Media Issues: February 2005 Archives

I received this today:

NBC-TV SHOW ANGERS CATHOLICS NATIONWIDE

During the February 22 episode of the NBC-TV sitcom, "Committed," two non-Catholics are mistakenly given Holy Communion at a Catholic funeral Mass. Nate, who is Jewish, and Bowie, a Protestant, don't know what to do with the Eucharist, so they make several failed attempts to get rid of it. For example, they try slipping it into the pocket of a priest, dropping it on a tray of cheese and crackers, etc.

At one point, the priest, who is portrayed as not knowing the difference between the Host and a cracker, goes to grab the "cracker" from a tray of appetizers; he initially balks when he discovers that it is the last one. Then he changes his mind, saying, "Oh, what the hell." By far the most offensive scene occurs when Nate and Bowie accidentally flush what they think is the Host down the toilet.

The Catholic League is predictably outraged, and people are circulating this to urge people to voice their protests. I will probably ruffle some feathers by saying this, but I think there are more important battles to fight. Is this irreverent? Definitely. Something a person of deep faith would write? Absolutely not. Is it intended to offend Catholics or demean Catholicism? I doubt it. Seems to me something that any secular person ignorant of Catholic culture might write for a sitcom. I find it not at all surprising and I am not outraged, and I'm not sure that outrage will do any good before people who will likely genuinely have no understanding why we object to it.

In other words, I think this is the result of a cultural disconnect rather than any deliberately malicious intent. I think what they need is education and perhaps (don't laugh) some sensitivity training.

Anyway, in this cultural landscape, I think we need to pick our battles, and if we are off livid with utter rage every time someone so much as steps on our toes, our rage will soon lose is efficacy and may cause a backlash.

Some people I know were blase about my news about Bill Maher. Personally I think what Maher did is much more offensive than this because it was deliberately malicious and intended to offend. Should be interesting to see what my interlocutors think about this issue.