Pat Robertson says Islamic fundamentalists wouldn't tolerate religious satire and neither should we
By Stefan SirucekDecember 20th, 2011, 12:30 pmComments (9)In a twist that no one could have predicted, Saturday Night Live's recent sketch in which a laid-back Jesus visits the Denver Broncos' locker room to tell quarterback Tim Tebow to "take it down a notch" has raised Pat Robertson's ire several notches.
Never mind the fact that the sketch — which Robertson most likely hasn't watched, unless someone transferred it to Betamax — is about as mild as parody gets. And leave aside the fact that the jokes are directed not at Jesus but at the football prowess of Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos. The All-father of the Christian Broadcast Network nevertheless cited it as the latest example of a virulent "anti-Christian bigotry that is just disgusting."
Robertson and always-supportive co-host Terry Meeuwsen then cataloged all the terrible things that would have surely happened if SNL's mild parody had featured Mohammed and aired in a Muslim country, and went on to lament America's lack of similar fervor. "You would have found bombs being thrown off!," mused Robertson. "And bodies on the street," added Meeuwsen gamely. "And bodies on the street," agreed Robertson, wistfully.
Indeed, what kind of country are we living in in which a late-night television spoof leaves not a measly bomb thrown? Not a single body in the street? A country that's not religious enough, clearly. The devout bobble-head (who called the 2010 earthquake in Haiti a "blessing in disguise") went on to praise Tebow and say "we need more religious faith in our society."
Here's the wildly offensive sketch in question, in case you missed it:
Commentarium (9 Comments)
This sacrilegious parody should rightfully be the cause of social disorder, extremist terrorism and wanton destruction of life and property! Hurray!
Insert standard skeptical comment concerning the oppressed plight of the white American Christian male.
"The test of a good religion is its ability to laugh at itself." - G.K. Chesterton
Pat Robertson is absolutely correct! Those things would have happened in a Muslim country had that sketch aired and it had feature Mohammed.
Of course, we live in the USA where our constitution guarantees the right to free speech (and to make fun of religious figures), amongst many other rights, and not in a Muslim-ruled nation where those very same rights don't exist.
Yeah, we are just overflowing with democracy here, just look at the reaction to OWS compared to those undemocratic muslims in egypt, yemen, tunisia, etc.
for the record, nothing about that sketch was anti-christian. it was poking fun at the idea that some people believe it was merely mindless prayers, not practice and not teamwork, that helped to win in sport. and it was a fantastic sketch on that front, no religious agenda whatsoever.
but according to Pat Robertson, apparently Christian fundamentalists should behave like Islamic fundamentalists. wow, Christian fundamentalists = Islamic fundamentalists, anti-Christian = anti-Muslim, bigotry = bigotry, what a revelation!
Nothing would make poor old Pat happier than the ability to declare Christian jihad and command fatwah against Lorne Michaels (godless Canuck). He'd LIKE to see bodies in the streets, at his bidding. He's jealous of Islamic fervor.
Also, in the headline, "neither should we" is misleading. "We" are not Christian.
I for one eagerly await old Pat Robertson strapping some dynamite onto his chest and discovering that there is no afterlife.
Wow! Pat Robertson just made the case why religion should not be in government - look at the Muslim nations. Hey Pat what do you do to keep your congregation in line? Maybe we should look at them maybe there a few congregants that are missing a hand or looked like they were recently stoned.
Now you say something