Hypocrisy 101

[unixronin]

"Religious beliefs are sacred to people, and at all times should be respected and honored, [...] As a civil rights activist of the past 40 years, I cannot support a show that disrespects those beliefs and practices."

So said Isaac Hayes, who quit South Park (he's the voice of Chef) in protest over an episode lampooning Scientology.¹  (Hayes, it turns out, is a dedicated and outspoken Scientologist.)

Uh-oh.  Sorry, Isaac.  Your true colors are showing.  South Park has been making fun of Christianity² for the past nine years ("Dude!  You can't say 'pigfucker' in front of Jesus!"), and you never had a problem with that:

"South Park" co-creator Matt Stone responded sharply in an interview with The Associated Press Monday, saying, "This is 100 percent having to do with his faith of Scientology... He has no problem -- and he's cashed plenty of checks -- with our show making fun of Christians."

So it's fine to poke fun at the other guy's religious beliefs, huh, Isaac, but yours are sacred and inviolable?  I have news for you:  What's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.  But then, there's a lot of that around these days.  Not that I'd, say, draw parallels to Muslim clerics grandstanding over Danish cartoons about Mohammed, or anything like that.  After all, Isaac hasn't called for anyone to be killed over it.  (Yet.)

(And frankly, well, who needs to lampoon Scientology?  It's practically self-lampooning.)

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[1] Link from yndy

[2] And, well, everyone else for that matter, really....

Comments

[yndy.livejournal.com]

We have the 'closet/scientology' episode DVR'd - and have burned many a DVD and VHS tape for a friend who missed it...

Southpark was *founded* on making fun of religion - hence the first 'episode' which was really a Christmas card commissioned by the boys...
The fight between Jesus and Santa sets the tone for the entirety of what has followed.

But Hayes? Well, poor Isaac is a member of a cult that does wreak vengance on those who they perceive as having 'wronged' them... I suspect he had no other option. How sad.

[unixronin.livejournal.com]

Southpark was *founded* on making fun of religion

South Park was pretty much founded on making fun of everything. Religion just got caught in the crossfire (along with just about everything and everyone else). :)

[7leaguebootdisk.livejournal.com]

Frankly, that is the scary part, they seem to have figured out that being lawsuit happy loons was bad PR, and have mellowed their public face the past 5-10 years. Not good, better when they were more obviously nuts.

The Steve Martin/Eddy Murphy film "Bullfinger" has a lot of fun being mean to scientology.

[jmkelly.livejournal.com]

. . . who needs to lampoon Scientology? It's practically self-lampooning.

Thank you. <chuckling>

[olafthunderfoot.livejournal.com]

http://ohmygods.timerift.net/strips/2004/11/15.php