South Park and Religion

[jewscout]

this weeks episode of South Park was about Scientology
but it brings up an interesting thought, South Park has paradied many types of religions in the past
they've done an episode on LDS
In one episode Cartman starts his own revivalist church in an attempt to make 1 million dollars
in another episode Cartman starts his own christian rock group in an attempt to beat Stan, Kyle, and Kenny to a Platinum Album
In another they rip on the big stink over the anti-semitic content of the Passion of the Christ, an episode called The Passion of the Jew
and, of course the Jewbilee episode from which my handle comes from, Jewscout

what do you guys think of some of these episodes if you've seen them and what religion would you like to see the boys of south park deal w/ next
or do you find what they do offensive and would rather they not do them.

 

[LongGe123]

I think the makers of South Park certainly push the bounds of religion and jokes together. I don't think they ever go too far though. I recently acquired series 1-6 South Park on DVD and so I've been watching a lot of episodes and so far the ideas really just come down either to meaningless jokes or well-founded criticisms of the faults of organised religion. Some of the jokes are quite subtly placed though, or at least, more subtly than some of the other stuff. Nothing is totally subtle in that show.

As someone who doesn't exactly "appreciate" organised religion, I don't see anything wrong with the way religion is shown in South Park - in fact I think it's hilarious. If Matt Stone and Trey Parker were British they should have been knighted by now, lol. If some people can't take the jokes then they just shouldn't watch. I firmly believe South Park takes it far but never too far. They even insult the British but I don't really care - it doesn't go too far.

South Park is a truly awesome show. They dare to dream that they can get away with sometimes candid and sometimes subtle religious satire, and they do it. Kings among Men

 

[Darkdale]

I'd like to see them do an episode on Voodoo. I think Cartman should get a voodoo doll and cause havoc. Then, everyone starts making voodoo dolls and Kenny gets killed by Cartman after Kenny castrates a Cartman doll.

On a more serious note, I think there is a lot they could do with Buddhism. Lots of funny Buddhist stereotypes.

 

[cfer]

I'd like to see them do an episode on Voodoo. I think Cartman should get a voodoo doll and cause havoc. Then, everyone starts making voodoo dolls and Kenny gets killed by Cartman after Kenny castrates a Cartman doll.

On a more serious note, I think there is a lot they could do with Buddhism. Lots of funny Buddhist stereotypes.

That sounds like a really great idea -- I can see the voodoo thing being hilarious after given the South Park treatment.

They did have that one about the religious superfriends. Where Jesus builds this huge wooden structure in lightning speed using his super carpentry skills, and Buddha uses his powers of meditation or something like that. That was a really funny episode.

Personally, I think it's great the way they poke fun at religion. The thing that makes it really okay for me is that they treat them all the same. They don't say that one is better than the other. They might pick on the Jewish faith a little more than others, but it's always balanced out with others in the end.

 

[gtrsgrls]

I don't actually watch south park but I don't think it's right to make fun of any religion.(even if it is stupid)I realize that some people just see it as a joke but I still don't think it's right.

 

[LongGe123]

If if it's OK for Christians to claim that people will burn forever in eternal damnation - I say it's fine for a couple of Colorado folk to make some jokes about religion.

 

[Darkdale]

If if it's OK for Christians to claim that people will burn forever in eternal damnation - I say it's fine for a couple of Colorado folk to make some jokes about religion.

Damn right! Well said... furbals for you.

 

[michel]

If if it's OK for Christians to claim that people will burn forever in eternal damnation - I say it's fine for a couple of Colorado folk to make some jokes about religion.

Ah, but there's the Rub, this Christian (or perhaps follower of Christ) does not believe that people will burn forever in eternal damnation. But then I am having other problems with the dictates..........:help:

 

[cfer]

I don't actually watch south park but I don't think it's right to make fun of any religion.(even if it is stupid)I realize that some people just see it as a joke but I still don't think it's right.

Why are some subjects okay to make fun of, but not others? I'm just asking in general, too. Like, some subjects, such as politics, is okay to make fun of, but others like religion is not?

 

[gtrsgrls]

Why are some subjects okay to make fun of, but not others? I'm just asking in general, too. Like, some subjects, such as politics, is okay to make fun of, but others like religion is not?

I don't know,maybe I'm being a hypocrite.But people's religion is usuall deep and personal to them.Maybe that's why it shouldn't be made fun of.

 

[The Black Whirlwind]

Josep Smith he was a prophet, dum dum dum dum dum! ". Oh, and that time cartman did the christian rock, and he got a mryhh album instead of a platinum album, and went insane, and then when he became Hitler.... Fond memories with that show.

 

[SoyLeche]

I don't, as a general rule, watch South Park, although I have seen a few episodes. One of the funniest things that I have seen on it is when they show Hell, and the Devil is welcoming the people. They are all confused, because they were good protestants, catholic, whatever... but the Devil tells them "Sorry, you chose the wrong religion". When they ask what the right one was, he says, "The correct answer was, the Mormons". They all go, OOh, and hit themselves because they should have known.

:biglaugh:

 

[NoName]

If if it's OK for Christians to claim that people will burn forever in eternal damnation - I say it's fine for a couple of Colorado folk to make some jokes about religion.

Oh yes, indeed! I completely agree with you!

 

[jonny]

I saw the Mormon South Park, and it was pretty funny. For the most part, what they said was accurate, but they did do a good job of making it sound a little extra strange and changing the context.

The only part that buged me was the "dumdumdumdumdum" chorus in all the songs...until Mrs. Whitmer got that "smartsmartsmartsmartsmart" chorus. Everyone knows that she was the dumb one.

In the SP world we're the true church anyway so I forgive them.

 

[Ormiston]

I think it's healthy to poke fun at just about everything.

 

[ChrisP]

Well, I can see how you Americans might find southpark funny, but being that it's extremely simple, vulgar and and pointlessly offensive, I don't watch it.

Kinda the same reason I ignore politics, including George Shrub.

 

[Aqualung]

Well, I can see how you Americans might find southpark funny, but being that it's extremely simple, vulgar and and pointlessly offensive, I don't watch it.

Same here. I only saw one episode, but it struck me as being a show that had little of anything except cussing, and they tried to fit as many swear words into the show as possible. It might have just been that episode, but I've wanted to waste my time figuring out if other episodes were better.

 

[jewscout]

Same here. I only saw one episode, but it struck me as being a show that had little of anything except cussing, and they tried to fit as many swear words into the show as possible. It might have just been that episode, but I've wanted to waste my time figuring out if other episodes were better.

O yeah the $h!t episode! lol that was a good episode.

I don't know,maybe I'm being a hypocrite.But people's religion is usuall deep and personal to them.Maybe that's why it shouldn't be made fun of.

at the same time you shouldn't take yourself too seriously. i mean i love that show and they rip on the Jews all the time. Like a few weeks ago they did a thing about the little bag of Jewish gold that every jew wears around their neck.
Cartman held Kyle at gunpoint and demanded it, and when Kyle ACTUALLY pulled the bag out i was rolling:biglaugh:
maybe it's cause Matt Stone is himself a jew
or maybe i'm just an insensitive jerk

either way it was very funny

 

[Darkdale]

Well, I can see how you Americans might find southpark funny, but being that it's extremely simple, vulgar and and pointlessly offensive, I don't watch it.

Oh don't be so sure; the number of shamelessly over-sensitive, over-complicated, pointlessly PC people in America is growing all the time. Most of them hate Bush too.

 

[ChrisP]

Same here. I only saw one episode, but it struck me as being a show that had little of anything except cussing, and they tried to fit as many swear words into the show as possible. It might have just been that episode, but I've wanted to waste my time figuring out if other episodes were better.

OMiGosh you must be the Yankee exception that proves the role.

Unfortunately you're right, it's pretty much about swearing and the depressing side of life. One episode I saw was almost entirely about the 4 kids figuring out whether or not people... pooped themselves when they die.......

Yeah, what a waste of a half hour that was.