MTV Lampoons the Catholics

[Kellanved]

A new MTV pilot cartoon making fun of the pope has stirred up religious outrage in Germany. Can one really show the pope hopping through the Vatican halls on a cross-shaped pogo stick? Prepare for the sequel to the Muhammad caricature controversy.

Shortly before 10 p.m. last Wednesday, MTV presenter Markus Kavka announced that things were about to get serious: "No more fooling around." Everyone in the studio stared stone-faced at the TV screen, waiting for the first episode of "Popetown" to begin.

Sitting next to Kavka were Dirk Tänzler from the German Catholic Youth League, Johannes Vogel, chairman of the Young Liberals (the youth organization of Germany's free-market FDP party), Joachim von Gottberg, chairman of Germany's Organization for the Voluntary Self-Control of TV Production, and Smudo, a popular German rapper. They were there to clarify whether "Popetown" is an insult to the Christian faith or not -- and whether the TV series should be aired.

The meeting was in many ways the final result of weeks of controversy over whether or not "Popetown" is too offensive for the airwaves. How much satire should the Church be asked to stomach?

...
http://service.spiegel.de/cache/international/spiegel/0,1518,415425,00.html


this rubbish was a sobering experience for me. The very same newspapers which published the Danish cartoons in the name of press freedom are now railing against this show.

[Vexatious Ape]

1. It's about time

It's a good thing that someone is starting to poke fun at religious institutions. Don't you think religion does more to divide people?

[TallahasseeGrannie]

4. NO.

if you would just believe in WHAT I BELIEVE we wouldn't be divided.

Why can't you see that?


sheeeeesh

[MADem]

5. Right on the money!!!

This is German MTV, and the Pope is German...surprised it didn't happen sooner, to be honest...

Also, in Germany, if you ADMIT to having a religion, the government will take out taxes for your designated church straight out of your paycheck. That's why almost a third of the country claims no religious affiliation:

The German constitution guarantees freedom of faith and religion. It also states that no one may be discriminated against due to their faith or religious opinions. However, unlike some other countries, cooperation between the state and religious communities is entirely in keeping with the German constitution. Religious communities that are of considerable size and stability and are loyal to the constitution can be recognized as "corporations under public law". This gives them certain privileges, for example being able to give religious instruction in state schools to adherents' children and having membership fees collected by the German Finanzamt (the German equivalent of the Internal Revenue Service) or by themselves. Such Church tax is levied if a person lists a religion on their tax form or is listed as member in the population registry. It amounts to between 8 or 9% of the income tax. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_Germany

[TallahasseeGrannie]

6. Wow

I had NO idea of this. Heck, I wouldn't put down a religion either. I think I'd suddenly become an "atheist."

[MADem]

8. I didn't know it either, until a German pal of mine told me! n/t

[Hoping4Change]

2. Question: How much child abuse have they stomached?

Given the fact they have been able to turn a blind eye to a gross amount of abuse within the Church and stomach it, I can't see why they should lack the stamina to endure a gross amount of stomach satire.

[Ian David]

3. They survived Martin Luther. They survived Galileo. They survived Darwin

and for better or for worse, they will probably survive an MTV cartoon called Popetown.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

7. I caught your last comment

at the time of the cartoon controversy, I said that I felt the newspaper was just trying to stir up trouble, yet they hid behind "press freedom" and that everyone should be fair game to satire. Interesting that they don't think so when the object of satire is a European Christian.

[Inland]

9. Bring back Daria. nt

[Dorian Gray]

10. That newspaper sounds hypocritical in that case....

I suspect, however, that this show will be met with some letters to the network and some newspaper articles. I doubt that there will be rioting in the streets of Germany, though.

[WritingIsMyReligion]

11. "How much satire should the Church be asked to stomach?"

As much satire as the rest of humanity stomachs ALL THE TIME without going on the rampage about how "disrespected" it's been. A "holy" institution isn't exempt from being poked fun at like all the rest of us are.