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Libertarian blogger Kirsten at Enjoy Every Sandwich observes [1] that Bavarian Bishops have their cassocks [2] in a twist over an animated pogo-riding pope [3]. The German Catholic leaders have taken legal steps to prevent MTV from airing the irreverent Popetown in Germany claiming that it is offensive to Catholics. The cartoon features a pogo stick riding Pope bouncing throughout St. Peter's Basilica and was apparently also dropped in Great Britain after protest. The injunction states:
"In this way the Catholic faith and the Catholic church are exposed to ridicule, which is justified neither by the freedom of opinion, of art, of the press nor of broadcasting," the archdiocese of Munich and Freising said in a statement.
I haven't seen this cartoon, which is described as satirical, so I don't know how potentially offensive it is, but I suppose a Catholic being outraged over this would be in somewhat the same position as, oh I don't know, perhaps a right-winger (or a member of the press) being offended by Stephen Colbert at the White House Correspondents' Dinner [4] (video [5]).
But I can understand being outraged over a cartoon. Just because something is a humorously drawn image meant to invoke laughter doesn't mean it can't offend your sensibilities. It's not hard to find cartoons appearing on right wing Christian websites that are grossly offensive to atheists. But I've never heard an atheist demanding that a cartoon be banned. I'll grant you that Germany is not the U.S. and their laws on freedom of speech likely differ, but I've got to ask any Catholic who agrees with banning these cartoons, is your God so weak or your faith so decrepit that satire of your religion should not be permitted? And what did you think of Muslims protesting cartoons [6] depicting Muhammad?
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