Yet again, the Vatican newspaper is making waves. This time, the paper has praised 'The Simpsons' - an often irreverent television series which "mocks and satirizes" religion. While the review wasn't entirely positive, it made references to the show's "realistic and intelligent writing" and called the 20 year-old cartoon show "profound".
And, in what may be considered an insult to watchful Catholic parents & other discriminating Catholics, the article claims that "rigid censors turn off the television" when the program comes on but says "the more serious analysts praise the realism and intelligence of its scripts, even if they often attack -- and rightly so -- the crude language and the violence of some episodes."
Well, watchful parents & discriminating Catholics, take comfort in the fact that you seem to be in good company with St. Paul, Popes Pius XI and XII, and even the Second Vatican Council...
"So be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and handed himself over for us as a sacrificial offering to God for a fragrant aroma. Immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be mentioned among you, as is fitting among holy ones, no obscenity or silly or suggestive talk, which is out of place, but instead, thanksgiving." (St. Paul, Eph. 5:1-4)
"Indeed, this should be the first aim of the arts of the Motion Pictures, Radio and Television: to serve truth and virtue." (Pope Pius XII, "Miranda Prorsus", 1957 A.D.)
"It is therefore one of the supreme necessities, of our times to watch and to labor to the end that the motion picture be no longer a school of corruption but that it be transformed into an effectual instrument for the education and the elevation of mankind." (Pope Pius XI, "Vigilanti Cura", 1936 A.D.)
"The motion picture should not be simply a means of diversion, a light relaxation to occupy an idle hour; with its magnificent power, it can and must be a bearer of light and a positive guide to what is good." (Pope Pius XI, "Vigilanti Cura", 1936 A.D.)
"Parents on their part should remember that it is their duty to see that entertainments and publications which might endanger faith and morals do not enter their houses and that their children are not exposed to them elsewhere." (Second Vatican Council)
"It is equally the duty of the Bishops of the entire Catholic world to unite in vigilance over this universal and potent form of entertainment and instruction... There must be no weariness in combating whatever contributes to the lessening of the people's sense of decency and of honor. This is an obligation which binds not only the Bishops but also the faithful and all decent men who are solicitous for the decorum and moral health of the family, of the nation, and of human society in general." (Pope Pius XI, "Vigilanti Cura", 1936 A.D.)
"This special power which Television enjoys, of giving pleasure within the family circle, is to be reckoned of very great importance, since it can contribute a great deal to the religious life, the intellectual development and the habits of those who make up the family; of the sons, especially, whom the more modern invention will certainly influence and captivate. But if that saying, 'a little leaven corrupteth the whole mass' corresponds at all to the truth, and if physical growth in youths can be prevented, by some infectious germ, from reaching full maturity, much more can some base element of education steal its way into the fibres of the religious life, and check the due shaping of morals. Everyone knows well that, very often, children can avoid the transient attack of a disease outside their own home, but cannot escape it when it lurks within the home itself. It is wrong to introduce risk in any form into the sanctity of home surroundings" (Pope Pius XII, "Miranda Prorsus", 1957 A.D.)
And considering the example of Christ - who tells us to "be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect" (Mt. 5:48) - as well as the examples of the saints, can anyone with proper Catholic formation for one moment imagine that Jesus or the saints would fail to be "rigid censors" of irreverent programming which mocks religion and uses violence & crude language?
While one might expect the Vatican newspaper to direct Catholics to virtue and goodness rather than to praise irreverent television programs which "mock and satirize" religion & employ crude language and violence, it seems that this is just one more scandalous example of the Vatican's "semi-official" newspaper attempting to "befriend the world". It joins their recent (scandalous) praise of an anti-Catholic film, a pro-abortion president, a cr*tch-grabbing pop-star whose works include the albums "Bad" & "Dangerous", an arch-heretic, a film containing witchcraft, and Karl Marx.
"This world and the world to come are two enemies. We cannot therefore be friends to both; but we must decide which we will forsake and which we will enjoy." (Pope St. Clement I)
"It is always a sign of presumption to imagine ourselves able to handle hot coals without burning ourselves." (Camus)
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