Interfaith religious leaders band together against Comedy Central’s Jesus cartoon
Faith groups of different religions banded together recently to protest plans by Comedy Central to release an animated cartoon about Jesus Christ.
In the cartoon, Jesus is just a guy living in New York who wants to live a normal life.
The Coalition Against Religious Bigotry, a television watchdog group, is comprised of Media Research Centre president Brent Bozell, Family Research Council president Tony Perkins, talk radio host Michael Medved, Catholic League president Bill Donohue, Rabbi Daniel Lapin of the American Alliance of Jews and Christians and Parents Television Council president Tim Winter.
CARB plans to hold a press conference on Thursday about the planned cartoon, tentatively called “JC.”
They have cited previous characterizations of Jesus Christ in South Park, and they will urge advertisers not to endorse the project, according to inthenews.co.uk.
CARB noted that Comedy Central recently censored “South Park” for its portrayals of the Prophet Muhammad.
They see the prospect of a Jesus cartoon as proof of an offensive double standard, Reuters said.
Bozell said, “After we reveal the vile and offensive nature of Comedy Central’s previous characterizations of Jesus Christ and God the Father, we expect these advertisers to agree wholeheartedly to end their advertising on Comedy Central and discontinue their support for unabashed, anti-Christian discrimination,” according to Reuters.
Bozell added, “Why should [advertisers] be supporting a business that makes a habit of attacking Christianity and yet has a formal policy to censor anything considered offensive to followers of Islam? This double standard is pure bigotry, one from which advertisers should quickly shy away,” Reuters reported.
CARB also issued a video to illustrate how Comedy Central’s South Park has characterized Jesus Christ in the past, according to Houston Belief.
The planned animated series will focus around Jesus, who wishes to escape the shadow of his “powerful but apathetic” father and live a normal life in New York City, according to Houston Belief.
Comedy Central Writers have described the planned animation series as “a playful take on religion and society with a sprinkle of dumb,” according to the American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property.
Houston Belief cited Comedy Central’s capitulation to Islam but continued assault on Christianity. The publication also noted that Christian organizations such as TFP are generating a signature campaign against the cartoon.
Movieguide founder Ted Baehr is seeking 500,000 signatures on an online petition to stop Comedy Central from pursuing the half hour program. Baehr called the project “Christophobic,” according to Charisma.
See The Underground’s first article about this controversial cartoon here: http://theundergroundsite.com/index.php/2010/05/comedy-centrals-jc-to-depict-cartoon-jesus-12047.