Marge was a bitch in the Catholic episode

Okay, so Lisa becomes a Buddhist and it's fine and dandy but Bart moves toward Catholicism and Marge is up-in-arms?

For the first time in his life her son is taking education and religion seriously but she puts a stop to it because it's not the "right religion".

I doubt this episode would have been made if Catholicism was replaced with Islam.

Overall, the jokes were okay (especially the Spanish, Italian, and Irish versions of Catholic heaven), but the robot ending was lame.

This is probably one of the weakest seasons ever. Even though I dislike most of the Scully era because of it's insanity, at least it had some serious gut-busting laughter moments.

I can't really remember any from this year.

Marge made her feelings toward Catholisism know many moons ago in "Lisa Gets an 'A'" (AABF03)

Bart:     Oh, I'm starving!  Mom, can we go Catholic so we can get communion
wafers and booze?
Marge:    No, no one's going Catholic.  Three children is enough, thank you.

"Gazorp" wrote in message news:Lh6ie.4685$[email]...

On Mon, 16 May 2005 15:59:13 -0400, "HangoverMS" wrote:

Why should she care? In an episode long, long ago, wasn't it revealed that Homer was sterile from working at SNPP?

Homer never found out he wasn't sterile. That was for Mr. Burns to know.

Marge *did* put up a fuss when Lisa switched to Buddism. You saw the episode, right?

Marge probably doesn't like the idea of being the only person in her family to go to their Church on Sunday. Plus, she obviously disagrees with many of the Catholic Church's practices. Some people believe they have a lack of progressive thinking (who knows why?)?

You know that Marge is a supporter of Gay rights, so she probably doesn't want her son entering into a Religion which has been less than tolerant in that area.

Also, being Catholic wasn't making Bart a better person, both he and Homer were probably just interested in the Religion because it had the 'easy out' of 'forgiveness'.

As for why they decided to make fun of one of the world's most popular religions in an American show, rather than make fun of Islamics who've been getting plenty of hassle as it is due to some crazed radicals and who make up a small minority of America... ?... Maybe they're not big on kicking around a small minority who have very few entertainment mediums in which to defend themselves? Just maybe.

Oh yeah, just so we're on the same page here.. you realize this show is a comedy, right? Marge's character arc or whatever matters far less than say; how many quality jokes they'd managed to fit into a 30 minute episode.. which I'd say was 'alot'.

~J.

If the episode had more "quality jokes" I wouldn't be so annoyed. Unfortunately this episode, with about 98% of the rest of this season was a joke, and not the funny kind.

I hope they don't shoot for 20 years. They should end it ASAP. It's starting to get really bad.

"Gazorp" wrote in message news:AEfie.21778$[email]...

No, the ep was very good as was this entire season. I have taken the liberty of sending letters on your behalf to Fox and many of the advertisers telling them how much you love the show and hope it never goes off the air.

You're welcome!

I seriously hope you don't believe that.

"Gazorp" wrote in message news:iMrie.4780$[email]...

Would it be such a shame if someone had a different opinion?

I find it hard to believe that any true Simpson fan would consider this season anything above mediocre.

Buy some of the DVDs to see the show in its true glory.

"Gazorp" wrote in message news:wcvie.4968$[email]...

Let's ask Xino his opinion of the current series.....

"*Ninja*"

If you were to ask, I would say, "It is quality."

"Gazorp" wrote in message news:wcvie.4968$[email]...

Sure, a TRUE fan like YOU would, of course, have the same opinion as you, because your opinion, being that of a TRUE fan, is the only valid opinion that any TRUE fan could ever have.

Don't need to, I've been watching it since the Tracy Ullman days. Remember "Pork-a-roni"? And before that, I was a fan of Life in Hell. Are you even old enough to remember that?

I like That Guy:-) Oh and yes, my parents are conservative.

"If you were a true fan then you'd be going to fan newsgroups to call the show crap and ask that it be canceled! Dag nabbit!!" ~ Gazorp, paraphrased.

And if I were a true vegetarian, I'd bath in the blood of innocent animals.. Moo!..

"J ." wrote in message news:[email]...

Xino Kiner is a true fan.....

"J ." wrote in message news:[email]...

Heh, good point. Thanks!

On Tue, 17 May 2005 23:34:52 GMT, "Gazorp" wrote:

If you disike the show so much this season, find the instructions for your TV. I'm sure they describe how to change channels.

On Tue, 17 May 2005 01:41:43 -0400, [email] (J .) wrote:

But he signed a waiver, IIRC. Granted, he probably didn't read it, or if he did, he didn't understand it. Hell, he probably ate it.

"Mmmmm, waiver."

And how is Lisa converting to Buddhism going to affect Marge having more children?

Most religions lack any thought.

Oh yes, and that Springfield Presby-Lutheranism-whatever church is a *real* big defender of gay rights, huh?

No, it was just yet another weak story plot line.

Well, you put me into a quandry. I don't know if it's more appropriate to make fun of a religion that covers up for priests who molest children, or one whose followers hate America so much that 19 of them decided to ram planes into American buildings. Let me get back to you on that one.

If your definition of a lot is less than 3, then yeah, "a lot".

{{But he signed a waiver, IIRC. Granted, he probably didn't read it, or if he did, he didn't understand it. Hell, he probably ate it. "Mmmmm, waiver."}}

It's the ink that adds the flavor, and the legality? The spice!

{{And how is Lisa converting to Buddhism going to affect Marge having more children?}}

I don't believe it was ever implied that it would. As I'd pointed out there are a number of reasons any mother would put up a fuss over their child suddenly switching religions. Heck, my parents freaked by my just switching to a vegetarian diet. Parents aren't big on 'change'.

{{ Most religions lack any thought. }}

Ba-doo-poon... heheh.. poon.. Uh.. right.

{{ Oh yes, and that Springfield Presby-Lutheranism-whatever church is a *real* big defender of gay rights, huh? }}

There is 'not supporting', and then there is 'going out of one's way to frown upon'.

{{ No, it was just yet another weak story plot line. }}

What is with you and plot lines?? Can you describe the character arc in Monty Python & The Holy Grail?? It's a *comedy*, plot is very secondary. The writers felt like making some religious jokes, so they decided to let Bart and Homer become Catholic.. Jokes are written, then they piece it together in a story..

I thought the episode was funny. I think you would too if you weren't so busy taking everything so damned seriously.

{{ Well, you put me into a quandry. I don't know if it's more appropriate to make fun of a religion that covers up for priests who molest children, or one whose followers hate America so much that 19 of them decided to ram planes into American buildings. Let me get back to you on that one. }}

*Some* of their followers, a minority within a minority. These are people who wanted 'war', and have used religion as their excuse.

As for the Catholic Church trying to cover up the whole Priest dealy, well, yeah... Obviously that's more of a problem with their higher ups than it is with the people who practice the religion.

{{ If your definition of a lot is less than 3, then yeah, "a lot". }}

Well, with biting wit like that, obviously you're the authority on the subject, so I'm not gonna bother arguing with you as to how funny you found something. I think you know you pretty damn well.

I can point out that no one is forcing you to watch this show. You could easily be watching one of those other quality network shows, like say, "My Wife & Kids", or "Extreme Home Makeover", maybe even "Friends" reruns. You'll love Friends. I'm sure they'll meet your standards, as obviously comedy isn't their first priority, and they're full of more plot twists than The O.C.

Good luck.

"J ." wrote in message news:[email]...

What reason(s) did they give? That you'd become sickly and ill? Parents can be hilarious at times, can't they?

I'm not a vegetarian, but the ones I know are all healthier than I am.

{{What reason(s) did they give? That you'd become sickly and ill? Parents can be hilarious at times, can't they?}}

Yeah, they thought I'd become sick, and a bunch of other myths about vegetarianism came into play. I've been vegetarian now for 11 years, and I'm not dead yet, so yeah.. They still refuse to go vegetarian themselves.

~J.

"J ." wrote in message news:[email]...

Are they conservative? A lot of conservatives I know have vague misgivings about vegetarians as though they feel that they are somehow "un-American" but can't generally articulate why they feel that way. On the other hand, some of them just like to eat meat.

"J ." wrote:

I think BABF03 will disagree with you on that.

"Gazorp" wrote in message news:Lh6ie.4685$[email]...

Well, Busshism as Buddha taught it (or in its pure "Zen" form) is not necessarily incompatible with Christianity (Buddha never asked to be worshipped, or told people to believe in any particular thing or system.) The elevation of the Buddha to saint or god status is mostly done by locals who mix their own religions with Buddhism. Modern Zen doesn't, as far as I know, even address the issues of God or the afterlife. However, it seemed to me that the Buddhism Lisa adopted was the Tibetan form, which includes Buddha's teaching but is also heavily mixed with local Tibetan religion, culture and tradition. It might be that Tibetan Buddhists in some way worship Buddha or the Dalai Lama as a so, and if that is the case

It wouldn't have been as funny, IMHO. Still a little too soon after 9/11. Though those zealots certainly don't represent the whole of Islam any more than abortion clinic bombers represent all Christians, there's still a lot of sore feelings toward Islam I believe.

Gazorp wrote:

Right, could their religious discrimination be any more blatant??? We should burn Fox down & plow their fields with salt!