MICHAEL Medved, US conservative talk show host, isn’t a Christian. He’s Jewish. But he’s joined a growing band of Christian fundies who are loudly protesting against a Comedy Central TV series that hasn’t yet been made.
The coalition of religious and conservative leaders is trying to stop a proposed cartoon  series that puts Jesus Christ in a modern-day context.
Jesus portrayed in a modern day setting in a religious tract, and (inset) Michael Medved
The newly-formed Citizens Against Religious Bigotry said this week that it believes the “JC” series would be offensive. They accuse Comedy Central of a double standard in mocking Christian figures and beliefs while recently refusing to let “South Park” depict the Prophet Muhammad for fear of offending Muslims.
Medved asked:
Does that indicate that Christians then are punished because they aren’t crazy? … that they get punished because their religion does not encourage threats of violence?
Brent Bozell, head of the watchdog Media Research Center added:
You don’t have to be a Christian to be offended by this.
Comedy Central said last month that “JC” is one of two dozen series it has in development. The concept is to depict Christ as a “regular guy” who moves to New York to:
Escape his father’s enormous shadow.
Network spokesman Tony Fox noted that “JC” is nothing more than an idea now, without even a completed script. In television, only a minority of projects in development ever make it on the air.
Fox said the groups should save their energy for when a decision is made about whether the series will ever be completed.
And the even crazier Bill Donohue, President of the Catholic League, declared:
I don’t think they’re going to have the guts to go ahead and do this.
Hat tip: BarrieJohn
The Freethinker was founded in 1881 by GW Foote, an outspoken critic of religion. After the publication of 
June 5th, 2010 at 9:43 am
Carbs make you fat, dude.
June 5th, 2010 at 9:54 am
You don’t have to be a Christian to be offended by this.
Yes you do.
June 5th, 2010 at 10:54 am
Given that one of their number is jewish, the answer seems to be that you don’t have to be christian, you just have to want to be offended.
June 5th, 2010 at 11:11 am
Actually I think that he has a point about the media in general being pretty craven about doing anything that might upset the Muzzies out of fear of their all too predictable violent reaction. To encourage Christians to emulate them is hardly the way forward though is it?
“Citizens Against Religious Bigottry” is presumably a title chosen without a hint of irony.
June 5th, 2010 at 11:45 am
Any publicity is good publicity. If they start to complain about us taking the piss out of them, maybe some people will start to seek answers to why we are doing this. And we all know where that path leads to. So I say let’s Pat Condell the whole bunch of them and see what converters we can pick up from the wreckage.
June 5th, 2010 at 11:58 am
You mock one faith, you mock them all.
I suppose “defend my fellow religiot day” makes sense if you want to keep a lid on irreverence in general.
http://img.chan4chan.com/img/2.....869069.jpg
June 5th, 2010 at 12:37 pm
“Does that indicate that Christians then are punished because they aren’t crazy? … that they get punished because their religion does not encourage threats of violence?”
….Pardon me…..violence. The inhabitants of the middle east thought the Christians a violent sect during the crusades or do ya think the population of Spain was not a little scared of the Catholic fundies during the Spanish Inquisition or how about being on the wrong side in Britain when Bloody Mary was on the throne ?
Maybe the US has forgot what it was like to be black in the US south prior to civil war.
June 5th, 2010 at 1:01 pm
To many in Africa, christianity is still a cult of violence.
June 5th, 2010 at 2:16 pm
All craziness aside there is a good point there after the way comedy central treated south park over it’s depiction of muhammad it is double standards of them to do a series like this so they should just show the south park episodes as the makers intended and at least balance things up a bit.
June 5th, 2010 at 2:59 pm
The religiots are offended……and?
June 5th, 2010 at 3:30 pm
All it would take is a large xtian vocal boycott of C.C.
And ONE!!! nut to do something stupid (not hard for anyone who believes in a psychic sky-faery) and C.C will cancel the whole thing.
C.C. is a business and the main point is to make money and pissing off too many means no advertisers which means no money….
Besides anyone who thinks xtians aren’t crazy has not been paying attention.
June 5th, 2010 at 4:25 pm
Although a secular humanist, I still believe there is a great deal of wisdom in the great religions. If the faithful could meet their ideal figures and listen to commentary on our world we would all benefit.
How the culture of finance and business is aligned with the christian right perplexes me. Jesus is a about sharing and minimizing suffering. I seem to recall he had a great issue with the money lenders and the establishment.
June 5th, 2010 at 4:57 pm
I some how doubt the people who watch Comedy Central will suddenly stop because ultra Catholic loon Bill Donahue and a few other fanatics say so. However the seem to tactically admit that their own “Holy book†encourages violence against non-believers and blasphemers and seem to lament the fact that Muslims are so much better at intimidation than they are. Sad when Anjem Choudray and Osama Bin Laden are people you look to emulate
June 5th, 2010 at 5:57 pm
Oddly enough, South Park predicted this scenario back when the Mohammed cartoons first came out. First, they pull a show because of the muslims, then because of the christians, then handicapped people, gay people, etc. When does it end? I always liked Comedy Central because they make fun of all people equally, or at least it seems they try.
June 5th, 2010 at 7:10 pm
I add my voice to the din. I remember the Southpark episode when Jesus had a boxing match with Satan. At least they put Muhammed in a bear suit. I would have drawn him in a diaper with morning wood showing through.
It’s a “those fuckers are crazy” type of cowardice. With that mentality, our streets would be ruled by organized crime. I am in agreement, if you can dis on Jesus, then fuck Muhammed as well.
NeoWolfe
June 5th, 2010 at 7:37 pm
Christianity doesn’t encourage threats of violence? Tell that to the gay people in Uganda. Stand outside any womens’ reproductive health center. Read the insane letters and complaints the pour in every time atheists dare put up a bus ad or billboard. Listen to Bryan Fischer practically any day on his radio show. You’ll encounter plenty of violent rhetoric from Christians.
June 5th, 2010 at 8:16 pm
CARBs? LOL!!
Here’s an idea – find a way to somehow work a wrestling subplot into the series, then watch these bozos vanish!
Thing is, WWE took the MRC to court a few years back and absolutely wiped the floor with them after one of their puppet groups, the Parents Television Council, made absurd claims about WWE broadcasts, such as that they’d contributed to the murder of four kids. By the way, part of the payout (about $3.5 mill I gather) was for ‘interference with prospective business relations’, so if CC had a half-decent brief maybe they should just sue these godbotherers now for the potential loss in advertising revenue.
On the other hand, every time a dick like Donohue spouts more shite the film he grumbles about gets global publicity. Are we sure TV companies don’t just keep a tame fundie or two on the payroll to stoke up the interest? Cheaper than paying a proper publicist!
June 5th, 2010 at 8:44 pm
being offended pre-emptively may be satisfying at first but where do you stop? Are you going to be offended at everything that never happens? or might happen? or could happen? Pity these religiots don’t keep their outrage for some of the serious REAL shit that goes down……..as for Donohue – who gives a flying fuck what he thinks?????
June 5th, 2010 at 11:08 pm
John
“Although a secular humanist, I still believe there is a great deal of wisdom in the great religions.”
Would you mind explaining that remark ? What wisdom is contained in any religion that cannot be found in the basic concepts of humanism ?
June 6th, 2010 at 8:14 am
jihad envy………lmfao! Not enough kalashnicovs to go around mate! O/t but, a few days ago bbc manchester was the scene of a near riot by 800 or so followers of the r.o.p. who were upset with al beebs ‘biased’ coverege of israels legitamet use of naval troops to stop an illegal attempt to re-supply its enemies. When the bible bashers act like an immature fifth columb maybe they’ll get their own way……….
June 6th, 2010 at 10:35 am
“I don’t think they’re going to have the guts to go ahead and do this”.
what the hell does this mean? Sounds like a recognition of the threat implicit in the mad ravings of the CARB brigade .
June 6th, 2010 at 6:07 pm
Stuart says:
” Are we sure TV companies don’t just keep a tame fundie or two on the payroll to stoke up the interest? Cheaper than paying a proper publicist!”
Ah, yes. Skepticism is a freethinkers mightiest weapon.
NeoWolfe