Vatican Thinks Simpsons Are Catholic
It might be one of the most controversial cartoon shows currently on television, but "The Simpsons" has always attracted an army of devout fans.
And now programme makers can boast that the antics of Homer, Bart and the rest of the dysfunctional family are watched religiously - after receiving the blessing of the Vatican.
The official Vatican newspaper has declared that the programme's central characters - beer-swilling, doughnut-loving Homer Simpson and son Bart - are Catholics who raise questions concerning the Christian faith.
The article in Sunday's Osservatore Romano even encourages parents to let their children watch 'the adventures of the little guys in yellow'.
'Few people know it, and he does everything to hide it. But it's true: Homer J. Simpson is Catholic', the article declares.
The newspaper cited a recent study by a Jesuit priest of a 2005 episode of the show called The Father, the Son and the Holy Guest Star. That study concludes that The Simpsons is 'among the few TV programmes for kids in which Christian faith, religion and questions about God are recurrent themes'.
'The family recites prayers together before meals and, in its own way, believes in heaven,' the newspaper quoted the Jesuit study as saying.
The programme has courted controversy since it first aired in the U.S. in 1989, with conservative groups claiming its characters are poor role models for children.
During his 1990 re-election campaign, former U.S Presidednt George Bush said: 'We are going to keep on trying to strengthen the American family, to make American families a lot more like The Waltons and a lot less like The Simpsons.'
His wife, former First Lady Barbara Bush also condemned the cartoon, describing it as'the dumbest thing' she had ever seen.
But last year the Vatican described the show as "tender and irreverent, scandalous and ironic, boisterous and profound, philosophical and sometimes even theological, nutty synthesis of pop culture and of the lukewarm and nihilistic American middle class'.
Yesterday the programme's executive producer denied that its characters were Catholic, saying he was baffled by the endorsement.
'We've pretty clearly shown that Homer is not Catholic,' Al Jean said.
'I really don't think he could go without eating meat on Fridays - for even an hour.'
Mr Jean pointed out that the Simpson family attends the First Church of Springfield 'which is decidedly Presbylutheran'.
'My first reaction is shock and awe, and I guess it makes up for me not going to church for 20 years,' Mr Jean said.
Technically, however, this does prove the fallibility of Papal Fallibility, since the Pope himself did not make the faulty proclamation from the thrown of Saint Peter's chair. See Chick's WHY IS MARY CRYING?
And now programme makers can boast that the antics of Homer, Bart and the rest of the dysfunctional family are watched religiously - after receiving the blessing of the Vatican.
The official Vatican newspaper has declared that the programme's central characters - beer-swilling, doughnut-loving Homer Simpson and son Bart - are Catholics who raise questions concerning the Christian faith.
The article in Sunday's Osservatore Romano even encourages parents to let their children watch 'the adventures of the little guys in yellow'.
'Few people know it, and he does everything to hide it. But it's true: Homer J. Simpson is Catholic', the article declares.
The newspaper cited a recent study by a Jesuit priest of a 2005 episode of the show called The Father, the Son and the Holy Guest Star. That study concludes that The Simpsons is 'among the few TV programmes for kids in which Christian faith, religion and questions about God are recurrent themes'.
'The family recites prayers together before meals and, in its own way, believes in heaven,' the newspaper quoted the Jesuit study as saying.
The programme has courted controversy since it first aired in the U.S. in 1989, with conservative groups claiming its characters are poor role models for children.
During his 1990 re-election campaign, former U.S Presidednt George Bush said: 'We are going to keep on trying to strengthen the American family, to make American families a lot more like The Waltons and a lot less like The Simpsons.'
His wife, former First Lady Barbara Bush also condemned the cartoon, describing it as'the dumbest thing' she had ever seen.
But last year the Vatican described the show as "tender and irreverent, scandalous and ironic, boisterous and profound, philosophical and sometimes even theological, nutty synthesis of pop culture and of the lukewarm and nihilistic American middle class'.
Yesterday the programme's executive producer denied that its characters were Catholic, saying he was baffled by the endorsement.
'We've pretty clearly shown that Homer is not Catholic,' Al Jean said.
'I really don't think he could go without eating meat on Fridays - for even an hour.'
Mr Jean pointed out that the Simpson family attends the First Church of Springfield 'which is decidedly Presbylutheran'.
'My first reaction is shock and awe, and I guess it makes up for me not going to church for 20 years,' Mr Jean said.
Technically, however, this does prove the fallibility of Papal Fallibility, since the Pope himself did not make the faulty proclamation from the thrown of Saint Peter's chair. See Chick's WHY IS MARY CRYING?
posted by chickcomics | 7:27 AM
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