The Passion of the Jew

• Kyle sees Gibson’s film, and becomes convinced that Jews really were responsible for Christ’s death - tries to get Jewish people to apologize for killing Christ

• Moral: focus on teachings, not death - is this “pro-Christian” or “anti-Catholic?”

Mormonism - Dum, dum, dum?

• Is South Park anti-Mormon?

• What message does the episode “All about the Mormons” give regarding Mormon theology?

• What message does it give about Mormons themselves?

Mormonismin

South Park

• Gary: All I ever did was try to be your friend, Stan, but you're so high and mighty you couldn't look past my religion and just be my friend back. You've got a lot of growing up to do, buddy. Suck my balls.

• Cartman: Damn, that kid is cool, huh?

• South Park’s criticism of religion: theology is stupid, but the people can be great?