Posted: May 31, 2010
5:24 pm Eastern
© 2010
Editor's note: The following column was adapted from an email alert sent to friends of the Christian family magazine MOVIEGUIDE.
Image from Comedy Central
Comedy Central, a popular cable TV channel, is planning on doing an entire animated series mocking and ridiculing Jesus Christ entitled "JC."
The show's basic storyline is about Jesus Christ adapting to life in the 21st century. Press reports describe this outrageous show as Jesus "wanting to escape the shadow of his 'powerful but apathetic father' and live a regular life in New York City." The very concept of this show is blasphemous and Christophobic.
Comedy Central wouldn't develop such a show about Mohammed, the founder of Islam. So, why do they want to develop a show mocking Jesus Christ and Christ's relationship to the Father, first person of the holy and undivided Trinity?
As you may recall, Comedy Central made ridicule of Jesus Christ and Christianity fashionable in America, especially among the country's children and teenagers, in its animated program, "South Park."
Though the program is labeled for adults, this is a complete sham, because, as everyone in Hollywood knows, children are attracted to anything that is animated, especially cartoons featuring kids as the main characters.
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With regard to this new provocation against Jesus Christ, Comedy Central programming chief Kent Alterman has been quoted as saying, "Comedy in its purist form always makes some people uncomfortable."
I completely reject this self-aggrandizing interpretation. There are many great comedies like Buster Keaton's "The General," Harold Lloyd's "Safety Last," and Lucille Ball's groundbreaking television work on "I Love Lucy," or more recent movies like "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" and Pixar's Oscar-winning animated movie "Up," that blaspheme no one's religion, much less Christianity, and are not designed to offend anyone or even make them uncomfortable. Also, contrary to the opinion of many self-proclaimed pundits, mockery and personal ridicule is not good satire. It's naked propaganda, designed to demonize and stereotype.
Jesus Christ is not a fit topic for ridicule and mockery. He is the incarnate, divine Son of God who came to Jerusalem 2,000 years ago to die for our sins so that whoever believes in him shall not perish but may find forgiveness for their sins and eternal life in heaven.
To prevent this vile program from making it into living rooms all over the country, MOVIEGUIDE® has started a petition drive against it.
We have fought valiantly on other causes and won. "Hounddog" was stopped, then recut by the studio because of what we did together. "Brüno" was stopped in its very tracks because we fought hard together to get the word out about that movie's despicable character. "Antichrist" was prevented from reaching a wider audience and became one of the biggest flops of all time.
And, now together we can do it again. Stopping this program that is so offensive to God is essential to preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ and letting people know his infinite love and glory.
We can and must get 500,000 signatures to show Hollywood that you care about the movies and programs it makes. We need to get these signatures by July 4 to make a real difference. Time is of the essence.
