Get Religion has an item up about a controversial skit that ran on a Public Radio International program, the key moment of which is as follows:
[Woman’s voice]: And now another Huckabee family recipe leaked by his opponents.[Male Voice]: Tired of bland unsatisfying Eucharists? Try this Huckabee family favorite. Deep-Fried Body of Christ — boring holy wafers no more. Take one Eucharist. Preferably post transubstantiation. Deep-fry in fat, not vegetable oil, ladies, until crispy. Serve piping hot. Mike likes to top his Christ with whipped cream and sprinkles. But his wife Janet and the boys like theirs with heavy gravy and cream puffs. It goes great with red wine.
[Woman’s voice]: Now that is just ridiculous. Everyone knows evangelicals don’t believe in transubstantiation.
The Catholic League has protested, but Terry Mattingly says that's not the real point of this story. After quoting a public radio executive saying the point of the skit was to make fun of Baptist Huckabee's religiosity, TMatt asks:
The point, you see, is that the producers of the show were not mocking Jesus and they were not mocking Roman Catholics. They were mocking Bible Belt people. They were mocking an evangelical from the Bible Belt who is running for president. The problem was that they had to use the Mass and the Catholic faith in order to get to the punch line about the evangelical target. Follow that?
It’s way too simplistic to say that NPR people are all liberals and who are out to mock people like Mike Huckabee and the people who are voting for him.So, what is the point? That Catholics should not vote for Huckabee? That many Catholics are tempted to vote for Huckabee and this offends progressive Catholics? That this was a journalist’s attempt to protest political cooperation between evangelical Protestants and traditionalist Catholics? Or was this simply a stupid skit that gives us insight into what a very, very small number of people in public radio think is funny?
He further asks:
Can you imagine a public-radio station airing a skit this blunt about, oh, any efforts that Barack Obama may make to reach out to Catholics? Wine, bries, soul food, watermelon and Eucharist? That Hillary Clinton might make to reach out to Muslims? Imagine the humor material lurking there. That John Edwards might make to reach out to Jews?
I think we know the answer to that question. Some groups are sacrosanct to the media. Orthodox Catholics and conservative Evangelicals aren't among them.
CLARIFICATION: Earlier I attributed this program to NPR. I've since changed the text to reflect that the program in question, "Fair Game," is syndicated by Public Radio International, whose programs are aired on some NPR stations (I believe we get it here in Dallas on KERA).
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jaybird, I now have the Dead Milkmen running around in my head:
"The government says it's due to poor farming--but I know what's really going on, Stuart! I know it's the queers! They're in it with the aliens! They're out there building landing strips for gay Martians, I swear to God!"
We are, you know. It's all true.
Angela, you just gave me an idea for the next generation of zombie movies. ;-D
ACLU's Minnesota branch is investigating complaints that a public community college meditation room has been commandeered by Muslims, who divided the room to separate men and women, and who leave a permanent display of radical Islamic literature that is both anti-Jewish and anti-Christian.
These issues were brought to light by a local conservative newspaper columnist.
This is so offensive, it makes my heart break. I hope the writers of this skit are blessed with understanding in the future, I hope they come to realize how damaging thier uneducated and ignorant sketch is to their own integrity, I hope they also come to realize how deeply they hurt believing catholics. We muyst forgive them because they know not whtat they do.
Catholics, are your looking for a presidential candidate that reflects your views? Educate yourself about Congressman Ron Paul. He is a very intellectual man with true integrity. He is not a worldly selfish man who likes gifts and toys like Mike Huckabee. He does not make any rash decision on any important issue. He studies and informs his conscience more than any other public servant we have had in our time. He is staunchly Pro Life and has even written legislation to override Roe VS Wade. He is a strong advocate for religious freedom, educational freedom, he is opposed to the Iraq war, just the same as our leadership in Rome is. Please choose Life, Peace and Liberty and vote for Ron Paul...the advocate for catholic social teaching.
"Or--you could just have a rational debate for and against gay marriage...but that'd be too easy, wouldn't it?"
I doubt it would be "easy" but it would be refreshing, Don.
M David,
"What is so beautiful is how liberals right here on this blog think persecution of the "other" by rule of law is so sweet and amusing."
Not half as "aumusing" as how conservatives right there in the Good Old U. S. of A. (TM) think persecution of gays by rule of law is so sweet. I mean, HOW MANY States (not to mention the whole friggin' country) wanted to (and some DID) change their Constitutions to enshrine homophobic legislation and forbid equal treatment before the law??? (I presume this is what you mean by persecuting others by rule of law, right?)
"Canadian Scott Brockie was was fined in 2005 because he refused to print literature for a homosexual group."
Ergo, a rabid, anti-gay bigot got what he deserved. Maybe Mr. Brockie and you could publish the complete list of who deserves to be discriminated against. That would help.
"The "Human Rights" tribunal in BC already outlaws curriculum as discriminatory unless it includes pro-homosexual stuff."
Wrong. (Again.) It is discriminatory when it includes ANTI-GAY stuff. Kinda clear as to why, since gay people are citizens too. Or are you okay with anti-(fill in the blanks with your least favourite minority group here) curricula?
"In Sweeden, the headmaster of a private school dared to say that homosexual activity was sinful, so the education agency ruled that the head teacher's comments on homosexuality were incompatible with the anti-discrimination policy laid down in the national curriculum."
And they WERE (still ARE) incompatible with the anti-discrimiination policy.
"Also in Europe, many states issue fines or will actually close schools for daring to each in creationism. You can look it up."
Good. We don't need pseudo-science or anti-science cluttering up young minds.
"This is what liberals are all about."
Yup, equality for all. Sorry YOU don't like it.
"Just look at libs on this blog. You see the same persecutions I see: in the media, the schools, and the airwaves."
Maybe if you'd STOP teh persecutions, we'd stop grumbling about it. The only reason I can see is your dislike of liberals is so great you really don't care about the injustice.
Don Altobello,
I said, "Yeah. Heaven forfend that Americans should treat each other fairly (or the American government treat all its citizens fairly), eh?"
Posted by: recovering ex-Pentecostal | January 10, 2008 12:31 PM
You said, "Your stupid comment is barely even worth responding to."
Why was it "stupid"? Isn't fairness, impartiality, equal treatment before the law the foundation of America anymore?
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