Christian groups boycott new TV show 'Black Jesus' before it even airs

Christian groups are trying to boycott the new Adult Swim comedy Black Jesus before its first episode even airs, The Root reported today.

The Christian group One Million Moms wrote on its website that the series — which was produced by The Boondocks creator Aaron McGruder and stars Gerald “Slink” Johnson in the titular role — is “blasphemous” because it “depicts [Jesus] living in Compton Gardens and makes a mockery of our Lord.”

In the trailer (below), “Jesus” is seen spouting profanity and explaining that he’s entitled to more marijuana because he “died for your f*cking sins.” It is also clear from the trailer that the main narrative of the series will concern whether the man who claims to be “Jesus” is, in fact, the Christian savior or just another messianic figure like David Koresh.

One Million Moms claimed that the trailer alone “makes a mockery of our lord. The foul language used in the trailer, including using the lord’s name in vain, is disgusting.” The group hopes that “[i]f we speak with one voice now, we can keep this program from ever seeing the light of day.”

On Facebook, Pastor David Rodgers, claiming to speak for “the Christian Community of America,” wrote a letter to Adult Swim in which it claimed that “level of disrespect aimed at the depiction of our Lord and Savior is inexcusable. We are hard pressed to find any value in this program, its message or its purpose. As a group of believers, we are prepared to launch a mass campaign and boycott of your channel and any advertisers that are financially profiting from this program.”

Moreover, Rodgers demanded “a PUBLIC APOLOGY to the Christian Community at large,” noting that “[t]here is no way that this show would be aimed at the Jewish or Muslim community.” Groups threatening to boycott the show were quick to note that their objections were religious, not racial.

Anthony Pollard, the administrator of the “Boycott the ‘Black Jesus’ TV Show” Facebook page, wrote that the boycott “has nothing to do with color or ethnicity, the historical Jesus was a Hebrew. This TV show is an insult to the beliefs, traditions, values, and most dearly held truths of the Christian faith. It paints a totally unbiblical, unrealistic caricature of Jesus of Nazareth.”

Focal Point host Bryan Fischer put out an “action alert” on his show yesterday because Black Jesus will depict Christ “in the hood,” where he will be “handing out booze to people on the street, homeless people, it looks like to me.” He went on to note that he believes the show “plays to the worst stereotypes of the black community,” and expressed surprise that “black leaders in the NAACP” weren’t already “outraged” by it.

Raggamuffin wrote:They're entitled to ask for it to be banned as well.

Ben_Reilly wrote:

Raggamuffin wrote:They're entitled to ask for it to be banned as well.

But that's quite a bit different from just asking people not to watch it, right? Why can't they just not watch it?

Raggamuffin wrote:

Ben_Reilly wrote:

Raggamuffin wrote:They're entitled to ask for it to be banned as well.

But that's quite a bit different from just asking people not to watch it, right? Why can't they just not watch it?

They can, but they can also ask for it to be banned. People protest about many different things. It might not make any difference, but they're entitled to do so.

Why do you have a problem with it anyway?

Ben_Reilly wrote:

Raggamuffin wrote:

They can, but they can also ask for it to be banned. People protest about many different things. It might not make any difference, but they're entitled to do so.

Why do you have a problem with it anyway?

Because they're trying to make it so that not only do they not have to see it, nobody can, and I don't like people making decisions like that for me. I think if they don't like the show, they shouldn't watch it, they shouldn't go to all this effort to make sure it isn't seen. For one, it just makes them look insecure.

Raggamuffin wrote:

Ben_Reilly wrote:

Raggamuffin wrote:

They can, but they can also ask for it to be banned. People protest about many different things. It might not make any difference, but they're entitled to do so.

Why do you have a problem with it anyway?

Because they're trying to make it so that not only do they not have to see it, nobody can, and I don't like people making decisions like that for me. I think if they don't like the show, they shouldn't watch it, they shouldn't go to all this effort to make sure it isn't seen. For one, it just makes them look insecure.

So you would never protest against something you think is wrong?

Ben_Reilly wrote:

Christian groups are trying to boycott the new Adult Swim comedy Black Jesus before its first episode even airs, The Root reported today.

The Christian group One Million Moms wrote on its website that the series — which was produced by The Boondocks creator Aaron McGruder and stars Gerald “Slink” Johnson in the titular role — is “blasphemous” because it “depicts [Jesus] living in Compton Gardens and makes a mockery of our Lord.”

In the trailer (below), “Jesus” is seen spouting profanity and explaining that he’s entitled to more marijuana because he “died for your f*cking sins.” It is also clear from the trailer that the main narrative of the series will concern whether the man who claims to be “Jesus” is, in fact, the Christian savior or just another messianic figure like David Koresh.

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/07/25/christian-groups-call-for-boycott-of-boondocks-creators-new-comedy-black-jesus/

Hmmm ... this reminds me of something ...

Ben_Reilly wrote:

Raggamuffin wrote:

So you would never protest against something you think is wrong?

I've never really protested against anything; if I did, it would more likely be something like a war. You can't just switch the channel from a war. But no, I would never try to ban or censor a book, movie, TV show, etc. just because I didn't agree with it.

Mind you, a lot of these same people were angry when that Duck Dynasty idiot was suspended for a week from his show for making homophobic comments ... so they just want it one way, not free speech for all.

Raggamuffin wrote:

Ben_Reilly wrote:

Raggamuffin wrote:

So you would never protest against something you think is wrong?

I've never really protested against anything; if I did, it would more likely be something like a war. You can't just switch the channel from a war. But no, I would never try to ban or censor a book, movie, TV show, etc. just because I didn't agree with it.

Mind you, a lot of these same people were angry when that Duck Dynasty idiot was suspended for a week from his show for making homophobic comments ... so they just want it one way, not free speech for all.

Well even in the case of war there are those who think it's wrong and those who think it's right. We had a big protest here against the Iraq invasion, but then a lot of people thought we should go in there. Does that mean that the people who wanted to stop it were going against the rights of those who didn't?

Ben_Reilly wrote:

Raggamuffin wrote:

Well even in the case of war there are those who think it's wrong and those who think it's right. We had a big protest here against the Iraq invasion, but then a lot of people thought we should go in there. Does that mean that the people who wanted to stop it were going against the rights of those who didn't?

I imagine they saw it that way. I will still make a distinction between expression and action, though.

Raggamuffin wrote:

Ben_Reilly wrote:

Raggamuffin wrote:

Well even in the case of war there are those who think it's wrong and those who think it's right. We had a big protest here against the Iraq invasion, but then a lot of people thought we should go in there. Does that mean that the people who wanted to stop it were going against the rights of those who didn't?

I imagine they saw it that way. I will still make a distinction between expression and action, though.

I think you just have to try to understand that some people do feel strongly about their beliefs and they don't like to see them mocked or insulted. I wouldn't agree with violence or anything, but they're entitled to try and change things they don't like. It won't make a difference anyway, but at least they will have tried.

Ben_Reilly wrote:

Raggamuffin wrote:

I think you just have to try to understand that some people do feel strongly about their beliefs and they don't like to see them mocked or insulted. I wouldn't agree with violence or anything, but they're entitled to try and change things they don't like. It won't make a difference anyway, but at least they will have tried.

But here's the thing. You can make a show (plenty of them exist) where the sole purpose is to mock people on the political left, like me. I'm not going to try to get those taken off the air.

Likewise, plenty of people have made content mocking atheists like myself as utter buffoons. I don't try to take away their free expression.

As I said before, it seems like when you try to outright ban a show, etc., you're insecure about what you stand for.

Raggamuffin wrote:

Ben_Reilly wrote:

Raggamuffin wrote:

I think you just have to try to understand that some people do feel strongly about their beliefs and they don't like to see them mocked or insulted. I wouldn't agree with violence or anything, but they're entitled to try and change things they don't like. It won't make a difference anyway, but at least they will have tried.

But here's the thing. You can make a show (plenty of them exist) where the sole purpose is to mock people on the political left, like me. I'm not going to try to get those taken off the air.

Likewise, plenty of people have made content mocking atheists like myself as utter buffoons. I don't try to take away their free expression.

As I said before, it seems like when you try to outright ban a show, etc., you're insecure about what you stand for.

What shows are those?

I just think - why make a programme which is designed to mock people's religious beliefs unless you wanted to upset them?  

Would you mock someone for being gay? You could say that's different because religious belief is a choice, but it doesn't feel that way - you either believe or you don't, you don't sit there and try to decide if you do. It's part of a person, just like their sexual orientation.

Ben_Reilly wrote:

Raggamuffin wrote:

What shows are those?

I just think - why make a programme which is designed to mock people's religious beliefs unless you wanted to upset them?  

Would you mock someone for being gay? You could say that's different because religious belief is a choice, but it doesn't feel that way - you either believe or you don't, you don't sit there and try to decide if you do. It's part of a person, just like their sexual orientation.

You should take a holiday to the U.S. and watch a little Fox News while you're here -- they make money off of mocking liberals, they don't even talk about what we really believe, they just put words in our mouths ...

I draw a line between things that hurt others and things that do not. Being gay doesn't hurt anybody. Banning gay marriage hurts gay people. That's where I'm coming from.