South Park and Religion

[ChrisP]

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.

hehehe... good to hear Shrubs die.

I don't really consider myself PC. If I had to describe myself, it would probably be as a chauvinist. But I don't need the angry violent disgusting crap, that spews forth from southpark in my head. There's enough of it on the streets (and in my home ).

I just don't find it funny. At all. No rib tickling, no funny bone. not even a little smile or a giggle. Just stupid and gross.

 

[Quiddity]

How about an episode on atheist or naturalism?

 

[C&N]

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.

Ummmm, I think you are actually talking about the Wal-Mart episode, where they spent literally 30 seconds on that subject. You could be talking about another episode possibly, but that episode dealt with that topic for a very small amount of time.

And ya n e ways, South Park is all satire, so nobody should take it too seriously, but realise that a lot of the stuff that they come up with has some truth behind it, well the more recent episodes anyways. Back when they just started out, most of the episodes were just stupid, so I can understand how many people think that show is dumb if they've only seen a few really old episodes.

 

[ChrisP]

Ummmm, I think you are actually talking about the Wal-Mart episode, where they spent literally 30 seconds on that subject. You could be talking about another episode possibly, but that episode dealt with that topic for a very small amount of time.

And ya n e ways, South Park is all satire, so nobody should take it too seriously, but realise that a lot of the stuff that they come up with has some truth behind it, well the more recent episodes anyways. Back when they just started out, most of the episodes were just stupid, so I can understand how many people think that show is dumb if they've only seen a few really old episodes.

Actually I think the first 5 mins was dedicated to watching things die, including a suicide by hanging scene. I just don't need things like that in my head man.

 

[jewscout]

How about an episode on atheist or naturalism?

i think that's a great idea Victor!

 

[Darkdale]

How about an episode on atheist or naturalism?

I don't know man, that might be too insensitive.

 

[Quiddity]

I don't know man, that might be too insensitive.

LOL...I'm sending in my script to South Park. Here is how it goes:

Normal Joe: Whoa, did you see that ghost?
Scientist: Yeah, but it's not a ghost. It's just something I haven't explained yet.
Normal Joe: Maybe it was the FSM covered with a sheet?
Scientist: Don't be stupid Joe, Spaghetti can't fly. It's got too much sauce on it.

Ok that's all I got for now folks. To be continued...

~Victor

 

[jamaesi]

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.

If you can't laugh at yourself, who can you laugh at?

 

[SoyLeche]

If you can't laugh at yourself, who can you laugh at?

I like to laugh at Robbin Williams

 

[Aqualung]

I like to laugh at Robbin Williams

:biglaugh: You're hilarious!

 

[Mr Spinkles]

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

You forgot a bunch of episodes with religion in them, jewscout:

They did an episode about the priest sexual abuse scandal and how all the parents became atheists.

They did an episode about Satan coming back to fight Jesus, but he throws the fight.

They did an episode where Kenny goes into a vegetative state, and he's needed in heaven to fight the armies of hell using the new PSP handheld game system. :biglaugh:

They did an episode where David Blaine starts his own cult, and all the mainstream religious figures--Buddha, Mohommad, Jesus, Joseph Smith, etc--for the SuperFriends and defeat him.

I think there are even more that both of us failed to mention.

It really is a great shows i.m.o., sometimes I'm embarassed to find the gross humor entertaining, but sometimes it does a great job of making points....like when Jimmy rants about how using steroids makes you a [naughty word] and all the big-leagers who use steroids are standing right there.....

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.

That's a good point, gtrsgrls. But then again, the show also shows the positive aspects of religion--how it makes us good poeople, etc. Whenever the show makes fun of "religion" there always seems to be the subtle implication that spirituality--or rather, the "religion" of the individual--is still a good thing. Even the show that ripped on Mormonism still ended by showing what incredibly nice people Mormons are, thus vindicating them in the end.

How about an episode on atheist or naturalism?

In the episode about the priest sexual abuse scandal, all the parents are so disillusioned in the Church that they become atheists and all they talk about is how God shouldn't be in the Pledge, etc....meanwhile, they've discovered that by putting food up their rear ends, they can poop out of their mouths, so while they're talking about how great atheism is poop is literally coming out of their mouths....I thought it was an hilarious not-so-subtle criticism. :biglaugh:

 

[Quiddity]

so while they're talking about how great atheism is poop is literally coming out of their mouths....I thought it was an hilarious not-so-subtle criticism. :biglaugh:

LOL.....:biglaugh: That was funny.

~Victor

 

[cardero]

What many people don't know is that Trey Parker (and possibly Matt Stone) were Mormon. Their films (Cannibal: The Musical and Orgasmo) both poke fun at the The Church Of Latter Day Saints. What is enlightening about some of the religious jokes that are inserted into animated shows is that most of time they can be "spot-on" or give you a humourous angle to many religious practices that for many years we have taken for granted. Lighthearted attempts at religious organizations give us sort of wake up call with a chuckle when presented in an animated format. I respect South Park's rendition of Jesus as much as I respect the New Testament's.

And who can ever forget the time on Futurama when Bender met God. Never a more profound perception of God was offered than on that episode. Don't ever let anyone tell you that cartoons are for kids. :jiggy:

 

[Darkdale]

If you can't laugh at yourself, who can you laugh at?

everyone else.

 

[BUDDY]

I watch the show all the time and sometimes it makes me a little bit uncomfortable, but I think that is what Trey and Matt are trying to do. They bring up some great points when discussing different religions and they are very good at pointing out the ridiculousness of religious extremism. But, the show never seems to go into the realm of being anti-religion, they simply point out the destructive nature of taking yourself too seriously. The episodes that I found most uncomfortable from a religious aspect:

1) Kyle hears his Mom and Dad talking about how Kyle's Dad needs an erection. Kyle goes to church with Stan, hears that Jesus was resurrected (as he puts it, resa-erected) on the third day. Stan and Kyle decide to hang Cartman on a cross and wait for the resa-erection, so Kyle can give it to his Dad. This one made me a little leery of thunderstorms for a while.

2) Stan finds a bunch of wild animals in the woods, who complain to him about a cougar that is bothering them. He kills the cougar. Turns out that the cougar was killing the animals because they are satanic and are trying to bring forth the anti-christ. I won't go into detail, but this one was pretty gross, with the animals having a bloody orgy and what not. Turns out it was all a story that Cartman made up for school and was sharing with his class. Not one of my favorites.

3) Satan and Jesus get into a boxing match. Satan beats up on Jesus and then throws the fight because he had placed a bet on Jesus to win by knockout, and won a lot of money. This one was just stupid.

On the positive side, the episode where Santa gets shot down in Iraq (Red Sleigh Down) was pretty hilarious. Stan, Kyle, Cartman, Kenny and Jesus have to go in and rescue him. It was one of the funniest I have seen. I think I might be upset if the writers made fun a christians and only christians all the time. But because they rip everyone equally, I don't have a problem. I think some people are just a little too snsative these days. I wonder how many people were offended about the scientology episode? "Dad, Tom Cruise and John Travolta won't come out of the closet."

 

[jamaesi]

South Park isn´t just fart jokes and killing Kenny- there are a lot of great points in it- especially in the later eps.

Otherwise I wouldn´t be such a huge South Park fan. XD

 

[spacemonkey]

What many people don't know is that Trey Parker (and possibly Matt Stone) were Mormon.

Matt Stone is Jewish, he is represented by Kyle, Stan is Trey. Kenny and Eric come in because they said, "When you were a kid everyone had a poor friend and a fat friend." I think South Park is probably one of the best entertainment programs on television. I own every season on DVD and my signature even is a referance to a South Park jab @ religion. In the episode "Simspsons Did It", Cartmans "SeaCiety" is destroyed when the SeaPeople wage a nuclear war over religion (1/2 worship Eric and 1/2 worship Tweek).

"I'm so high, I have no idea what's going on."

 

[jamaesi]

From wikipedia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_park

<H3>Religious Affiliations of Characters

According to the episode "Red Hot Catholic Love", virtually all the major and recurring characters in South Park are Roman Catholic, except:

• The Broflovskis (Kyle's family), who are Jewish.
• The Harrisons, who are Mormon.
• Chef, who converted to Islam in "Chef Goes Nanners" but apparently gave it up.
• Chef's parents, who practice Voodoo and Occult rituals.
• God, who claims to be a Buddhist.

In another episode, it is established that the only people who get into heaven are the Mormons--though Hell isn't so bad having orientation and luaus--and that Japanese people don't have souls.

</H3>

 

[C&N]

Actually I think the first 5 mins was dedicated to watching things die, including a suicide by hanging scene. I just don't need things like that in my head man.

Ok, crapping yourself when you die is the first thing they talk about in that episode, which lasts for about 20 seconds, because then Mr.Garrison comes by and tells everybody about how the new Wal-Mart is opening up. And that guy didn't commit suicide, the Wal-Mart hung him, because it knew that the salesman was going to betray it. The whole point of the episode was about how Wal-Mart is ruining small towns, and they exaggerated it by making the Wal-Mart sort of a living organism, and brainwashing everyone. You obviously missed the whole point of that episode, which I am not sure how that could be done, because it was quite obvious. They didn't even change the name of Wal-Mart to something similar, unlike other episodes, such as the Harbucks vs Mr Tweek episode. But I bet if you were to see that one, you would focuss on the underpants stealing gnomes, and not the actual message.

 

[Feathers in Hair]

Hey, don't knock the Underpants Gnomes! I still go in fear of them.

My 'soul brother' on the show is Butters. I adore him.

As Spinks pointed out, when the show features a religion, they're also pretty careful about including some of the good things about that faith. Ooo, yes, I'd forgotten about the atheism episode. (That's a pretty memorable one.)